The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-11-17

u
lie."
Noting the signs of a rising storm,
Clyde scrambled out of his chair, say
ing. well. think I'll be going" He
picked up his hat and stick and hur.
riedly left the room, folio wed in every
movement by the angry eyes of Fra.
ser. who seemed on the point of an ex.
plosion.
'"You are tired and overweight"
said Cherry quietly to Boyd. "The sue
cess Of this enterprise, with any hap.
piness 1t may bring you. isn't worth a
human life nor Is 1t worth what you
are suffering"
perhaps not, from your point of
view" he said roughly. then struck
his palm with his closed fist what
an idiot ! was to begin all this-to
think could win with no weapons
and no aid except a half mad fisher
man. an addle Drained imbecile. con.
fidence man
And n woman" supplemented Cher.
~. "I'm the one to blame"
"No: blame no one but myself.
Whatever you're responsible for there's
only one person you've harmed-your.
SELF
what do you mean?" asked Cherry
Her surprise left him unimpressed
Lets be frank" he said. "It Is best
to have such things out I traded my
friendship for money. and l am ruined
Yon are stalking your honor against
billiards hanknotes." Her silence
only made him the more fercely deter
mined to force an explanation. "Oh,
I'm in no mood to speak gently" he
said; then added. with sting Of con-
tempt in his tone. 81 didn't think you
would pay quite that price for your
copper mine." ~
Cherry Malotte paled to her lips.
Kindly be more explicit; don't know
what you are talking about"
"Then, for your own good, you'd bet
ter understand. According to accepted
standards, there is one thing no wo-
man should trade upon. You have set
yourself to trap billiard. and from
what hear you are succeeding. He is
q married man. He is notorious, and
yet you have deliberately yielded your
self to him for a price,"
Suddenly he found the girl standing
over him with burning eyes and quiv-
ering body.
"What right have you to say such
things to me?" she cried. "A moment
ago you acknowledged yourself a MUIR
at CT TN, n
you would sacrifice anything or every
thing to gain your ends. Do you think
I'm like that too? Are my methods to
be called shameful because your own
are criminal? And suppose they werei
Do you think that you and your love
for that unfeeling woman. who sent
| you out to toll and suffer and sweat
your soul dry in the solitude of that
| horrible country, are the only issues
| in the world?''
1--WE won't speak of her." he broke in
sharply.
"Oh, yes, we will. You say 1 have
set price on myself. Well. she car
set a price on herself, but you CAM
see it. Her price was your honor. that
has crumbled; your conscience. thai
has rotted. You have paid it. and you
would pay double if she eYacted it
But one thing you shall not do; you
shall not judge Of my bargains nor de-
eide what l have paid to any man."
| Never before had Boyd seen a WON
an so transformed by the passion OF
anger. She was the picture of defiant
fury. The mask. had slipped. and he
caught glimpse of the naked. pas
sionate soul, upheaved to its depths.
II beg your pardon" he said. "You
are your own mistress. and you have
the right to make any bargain you
choose
He saw that her eyes were misty
with tears. II want you to know,
she said. "that understand your posi-
ton perfectly. If you don't succeed
you not only lose the girl. but ruiz
yourself. for you can never repay thu
men who trusted you. That is a yer,
big thing to man, know. yet there
must be way out-there always is
Perhaps it will present itself when 70,
least expect it." She gave him a tiret
little smile before lowering her veil.
He rose and laid his hand on hel
| arm ssFOrrive nv hr,,tal hluntnoss