Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-16

he replied: II told you once that !
didn't tip your nit"
Don't keep that up!" cried Boyd,
his much-tried temper ready to give
way. Il can put up with anything but
a 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, followed in every
movement by the angry eyes of Fra
ser, who seemed on the point of an
explosion.
Il don't believe Fraser gave out the
story said Cherry, at which he
flashed her grateful glance.
"You can make book on that" he
declared. II may be crook, but I'm
no sucker, and know when to hobble
my talk and when to slip the bride.
I did five years once when it wasn't
coming to me, and l can do 1t again
If have to-" He damned his hat down
over his ears and walked out.
IL really think he Is telling the
TRUTH" said the girl. Gle is dreadfully
hurt to think you mistrust him."
He and have threshed that out,
Emerson declared, pacing the room
with nervous strides. when think
what an idiotic tritle 1t was that
caused this disaster, could throttle
him-and would If didn't blame my
self for it, He paused to stare unsee-.
ingly at her. I'm waiting for the crash
to come before walk into room CLIO
at the Hotel Butler and settle with
sMr. Jones of New York."
"You aren't seriously thinking of
any such melodramatic finish, are
your" she inquired.
when l first met you in Kalvik
said would stop at nothing to sue
coed. Well, meant 1t. am more des-
perate now than was then. could
have stood over that wretch at the
dock the other day, and watched him
drown, because he dared to step In
between me and my work. I could
walk into Willis Marsh's room and
strange him, if by SO doing could
win Yes!" he checked her. Il know l
am wrong, but this is how feel.
have wrung my soul dry. have tolled
and sweated and suffered for three
years, constantly held down by the
grip of some cursed evil fortune A
dozen times have climbed to the very
brink Of success, only to be thrust
down by some trivial cause like this.
Can you wonder that I have watched
my honor decay and crumble p that
I've ceased to care what means use
so long as l succeed? have fought
fair so far, but now, tell you, I've
come to a point where I'd sacrifice
everything to get what want-and l
want that girl"
"You are tired and overweight, ;"
said Cherry, quietly. "You don't mean
what you say. The success of this en-
terprise, with any happiness 1t may
bring you, tint worth human life;
no.. IS it 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 half-mad fisher
man, an addle-brained imbecile, a
confidence man"
"And woman" supplemented
Cherry. Then, more gravely: I'm the
one to blame; got you into it.
mo, / blame no one but myself.
Whatever you're responsible for,
there's only one person you've
har1ned-yourself."
what do you mean?" asked
Cherry.
Her surprise left him unimpressed.
Lets be frank" he said. 1T Is best
to have such things out and be done
with them. traded my friendship for
money and am ruined. You are stalk
ing your honor against billiards bank
notes" Her look commanded him,
pleaded with him, to stop; but her ST.
lence only made him the the more
fercely determined to force an ex-
PLANTATION. ooh, I'm in no mood to
speak gently" he said; then added
with a sting Of contempt in his tone:
81 didn't think you would pay quite
that price for your copper-mine.'
Cherry Malotte paled to her lips, and
when she spoke her voice was oddly
harsh. "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
woman should trade upon"
GO on"
"You have set yourself to trap Hill
lizard and, from what l hear. you are
succeeding. He is married man. He
is twice your age. He is notorious AL
of which you must know, and yet you
have deliberately yielded yourself to
him for 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 muir.
derer-at least In thought; you said
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 were
DO you think that you and yoIr love
| for that ,lnfeeling woman, who sent
you out to toll and suffer and sweat
lyour soul dry in the solitude of tia,
horrible country, are the only issues
| in the world?'
1--WE won't speak of her," he broke
+, in, sharply.
ooh yes, we will. You say l have
| Il. e1 hoe