Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-12
By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE

exclaimed. clinging to her. You and
Laurie are the only friends l have
You must stay here with Laurie and
me-"
Shirley patted her affectionately.
There. there. Miriam. dear, of
course shall stay" Miriam, reassur-
ed. darted back to her husband and
cried:
Laurie. dear" kissing him and push
ing the hair back from his forehead,
$50 tired, so tired"
But Challoner. a wolf now and not a
man, jerked away from her and an
swered:
II came home, didn't 1? Well. then,
I must have sleep. sleep; tell you,
Sleep" And. tottering over to dainty
silken covered sofa. he threw himself
upon it. with deep sigh.
Miriam went down on her knees and
drew him to her in close embrace.
"Everything's all right now that
you've come back" she told him in
soothing tones. ''And. dear, you'll for
give me for quarreling with you. I'm
SO sorry; yes. am, Laurie" kissing
him on the lips, the face. the forehead.
Say you'll forgive me. Laurie, dear?"
His answer was snore.
Miriam" whispered Shirley, I'VE
must not forget that Murgatroyd and
his men have only just left. We must
not let him lie here. 1t was lucky they
searched the house when they did"
NO" objected Miriam. HE must
aleep."
mo. no. Miriam" persisted Shirley.
putting great emphasis on the words.
1--WE ought to tell him what kind Of
evidence is against him. If we didn't
warn him in time he'd never forgive
u.s."
perhaps you're right, Shirley. You
seem to be always right. Yes, sup
pose he ought to know" Gently Mir
lam shook him, rocked him to and fro
upon the sofa as some mother might
wake a drowsy, growing boy on lazy
summer morn.
Lawrence" she cried softly in his
ear. wake up; dear, wake up"
For an instant Challoner stirred.
I
back" murmured Miriam happily. Un-
conscious Of the others words, she re-
NAMED kneeling at the side Of the
dainty sofa, with its far from dainty
burden. her arm still about the neck Of
the man who slept upon it.
At that instant as Miriam and Shir-
ley stood clustered about the sleeping
thing the bell once more broke out in
feeble clamor.
"The bellp' chorused the women and
stood frozen silent. They heard Ste
yens toiling up the stairs, waited.
watched the door. Finally they saw
him enter.
Its the prosecutors men again.
madam" said the butler. They've
come to-
Stevens" interrupted Shirley, "sure.
you didn't tell them that
They said they saw him.
Shirley groaned and pointed to the
sofa. Mrs. Challoner rose to her feet
and stood before it as If to hide the
man upon it.
you left them outside. Stevens"
Zone of them. The other forced his
way in"
| A maid, quivering with fear and in
dignation, burst in with:
There's man coming upstairs,
madam. but stopped him. he said
he'd wait out there on the landing to
see you-said he knew Mr.. Challoner
was in the house and he was going to
arrest him."
"Oh, dear. There's nothing to be
done, suppose, but to let the man
in.' Mrs. Challoner was speaking to
Shirley now, and then without waiting
for a reply she ordered Foster to
show the man up, adding. Il hope he'll
wait until Laurie wakes"
Instantly Miriam crossed to the sofa
and once more rested her soft, warm
face on his. hoping that he could feel
the love that she bore for him. Then
she shook him somewhat roughly.
Laurie, dear, you must wake up"
And then like flash the thought Of
resistance crossed her mind. she
sprang up with a cry. rushed past
Shirley, past Stevens, reached the
door, closed 1t, fumbled for an instant
and, finding the key, locked it tight.
mo, no." she muttered, "they shall
not take him-I won't let them-he be-
longs to mey'
In frenzy she piled up the light
chairs and tables and pushed them
against the door to form a barricade,
CRYING the while fn Stovons. uua,n
me, quick! We've got to keep them
out! We must not let them in, must
i not
Shirley caught her In her arms.
Don't, dear, don't! We can't help
it, don't you see2"
"Of course we can't help it." after
moment Miriam said resignedly and
proceeded to pull the chairs and Ia
bles away that she had so vigorously
piled up. YEARLY she fell into chair.
Mixley entered the room, McGrath
following soon after.
At the sight Of them Miriam rushed
back to her husband, speaking his
name softly.
If you would only let him sleep
Just a little while longer" she said
falteringly to the men.
You must leave him to us, ma'am,"
spoke up Mixley.S
And suddenly together the men bod
lily lifted Challoner from the sofa and
AZ suddenly dropped him back again.
At this use of physical force Miriam
covered her face with her hands and