The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-03-10

/ geste1 Smith There's no hurry
Thanks; think / will That beet
tea did me coed"
He ate three sandwiches ravennusly
washing them down with water
| "There isn't a whole lot to relate" he
said. You can fill in the details for
yourself. l tried backing the ponies
again; then stole from the bank
| There was an examination of the books
at the bank -four days ago. | didn't
turn up there that day. and haven't
been there since; but. Of course. tie
game is mp. ] wandered about drink
ing to try to forget my troubles ill al!
| my money was gone Then ! sobered
up, and here am This time there's
no one to save me- The bank couldn't
be fixed. even If I had the funds t.
make my stealings good. They'd get
ME wherever l hid myself. that's sure
They must be locking for me now
Ard. o God. can't face itr'
Tears raincd down his face--tears
that he made no effort to hide or wip'
away
II knew was going headlong down
to hcll-knew what ] was doing-saw
the certain punishment-yet couldn't
stop myself And now l have reath ct'
the mouth OF the pitt
He shuddcred and writhed IL agon,
Of torment, turning lis pitiful. stream
ing eyes upon Smith
ooh, Jimsy. If you would only xii
me and end il ALL" he moaned 'Cll
If ! only had the courage to kill my
self"
| Smith. greatly aSitated. looked at the
miserable man in perplexity.
II wish l could help you. joe" he
said. "But this time ! don't sec how
you can be helped"
ut isn't possible There's nothing
you could do. I'm done for. It's my
own fault" he sobbed, II brought II
all on myself have been weak-oh
weak-and fool. And now it's come
to this. No: nobody's to blame but my.
self--unlcss It's Emma"
| He rose to so.
| "Shake hands with me, Jinsy," hc
begged. Its the hand Of thief, &
criminals hard. but you were glad tt
take it in friendship once. when it was
honest. and it's the last time I'll ever
ask you to do anything for me. You'll
never sec me again"
Smith grasped the hand held out tc
him, and his pressure was more clio
cuent Of his feelings than mere words
could have been. He could find no
phrases adequate to express them, 50
remained silent, but he slipped into
the wretched mans pocket as Brooks
passed out Of the door bundle Of
banknotes that he had taken without
counting from drawer.
Snow had begun to fall. A high
wind. blowing apparently from all
quarters, hardened the flakes and pro-
PEELED them with singing force into
the faces Of the people in the streets.
Brooks had no umbrella, nor had he
gloves, and the wind cut to the bone
Yet he paid scant heed to his discom
fort and ambled away from Smiths
abode. He turned up his coat cola,
and pulled his hat over his eyes. More
than once when he thought Re was
being followed he went sick with fear
Every minute he expected to feel q
hand on his shoulder.
Why should he lack the pluck to kill
himself? A fugitive from justice,
friendless and penniless, everything
that was worth while in life gone fol
ever, what had he to hope from living
The prison door from which he had
shrunk with such dread before now
was wide open to receive him, Woul :.
receive him as inevitably as day woul
follow the night. He remembered hay.
ing read that man shot through the
brain never felt the messenger which
snuffed out his life. In the drawer of
his bureau was Il loaded revolver TIN.
he had long kept there for self protec
ton in case Of need. A movement OF
his finger would end all. a feelin.
almost Of relief came with this thought
and he quickened his steps There was
only one thing to fear now-that Tx
would he caught before he could reacl
his room. AS he trudged along he
found himself at the corner Of the
street in which the Harrises lived.
Emma! How different she had been
from the other. She had not taken
she had g'"en. Love had not beer
dependent pen the bringing Of gifts
it had been lavished upon him. Whc!
he had been Respondent she had coma
forted him when things were gOina
wrong she al encouraged him: whcr
his head arhCd she had rested It O..
her bosom And it had come to this
that he had lost her and, with her
all; that he was an nutcast at h0i
door.
An insane desire to see her took pos
session Of HIN. 1t grew. became over
towering, swept aside all the Objec
tons Of reason. He was dying man
and nothing was denied to the dying
He rctraced his steps and rang Tx
bell The door opened, and he ascend
ed the well remembered stairs Mrs