Mexico weekly ledger., 1910-02-03

time ago on the same Grand" he OBJ
served, to put her at her ease.
Miss Bloodgoode Amusement leap
ed into the young wde's tired brown
eyes -She did o tell me she was
coming. but that's Just like her. she's
a friend-indeed, shiriey's a god
friend"
Presently courage came. and she con
tinued, "Wll you tell me. please, what
my husbands chances areY'
Every man Is supposed to be limo
cent until be Is proved guilty. But,
Mrs. Challoner. ! can do nothing for
you. Your husband must stand trial.
yes, yes. I knowl But you don't
quite understand. The man was not
himself. Surely you must know that.
Let him live, Mr.. Murgatroyd. Hes
worth saving. Give him time-a
chance. He'll be good. I shall make
him good I have tried, and 1 sheIl
continue to try all the harder"
Murgatroyd sat motionless. After a
while he looked up and said:
II am very sorry for you. ard / dis
like intensely to hurt your Feelings.
But do you realize that your husband
shot this mar in a quarrel over
Mrs. Challoner quickly cut him short.
That womanl What DO ! care for
that? You don't know what my bus
band is to mel I love him, no matter
what he has done. Besides, It was all
my fault. Let me tell you how 1t was.
Laurie wanted money. His money was
gone. he had spent II all, and
M~urgatroyd held up his hand.
Il cannot let you speak this way.
You are simply supplying me with evi.
dence against him."
"And I refused him." went on the
excited woman. II hardened my heart
against him, drove him from home,
and then-this dreadful thing hap
pened."
ut would be dastardly in me 10 lis
ten further. You are making your
husbands guilt more evident with ev-
cry word. When Hargraves was found
he had been robbed OF $10,000i There
is nothing l a do, madam" he de-
clared fiatly.
Mrs. Challoner wrung her hands.
She seemed uncertain how to proceed.
In the end she said:
Il am going to do a terrible thing.
1t frightens me almost to death. !
don't know how to begin, but my love
for Laurie is my excuse for what l
have to say. l hope you won't misun-
derstand me. Surprising Shirley was In
Laurie's place-if she were accused of
crime-what wouldn't you do for herY'
The cases r hardly parallel" he
answered indirerently.
"They r precisely parallel" she
maintained. you love Shirley as
love Laurie. ! know you do. Don't
say no. Women have a way Of know
ing those things"
II would do anything to win her"
he spoke up quickly.
81 know that you have great ambi-
tions." she continued. ''and with such
a girl at your side there is no reason
why you should not become a great
man."
This sudden interest on her part in
matters concerning his future for the
moment ratified him. Her words
with such a girl at your side" found
a welcome In his heart. On her part
Mrs. Challoner was becoming more
and more composed. Her voice rang
with conviction as she went on:
you will have uphill work. l know,
Your party is against you. and all that
sort Of thing; but, IL only for Shirley'a
sake, l want you-you must succeedT'
M%urgatroyd found himself actually
confessing to this woman that be
thought he deserved to win out.
tits only money that you lack, ]
know" she ventured now. with
money they couldn't keep you down,
With money Of your own The ten
sion was getting too much for her