The Irish standard., 1910-02-05

but he caught hold OF me. struck
him in the face, and he threw me
against the edge of the open door-it
made the scar"
| Foyle's face was white. "Why did
| you never write and tell ME that, 10?
| You know that +" He stopped sud.
denly.
"You had gone out Of our lives
! down there didn't know where you
were for long time; and then-then
It was all right about Bobby and me,
except that Bobby didn't get the
money that was his. But now"
Foyle's voice was hoarse and low.
"He made that scar, and he tried
and you only 10 Oh. my God!"
Suddenly his face redeemed, and he
choked with shame and anger. "And
he's my brother!" was all that he
could say. -,<
do you see him up here ever?" she
asked pityingly.
II never saw him till week ago."
moment, then he added, "The let.
ter wasn't to be sent here in his own
name, was it,"
She nodded. eyes, in his own name,
Dorland w. Foyle, Didn't he go BY
that name when you saw him."
| There was an oppressive silence, in
which she saw that something moved
him strangely, and then he answered.;
"No, he was going by the name of
Halbeck-Hiram Halbeck."
The girl gasped. Then the whole
thing burst upon her. Hiram Hal.
beck! Nett-Hiram Halbeck, the
thief read it all in the papers-the
thief that you caught, and that got
away. And you've left the police be-
cause of it, and-oh, Nett!" Her
eyes were full of tears, her face
drawn and gray.
He nodded. Il didn't know who he
was till l arrested him. he said.
Then, afterward thought of his
child, and let him get away-and for
my poor old mothers sake-she was
fond of him in spite of all. She never
But remember how he used to steal
the brandy from her bedside. when
she had the fever, and drink it.. She
never knew the worst Of him. But
let him away in the night 10, and
resigned, and they thought that Hal
beck had beaten me, had escaped. OF
course couldn't stay in the force.
having done that. couldn't. But,
by the heaven above us, if had him
here now, I'd do the thing-1'd do it
do it, so help me God!"
"Why should you ruin your life for
him." she said with an outburst Of
indignation. Az that was in her heart
welled up in her eyes at the thought
Of what Foyle was. "You must not
ness, not you. 1t would be a sin. You
and what becomes of you mean so
much" Suddenly with flash of pur-
pose she added, He will come for
that letter, Nett .ftei would run any
kind of risk to get a dollar. He will
come here for that 1etter-perhaps to-
day."
He shook his head moodily, op.
pressed by the trouble that was on
him. Hes not likely to venture here,
after what's happened"
"You don't know him as we'll as I
do, Nett. He is so vain he'd do it,
just to show that he could. He'd prob
ably come in the evening. Does any
one know him here? So many peo-
pie pass through Kowatin every day.
Has anyone seen him?"
'"'Only Billy Goatry," he answered,
working his way to solution of the
dark problem. "Only Billy Goatry
knows him. The fellow that led the
singing-that was Goatry."
There he is now" he added, as
Billy Goat passed the window.
She came and laid hand on his
arm. We've got to settle things with
him." she said. III he comes, Nett"
There was silence for a moment.
then he caught her hand in his and
held it. III he comes, leave him to
me, 10. You will leave him to me?"
he added anxiously.
"'Yes," she said. You'll do what's
rightly Bobby"
"And by Dor, too" he replied
strangely.
There were loud footsteps without.
TITS Goatry," said Foyle. you stay
here. I'll tell him everything. He's
all right-he's true friend. He'll
not interfere
The handle of the door turned
slowly. "You keep watch on the post
Office, TO-" he added.
Goatry came round the opening
door with grin.
Hope don't intrude," he said,
stealing a half-lcering look at the girl
As soon as he saw her face, however,
he Strengthened himself up; he took
on different manners. He had not
been intoxicated rs he had made out,
and he seemed only mellow as he
stood before them, with his CORFU
gated face and queer, quaint look,
the eye with the cast in 1t blinking
faster than the other.
7 ITS all right, Goatry," said Foyle.
"This lady is one Of my family from
the east"
!