, 1910-06-16

with MIN. He seemed desperate
enough to do anything, yet she doubt.
ed II he had the courage to kill him
self. She thought she would try more
c~oncflfatory methods, so, stopping
short. she said nor gently:
You know my husband has suffered
through the wretched marriage of his
only son. You know how deeply we
both feel this disgrace. and yet you
would add"
Underwood laughed mockinEly.
Why should I consider your hus-
bands feelings?" he cried. He didn't
consider mine when he married you"
Suddenly bending forward, every
nerve tense, he continued h~oarsely:
Alicia, / tell you I'm desperate. I'm
hemmed in on all sides by creditors.
You know what your friendship-your
patronage means? If you drop me
now. your friends will follow-they're
a lot of sheep led by you-and when
my creditors hear of me they'll be
down on me like a flock of wolves.
I'm not able to make a settlement.
Prison stares me in the face"
CHANGING around at the handsome
furnishings, Alicia replied c~arelessly:
Tn not responsible for your wrong,
doing. 1 want to protect my friends.
If they are a lot of sheep, as you say,
that is precisely why / should warn
them. They have implicit confidence
in me. You have borrowed their mon
ey, cheated them at cards, stolen from
them. our acquaintance with me has
given them the opportunity. But now
I've found o out. refuse any long
er to sacrifice my friends. my self-re-
Spect, my sense of decency." Angrfly
she continued: You thought you could
bluff ME. You've adopted this cow
ards way Of forcing me to receive
you against my will. Well, you've
failed. / will not sanction your rob.
hing my friends. I will not allow you
to sell them any more of your high.
priced rubbish, or permit you to cheat
them at cards"
Underwood listened in silence. He
stood ~motionless, watching her flushed
face as h heaped ~reproaches on him
She was practically pronopncing hi,
death sentence, yet he could no help
thinFi~s atty she looked. When
she had finished he said nothing, but,
going to his desk, he opened a sman
drawer and too out a revolver.
Alicia recoiled. frightened.
What are you going to do?" she
cried.
Underwood smiled bitterly.
"Oh, don't be afraid. | wouldn't do
1t while you are here. In spite of all
you've said to me, l still think too
much of you for that" Replacing the
pistol in the drawer, he added: alicia,
If you desert me now, you'll be sorry
to the day of your death"
His visitor looked at him in silence.
Then, contemptuously, she said:
II don't believe you intend to carry
out your threat. | should have known
from the first hat your object was to
brighten me. The pistol display was
highly theatrical, but 1t was only a
BLUM. You've no more idea of taking
your life than I have of taking mine.
I was foolish to come here. might
have spared myself the humiliation Of
this clandestine interview. Good
night"
She went toward the door. Under.
wood made no attempt to follow her.
In a hard. strange voice, which he
scarcely recognized as his own, he
merely said:
rs that all you have to say?"
YES" replied Alicia, as she turned
at the door. Let 1t be thoroughly I'M
derstood that your presence at my
house is not desired. If you force
yourself upon me in any way, you
must take the consequences"
Underwood bowed, and was silent.
She did not see the deathly pallor of
his face. Opening the door of the
apartment which led to the hall, she
again turned.
Tell me. before l go-you didn't
what you said In your letter, did
your"
I'll tell you nothing" replied Un-
derwood doggedly.
She tossed her head scornfully.
81 don't believe that a man who is
coward enough to, write g letter like
this has the courage to carry out his
threat" Stufing the letter back into
her bag. she added: Il should have
thrown it in the waste-paper basket,
but on second thoughts, l. think I'll
keep 1t. Goodnight"
Goodnight" echoed Underwood
mechanically.
He watched her go down the long
hallway and disappear in the elevator.
Then, shutting the door, he came
slowly back into the DON and sat
down at his desk. For ten minutes he
sat there motionless, his head bent
forward, every limb relaxed. There
was deep silence, broken only by How
ards regular breathing and the loud
ticking of the clock.
TITS all up" he muttered to himself.
Its no use battling against the tide.
The strongest swimmer must go under