Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-09-21

you must promise me solemnly not 70
make any attempt against your life"
81 promise nothing" muttered Un.
derwood doggedly.
But you must" she insisted. 1T
would be a terrible crime, not only
against yourself, but against others,
You must give me your word"
Underwood shook his head.
Il promise nothing"
But you must" persisted Alicia. Il
won't stir from here until l have your
promise"
He looked at her ~curiously.
IF my life has no interest for you,
why should you carer" he asked.
There was a note Of scorn in his
voice which aroused his visitors
wrath. Crumpling up his letter in her
hand, she confronted him angrily.
Shall | tell you why | care?" she
cried. Because you accuse me In this
letter of being the cause of your death
Il, who have been your friend in
spite Of your dishonesty. Oh! it's des-
picable, contemplate! Above all, it's
a lie"
Underwood shrugged his shoulders.
C~ynically he replied:
$50 1t wasn't so much concern for
me as for yourself that brought you
here"
Alicia's eyes flashed as she TN
swered:
yes, l wished to spare myself this
~indignity, the shame of being asgo-
ciated in any way with a suicide. |
was afraid you meant what you said"
Afraid" interrupted Underwood
bitterly, that some of the scandal
might reach as far as the ~aristocratio
Mrs. Howard Jeffries, SRI"
Her face flushed with anger, Alicia
paced up and down the room. The
mans taunts stung her to the quick.
In a way, she felt that he was right
She ought to have guessed his charac-
ter long ago and had nothing to do
with him. He seemed desperate
enough to do anything, yet she doubt.
ed If he had the courage to kill him.
self. She thought she would try more
conciliatory methods, so, stopping
short, she said more 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 mockingly.
why should l consider your huS
bands feelings?" he cried. HE didn't
consider mine when he married you"
Suddenly bending forward, every
nerve tense, he continued hoarsely:
alicia, l tell you I'm desperate. I'm
hemmed in on all sides by creditors
You know what your frlendship-youl
patronage means? II you drop rue
now, your friends will follow-they're
a lot of sheep led by you-and whe1
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 carelessly;
I'm not responsible for your wrong
doing. l want to protect my friends
If they are a lot Of sheep, as you say
that is precisely why | should war;
them. They have implicit confidence
in me. You have borrowed their mon
ey, cheated them at cards, stolen from
them. Your acquaintance with me has
given them the opportunity. But now
I've found you out. refuse any long
er to sacrifice my friends, my self-re
spect, my sense Of decency." Angrily
she continued: you thought you coult
blum me. You've adopted this COW
ards way of forcing me to receive
you against my will. Well, you've
failed. l will not sanction your rob
bling my friends. l will not allow yol
to sell them any more of your high
priced rubbish, or permit you to chea
them at cards"
UUQ6TWOOu LSI6uSu III bllSuCe. E1N
stood motionless, watching her fiusheC
face as she heaped reproaches on him
She was practically pronouncing hi
death sentence, yet he could not hell
thinking how pretty she looked. Whel
she had finished he said nothing, but
going to his desk, he opened a small
drawer and took out a revolver.
Alicia recoiled, frightened.
what are you going to do?" sh'
cried.
Underwood smiled bitterly.
ooh, don't be afraid. | wouldn't d
1t while you are here. In spite Of al
you've said to me, l still think tot
much Of you for that" Replacing tn
pistol In the drawer, he added: alicia
If you desert me now, you'll be SORT!
to the day Of your DEATH"
His visitor looked at him in silence
Then, CONTEMPORARY, she said:
(TO BE CONTINUED.)