The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-01-14
she finds out who you are-Cameo

she finds out who you are-Cameo
Kirby?"
easy on that name, Larkin"
| Easy on the namev" beloved
Bunce, appealing to the ceiling. why,
It's been shriekin' through this house
ever since you got here. There's been
two fellers within ten feet Of you all
the time who never took their eyes
off'n you-that young veaudry and
Aaron Randall. Do you reckon they
think you're Colonel Moreau? Why,
seen them leave the house short spell
back, and I'd be willin' to bet nv i'm
mortal soul they're on to our makeups
and are plannin' to raise h. with us.
l tell you this place is g1ttin' too hot
for Larkin Bunce. You haven't said
goodby to her? Well, then, I'll say
goodby to you. Somebody's got to be
loose. I wouldn't be no good to you-
nor to me either-in jail. For the last
time" he pleaded, making an implor-
ing gesture with his trembling hands,
care you comm with me?"
Kirby, who had quietly resumed his
paw oe SAS SAOAO, AAo" clOWAy 6AuluSu
the deck and carefully inspected the
card that had turned up.
NO" he said, with grave finality,
I'm not going with you, my friend.
The hands dealt; I'll play 1t out"
For Gods sake, Genev implored
Bunce ''Then got to quit you You
know what this means to me-" he add
ed despairingly. II hate to go, but
there's no sense in my stayfn'."
mo. And l thank you for staying
rs long as you have" interrupted Kir-
by, with smile, rising and placing his
hand on the others shoulder. "Pm
afraid I haven't been thinking very
much of you, old partner. But I'm go
ing to stay-call it what you like
However, this is not your hand, Lar
kin, and I don't want You to help me
play it out. Go, by all means, and at
once. Did you get fresh horse?,
"A fresh horse? Why, wouldn't
even burst to ask for the one 1 come
on" cried Bunce, hopping his face
''You don't seem to rightly size up the
mess we're in, Gene I'll be lucky to
git out on my own two feet. don't
even know where they put my hat
and I'm skeered to ask for it. Then 1t
amt no more use my askin' you to
conner"
mo more use than in your staying"
said Kirby.
Bunce hesitated for moment. then
thrust out his huge hand.
"Goodby, you burned foolv' no gasp
I'd, choking up.
"Goodby, I.arkin, but don't bet that
It is goodby. They won't get me. I'll
ride your horse into town for you to-
morrow"
Bunce bestowed final helpless ap-
peal upon the ceiling, gave his part
ner's hand farewell wrench, then
numbered hastily from the room, while
Kirby, humming softly to himself,
strolled to the open window and, lean
ing negligently against it's frame, gave
himself up to retrospect. &C.. .-
He wanted to be alone; he wanted to
think, to dream, to go over and over
again every word that Adele had spo-
ken, every smile, every gesture. His
thoughts were solely Of the immediate
present and past. For the future he
did not care-neither Tom Randall's
homecoming nor his own Inevitable
unmasking. He wondered what he
would have been, what the end would
have been, had his early life been laid
in pleasanter llnes-less harsh, less
lonely Yes. utter loneliness was
great and sinister factor In molding
mans destiny. What II the last of the
Kirbys had proved an honor to the
old name, instead Of a professional
river gambler! And why was he re-
naming? Was not the allegory of
the rosebush too bitterly true? Why
had Adele said those last words: "But
mightn't It be perhaps with one wo-
man lie couldn't be beaten, even then?"
Yes, 1t might be, and 1t would be,
and the truth Of it had been proved
since the beginning of time. But, even
II she were willing aud knew him for
what he was. could he rightly ask the
sacrifice? Yet those words had awak-
ened a fierce longing, had held out
promise of hope. And he could not
utterly renounce, not just yet. Per-
haps-
He turned as hand tugged at his
sleeve, turned to confront old Group,
who had stolen noiselessly to his side.
"Marse Gene, TO- Gawd's sake look
out!' whispered Group, his face gray
with anxiety, his voice trembling with
suppressed excitement. "I's feared it's
too late TO- yo' to git away. Marse
Anatole done ride out de stable lax
he's crazy, an If yo' listen to de quiet
out yonneh 20 kind hear bosses
a-comin' down de big road, an dey
comm on de gallop, Marse Gene. Old
Group mighty skeered TO- yo', honey"
Kirby turned an attentive ear to-
ward the softly stealing south wind
that harbinger of danger. Yes, the
hoof beats were now insistently audi
BILE, drawing nearer and nearer with
every passing second. More than one
horse, too-say dozen, If he was any