The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-03-15


retreated moment before.
Valentine. still Obvious to the near.
ness of Rose. raised his hands along
the edge OF the vault door. his back
toward the entrances leading to the
room. II beat you ! beat you aud
saved the little girl from you he
murmured ~ and down he pressed
his hands against the enameled metal
Il beat you. beat your
Slowly he turned away. and as he
raised his eyes they met the implaca
BILE. scornful gaze Of George Doyle
Valentine started back. In the shad.
owy vault room he thought his eyes
] had played him false. that he saw
only vision conjured into tempo
rary existence by overwrought nerves
and correspondingly disordered
brain He pressed his hand to his
forehead. Then the vision" moved
toward him Yes. It was George
Doyle
The ex-convict stood transiixed. az
though an unwilling witness Of ter
ror inspiring tragedy. And to him the
denouement was all of that Doyle
stood. his hands clasped behind his
back. waiting for the other to speak.
Valentine. worn out by the strain Of
the days events. was in no mood t.
continue the fight against the cool
calculating, time abiding detective.
$50 this is the end. Doyle" he final
~ said with a wan. forced smile on
his drawn lips THE jig is up. Isn't
that about it,
The detective moved closer to the
human prey for whom he had so long
and so patiently and, so far as the
government was concerned, had so ex
pensively sought
Looks that way to me. Jimmy. But
remember. back there in Albany. !
told you I'd get you some day unless
you would do me favor or two Al
ways remember that | gave you n
chance to keep out of the pen and
you turned 1t down."
Valentine hung his head. Yes. he
would never cease to remember the al
tentative of becoming stool pig
him the alternative of ''peaching" OH
old Bill Avery and going scot free
scot free until Doyle should command
him to turn up" some other friend
and companion.
Come. Doyle. make quick job of
this" was his answer. You win aft
err all. I'll go without
The detective interrupted Valentine
by iDcining his head and pointing to
one side. The ex-convict turned-to
see Rose Lane. in whose affectionate
embrace he had fingered but few
ernoon.
A deadly pallor overspread the girls
cheeks. She drew near to the two
men. her hands clasped nervously
against her heaving bosom.
"You saw" exclaimed the distracted
young assistant cashier. peering
searchingly at the girl. and with an in
voluntary twitch of his elbow indi
eating the opened vault
Rose nodded her head gravely. stared
at the man she had loved and then al
the threatening form of the detective.
Valentine strobe to her. clutched
pink rose from bouquet fastened at
the girls girdle. He pressed 1t in both
his hands.
You won't mind my having that
flower. ] know" he said brokenly. II
am going-to be gone a long time-and
this | want you to know and remem
Der through the years-my love for
you-is the only clean thing | ever
knew. 1t is complete. and it will new
er-never end"
AS he concluded he wheeled to face
the detective.
THAT'S all. Doyle" he said in hard
ly audible tones
The central office man saw the rea.
significance of the situation. No one
with the slightest morsel of intelli-
gence could doubt that the beautiful
young girl before him was suffering
one she loves is torn bodily from her
forever. AS for Valentine well. there
must be something good In him after
all, reasoned Doyle, If girl like the
bankers daughter could venture her
whole life's happiness on the chance
of his "going straight" The detective
shifted uneasily on his feet as valen-
tine turned to him.
'Er-didn't you have an-an-en-
gagement with-er-this young ladyT
he queried hesitatingly.
Rose caught ray of encouragement
In his tones.
"Yes! Yesw she cried, springing
forward. her cheeks now aglow with
the inspiration given by a newborn
hope, "and 1t was an engagement that
means my happiness. my love. my
life and his life" She reached forth
her hands beseechingly toward Doyle.
The officer glanced quickly behind
him and around the room. making
sure that there were no other wit