Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-03-31

YOU saw Valentine ut work"
The girl cut him short with an up
raised hand kitty. hurry. hurry"
she warned him in low voice.
Red continued on his way.
Don't worry. miss. She'll be all
right in few minutes" be cried over
his shoulder. The girl moved again
toward the doorway whence she had
retreated moment before.
Valentine, still oblivious 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 and
saved the little girl from you" he
murmured. Up and down be pressed
his hands against the enameled metal.
II beat you! beat your!
| Slowly he turned away, and as he
raised his eyes they met the implaca-
BILE, scornfu 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 a vision conjureF into tempo
rary existence by .overwrought nerves
and a correspondingly disordered
brain. He pressed his hand to his
forehead. Then the vision" moved
toward him. Yes, 1t was George
| Doyle.
The ex-convict stood transhxed. as
though an unwilling witness Of ter
ror inspiring tragedy. And to him the
denouenient 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 to
continue the fight against the cool.
caicuIalirg. time abiding detective.
$50 this is the end. Doyle" he final
" said. with wan. forced smile on
hts drawn lips. 1.-The jig is up. Isn't
that about it?"
The detective moved closer to the
human prey for whom he had 80 long
and so patiently and. so far as the
government was concerned. had 30 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
chance to keep out of the pen and
you turned 1t down.
Valentine hung bis head. Yes. he
| would never cease to remember the al
tentative Of becoming stool pig
con-" that the detective had offered
him the alternative of "peaching' on
| 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 a quick Job OF
this" was his answer. you win aft
err all. I'll 60 Without
The detective interrupted Valentine
by inclining his head and pointing to
one side. The ex-convict turned-to
see Rose Lane. In whose affectionate
embrace he had fingered but few
minutes before on that memorable aft
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 at
| the threatening form Of the detective.
| Valentine strobe to her. clutched a
pink rose from a 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 1t will new
er-never end"
AS he concluded he wheeled to face
| the detective.
That's all. Doyle" he said in bard
ly audible tones.
The central Office man saw the real
! significance Of the situation. No one
with the slightest morsel Of intelli-
| gence could doubt that the beautiful
young girl before him was suffering
as only a true woman can when the
one she loves Is torn bodily from her
forever. AS for Valentine we'll. 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 lady"
he queried hesltatingly.
Rose caught ray Of encouragement
in his tones.
Yes! Yesv' she cried. springing
forward. her cheeks now aglow with
the inspiration given by newborn
hope. "and It was an engagement that
means my happiness. my love, my
life and his Hfer She reached forth
her hands beseechingiy toward Doyle.
The officer glanced quickly behind
him and around the room. making
sure that there were no other wit
nesses to his words:
"Then"-he hesitated-"then guess
pe'H Just cheat the state of Aossacha-
setts."~