The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-03-23

Finish the story!" That was all
that he could do.
Finish the story" His story and
hers-only just begun, and now to end
there in the dark.
But With a calmness as great as her
own, he proceeded to tell all that had
happened to him since he boarded the
electric car at Evanston and saw Maku
sitting within. She pressed his hand
gently when he described the trick by
which the japanese had brought the
pursuit to an end. She laughed when
he came to the meeting with the de-
tectiVe IN his apartment The episode
with Madam Ala he passed over
lightly, for part Of 1t ranked now. Not
that he blamed himself foolishly; but
he wished that 1t had not happened.
THAT woman did a fine thing" OaId
the girl.
He went on to describe his efforts
to get free from Alcatrante.
And you were under the table in
Arlma's room," she exclaimed, when
he had finished.
Il was there; but l couldn't see
you, Girl. And you seemed to doubt
me-"
ITO doubt you?"
Don't you remember? You said
that no American had the papers; but
you added, unless"
Unless Walsh, the burglar, had
played trick ON Poritol and held the
true papers bAck. l went straight
from Arima's to the jail and had an
other talk with Walsh. He convinced
me that he knew nothing at all about
the papers. He seemed to think that
! they were letters which Poritol wanted
for his own purposes"
Then you did not doubt me-" Glad
relief was in his voice.
Il have never doubted you," she
said, simply.
There was silence. Only their breath
ing and the ticking of Orme's watch
broke the stiffness.
Il don't believe that Alcatrante knew
that this place was unventilated." she
remarked at last.
mo; and he didn't know that you
were here"
He thinks that you will be released
in the morning, and that you will think
it wiser to make no charges. What
do you suppose his conscience will say
when he learns"
Girl, simply can't believe that
there is no hope for U.S."
What possible chance is there7'
Her voice was steady. THE clerks
must all have gone by this time. We
can't make ourselves heard"
"Still, feel as though I should be
fighting with the door,"
"You cant open it."
but some one of the clerks going
out may have seen that 1t was bolted
Wouldn't he have pushed the boil
back? I'm going to see."
He groped to the door and tugged a
the handle. The door, for all the ef
feet his effort had on 1t, might have
been a section Of solid wall.
Come back" she called.
He felt his way until his foot touched
the coat. AS he let himself down be
side her, his hand brushed over he,
hair, and unconsciously she leaned
toward him. He felt the pressure o
her shoulder against his side, and the
touch sent a thrill through him HI
leaned back against the wall ant
stared into the blackness with eyes
that saw only visions of the happines!
that might have been.
I'VE mustn't make any effort Il
break out" she said. 1T Is useless
And every time We move about ant
tug at the door, it makes US breathe
that much faster"
Yes" he sighed, "I suppose We cal
only sit here and wait"
DO you know" she said softly, g
am wondering why our situation doe
not seem more terrible to me. l
should, shouldn't it?"
Il hardly think So" he replied
} THE relative Importance of on
worldly affairs" she went on dream
; lily, appears to change when one see
: that they are all to stop at once. The,
recede into the background of tn
mind. What counts then Is, oh, l don
| want to think of 1t! My father-he--
Her shoulders shook for moment VI
J der the stress of sudden grief, bu
{ she quickly regained her contro
? There, now," she whispered, Il won
; do that"
J For time they sat in silence. HI
own whirling thoughts were of sor
that he could not fathom; they pos
sessed him completely, they destroyed
seemingly, all power of analysis, the,
made him dumb; and they were tan
, gled inextricably in the blended iu
pressions of possession and loss.
. But you," she said at last, ''is you
. father living?"
. NO." he replied.
3 And your mother?" she faltered.
. She has been dead many year:
, And | have no brothers OR sisters"
t MY mother died when was a Il
tie child" she mused. Death SCENE
| to me much more awful then than
does now"
r 1T is always moro awful to thos
. who are left than to those who 60" h
a said. But don't think of that yet"
q I'VE must think Of it." she insisted
a He did not answer.
a oh" she cried, suddenly. ITO thin
/" that have brought you to this! The
/ what You thought would be little (,
|. v0r TO me has brought you to death
t She began to sob convulsively.
1t was as though for the first tim
" she realized her responsibility for HI
a life; as though her confidence in he
complete understanding Of him ha
( disappeared and he was again stral