The daily Alaskan., 1911-10-24

earth. where I've acted like a fool would anybody have a carey Jims voice was bitter with self contempt.
 "Oh. Jim-Jlm'-. quavered kitty's voice weakly. You know I'd care don't be a coward
 sI wasn't going to do anything des- perate-cxccpt get job and gc Co work. like should have done year ago. I can get a job tomorrow morn ing driving a truck for Sullivan, and ifs so week. or course that isn't as much as ! was earning when-whcn- I put that ring on your finger His voice ended in a strange shivering note. as lf he was going Co break down and cry
 Her thin hand sought his and found it. You've got good stuT in you. Jim. fl YOU could only lci drink alone, she said wiStfuI'y.
 "Tm going ro have hfc hard try at fl. Kitty" ha said sa.rauIg. I'm not going Co rel un and swear al sorts of promises and brark h7f Of 'om-hut I'm going to try -rrr try hard Co break of and me- hE hF-.ta.ea and turned his head a-i'H
 "NIaybc vhats' she whispered
 uNIayhe you might sort 0f pray a little now and tIG you Ea1v that helps rfaug some and I' fry 30 ..'.
 Kitty uttered thn ghrz' "f her old merry lauch. "AI right. 1imTy boy YOU do the trying and slip a prayer in now and then yourself -'twon't do any hurt! TU pray night and day for your successful trying"
 aTf I don't come out an riEht-it will be because l am dead, avcrrcd Jim firmly. .I wonder if I got thc right to ask you a question, Kitty he ask ed humbly
 Most anybody can ask question she evadod
 But this one you might think was none of my business, and yet it is too"
 CT guess you won't ask anything l don't want to answer said Kitty, with a return or her old assurance.
 "I was wondering, sail Jim slowly, "why you was wearing Chat ring on vour right hand. ! saw it and reoog- nizcd you when you took Inc loaf of bread If ruu wanted to shake me 5l- together aud thought ! was no good YOU could have shook the ring a.,'- gcthcr instead of changing it Co the other hand
 There was little silence before Kitty answered. "It wasn't for any reason you thought, Jim: lt was only ] because my finger got so thin it wouldn't stay on. You know ! never ! sent you away. but you did friEhten . ne some when you vas- vas Poor ! Kitty sought for a m#3er word Co l frame the unpleasant truth
 "Whcu was just plain drunk 6n- Ished Jim bitterly Don't try to soften it Kitty. dear. ItII do me good ! Co hear it Now. I'm going Co leave you here, and TH get some money from . Sullivan tomorrow night and IN bring you tho pay at thc end uf the week ! Maybe some day-oh. there isn't any use in my looking aheHd-l got 10 prove myself first" ro ended "You mean some day. when vou .re got back on your feet 0eain and have got a HuUe money laid by and have ] proved Chat you Can stay stmiCht- you moan that maybe our haUUs will ] be published n Sl 1osouh'sF Kitty voice was wonderfully tender as she ] asked ihe question and Iim's face was radiant with happiness us hc replied. God bless you. Kitty. no ! choEcd-"arfar I've restored your faith . in me you can tell mo and IH go to ! Father CahH ard have him put un ! the hanns. len be thc hann.est day of my lffo"
 At 2 o'clock The next morning Jim . Collins climbed mp to his sent on a high red truck and slapped The ra'7s over The backs oT a pair of heavy rrays Hn had spent rho remainder of thp night iu a doorway Io was cold and hungry. but there was some thing new stirred within him-saWo. thing greater than fhc 'ovc with which
 he had won pretty Kitty Lee, ft w7s a greater love for her and Inc forgot everything save her pale and tired
 face
 "Aint ] thn mean dog Co let her Co Co thc bread IncT he asked himself ] accusincIy as Inc started forth after his first load
 It was a long and a hard day. Big ! hearted Sullivan had respected JIm's ] desire Co do better and had insisted on the young mans eating a hearty meal at noon. and at night he paid him for the days work. "IU pay you every night tiII you get started he . promised, and Jim was grateful
 His greatest joy came when he ca-- ried the dollar and fifty cents Co Kitty that evening. "Jim." she said. placing her hand on his arm, but not looking into his face. Jim. you can't guess what I've done today-I hope you won't be mad at me"
 You haven't got a job-v0u aint St to work, Kitty, and I forbid it" he said rapidly
 "No-on1y. I went to Father CahiH today and told him Go put up our he,-g Devr S-DHovv z-F4 T[Etfr