El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-31

chamber, and the two members of the
Gate Of Hope society and Jimmy Val
entine seated themselves.
"And now, Mr.. Valentine. concern
ing your future" began Mrs. Web
ster, what do you contemplate do
lng?"
'Get a position"
eve have already arranged that for
you, Mr.. Valentine" announced Mrs
Moore compiacently:N
'eThat is very thoughtful, ladies.
out"-
'1Mrs. Moore did not exactly convey
the entire facts" interjected Mrs.
webster.
mop
I'VE have choice Of three positions
for you. Mr.. Valentine" went on Mrs.
Webster. zone is in a grain elevator. +"
Yes, smiled Valentine 81 can i'm
agine that would be a safe place for
one under suspicion Of robbing bank. :"
The ladies failed to detect the yelled
note Of sarcasm.
''The' second. Informed Mrs. Moore,
ais as a bookkeeper or checker in a
scrap iron yard
'Still under suspicion, I see," com
mented Valentine dryly.
aAnd the third as the first male Off
Ger in the Gate Of Hope society" Mrs.
Webster proudly detained.
YES" agreed the other charity
worker.
treasurer" the ex-convict queried
significantly.
mo: secretary!" both the ladies cried
simultaneously.
'I hold that honored position now"
resumed Mrs. Moore, but were you
willing to accept it we would pay
salary. We agree that your knowl-
edge of the-the"-
THE inside" suggested Valentine
"Exactly-would be a great help to-
u.s."
Doubtless"
Then you accept, Mr. Valentine?"
''No, ladies'" decisively.
"You refuse the positionT
Yves. ladies. In fact 1 decline all
your positions"
The Gate Of Hope representatives
rose and assumed expressions Of ex-
IRENE Indignation at the unexpected
repulse and refusal of their well
meant but i'll advised offers.
"Ingratituder' they exclaimed.
Valentine, who had deprecated their
advances because Of their evident mis-
trust Of him in spite of his pardon. as
shown by the nature Of the positions
they had offered him, resolved on a
course Of action that would. he
thought, dispose of them and at the
same time afford him a long craved
amusement
mo; please do not say that" he
protested deliberately. mo. no. I re-
fuse the positions you offer me be-
cause fear the world would misun-
derstand."
what do you mean?" asked one Of
the ladies'
"Oh, you see," went on Valentine
whimsically. ''if 1 accepted help from
you ladies the world might say that
you-er-you were in love with meP'
"Oh-h-hw calculated the astonished
ladies.
LET the world say what it dare"
proclaimed the pedantic little Mrs.
Moore. lifting her chin defiantly.
And so goodby. my dear ladies, y
said Valentine. bowling almost to the
floor.
With anger in their glance and their
walk, chins and noses pointing almost
toward the ceiling, the two members
of the Gate of Hope society stalked
out of the hotel parlor.
Jimmy Valentine. chuckling in bis
amusement, sank into a chair to await
the return of Miss Lane and her father,
Miss Lane-Rose Lane-the girl who
had saved him from the horrors Of
that bit of ten" at Sing Sing. How
beautiful she was. he murmured. She
| had a heart. And she cared something
for No. 1899; that was apparent. Just
how much did she care? Just what did
she care? If a man lived straight be
might in time win such a girl for his
own Yes; that was life. And Jimmy
Valentine now had his chance to "go
straight" he reasoned. Stranger things
had happened. The girl had revealed
already, had she not that she knew a
prison sentence could not kill the good
In a man if a single germ of it yet
! fingered in him? The old life was be-
hind him now. The future cleaned
bright and beckoned him on. Never
again would he
Jimmy Jimmyw A harsh whisper
Kissed its way into his ears.
Jimmy Valentine started up in
amaze That voice. that whisper, He
had not heard it since the night the
Hartford bulls had broken up tia
midnight surprise party in the vault
of the Fifth National bank.
Hardly believing his ears, hardl.
daring to turn. yet he did turn. and h
saw. crouching half behind one Of thu
red velvet portieres of one of the hote
! parlor entrances. the figure of Red-th
face and the brick red hair of Rec