Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-06-06

olrn you--that young veaudry ana
think you're Colonel Morenu? Why. |
seen them leave the house short spell
back. and Id be willin' to bet my ini-
mortal soul they're on to our makeups
and are pIannn' to raise h. with U.S.
| tell you this place is gittin' too hot
guudhy to her: Well. then. I'll say
go"dby to you. Somebody's got to be
loose. wouldn't be no good to you
nor TO me pither-iD jail For the last
time he pleaded. making an implor-
ing gesture with his trembling hands.
ARE you comm with meg"
Kirby. who had quietly resumed his
place at the table. now slowly shuffled
the deck and carefully inspected the
card that had turned up.
NO" he said. with grave tinality.
"Tm not going with you. my friend.
The hands dealt: III play 1t out"
"For Coils sake. Gene" implored
Bunce. "Thcll ! got to quit you. You
know what this means to me" he add
ed despairingly II hate to go. but
there's no sense in my stayn'."
mo. And thank you for staying
as long as you have" interrupted Kir-
by. with a smile. rising and placing his
hand on the others shoulder. I'm
afraid haven't been thinking very
much Of you. old partner. But I'm go
ing to stay-call it what you like.
However. this is not your hand. Lar.
kin, and | don't want you to help me
play it out. Go. by all means. and ut
once. Did you get fresh horse?"
"A fresh horse? Why. | wouldn't
even burst to ask for the one come
on" cried Bunce. hopping his face.
"YOu don't seem to rightly size up the
mess we're in. Gene. I'll be lucky to
git out on my own two feet. don't
even know where they put my hat.
and I'm slseered to ask for it. Then 1t
amt no more use my askin' you to
Gomez"
mo more use than in your staying"
said Kirby.
Bunce hesitated for Il moment. then
thrust out his huge hand.
"Goodby. you burned fool!' he gasp
ed. choking up.
"Goodby. Larkin. but don't bet that
it is goodby. They won't get me. Ill
ride your horse into town for you to-
morrow"
Bunce bestowed Il final helpless ap-
peal upon the ceiling. gave his part
ner's hand farewell wrench. then
numbered hastily from the room. while
Kirby. humming softly to himself.
strolcd to the open window and. lean
ing ncgligently against its frame. gave
himself up to retrospect.
. He wanted to be alone: he wanted to
think. to dream. to so over and over
again every word that Adele had spo-
ken. every smile. every gesture. His
thoughts Were solely Of the immediate
present and past. For the future he
did not care-neither Tom RandalFs
Homecoming nor his own inevitable
unmasking. lie wondered what he
would have been. what the end would
have been. had his early life been laid
in pleasanter lines-less harsh. less
lonely. Yes. utter loneliness was a
great and sinister factor In molding
mans destiny What If the last Of the
Kirbys had proved an honor to the
old name, instead Of professional
river gambler! And why was be re-
Was not the allegory of
the rosebush too bitterly true? Why
had Adele said those last words: But
mightn't it be perhaps with one wo-
man he couldn't be beaten. even them"
Yes, it might be. and 1t would be.
and the truth Of 1t had been proved
since the beginning Of time. But. even
If she were willing and knew him for
what he was. could he rightly ask the
sacrifice? Yet those words had awak-
ened Il fierce longing. had held out a
promise of hope. And he could not
utterly renounce. not just yet. Fer
haDs-