The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-04-07
CHAPTER XVIII.

" leaned against the side of the
vault. gasping for breath and
endeavoring to gain firm control of
himself
As for Red, on being confronted BY
Rose Lane be stopped short and gasp.
ed In alarm. Then you saw us do it
you saw Valentine at work."
The girl cut him short with an up-
raised hand. Kitty. hurry. hurryw
she warned him In a low voice.
Red continued Oh his way.
Don't worry. miss She'll be all
right In few minutesr' he cried over
his shoulder. The girl moved again
toward the doorway whence she had
retreated a moment before.
Valentine. still obiivious 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. Il beat you. ! beat you and
saved the little girl from YOU" he
murmured. Up and down he 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-
bic scOrnfuI 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 vision conjured into a tempo
rary existence by overweight nerves
and correspondingly disordered
| brain. He pressed his hand to his
forehead Then the vision" moved
toward him Yes. it was George
Doyle
The ex-cOnvict stood transixed. as
though an unwilling witness of ter
| ror inspiring tragedy. And to him the
| denouement 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.
calculating. time abiding detective.
so this is the end. Doyle" he final
" said. with a wan. forced smile on
his dra wn lips THE jig is up. Isn't
that about it?"
The detective moved closer to the
| human prey for whom he had so long
and so patiently and. so far as the
government was concerned. had so ex.
pensively sought.
Looks that way to me. Jimmy. But.
remember. back there in Albany. l
told you I'd get you some day unless
you would do me favor or two. AL
| ways remember that | gave you a
chance to keep out Of the pen and
you turned it down."
Valentine hung his head. Yes. he
! would never cease to remember the al
tentative Of becoming a stool pig
con-" that the detective had offered
him the alternative of "peaching" OH
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 quick Job OF
this" was his answer You win att
er all. I'll 20 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 be had fingered but few
minutes before on that memorable aft
ernoon
A deadly palIor 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 fndi-
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 It in both
his hands.
"You won't mind my having that
flower, | know" he said brokenly. II
am going-to be gone long time-and
this l want you to know and remem-
Der through the years-my love for
you-is the only clean thing l ever
! knew. 1t Is complete. and it will new.
| 0oror and