The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-05-17

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Be one q fhein tiist avenue lkys
ahalfgtes.'t
Il And jnuw tifs. Tenhpie ss gentle eyes
and voice filed Win tears again. -on:
don't take ihat' Thht,s the money Tor
his vacation after thirty long yeara.
Please don't take thai. y
| Her appeals seemed always ID md
the tender SPOT OF this robbers heart,
FOR he hesitatsd. and called out.
Shall we overlook the pafsoh's Wnd.
| p6dter9''l 50 rs ts'ss : q,
TAKE II. and shut up, you molly.
GOODIES" was the answer he got; and
I the vacation funds Joined the Old gew-
gaws. m ~ ST.
And now everybody had been
robbed But tMarj6fIe. She happened TO
be at the center OF the line, and both
men reached her az the same time:
Il seen her FIRST" the frst one
j 'shduted.i tHe.l.dzr 'sS8'hs. ~ n
You did not" the other roared. y
Il tell you did"
'1~tell you I did, They glared
threateningly at each other. and their
revolvers seemed 10 meet. like two
! game cocks, beak TO beak.
II The porter voiced the general hope,
when he sighed: "oh, ,Lawd. IL they'd
only shoot each otheF.'s ss ~
h This brought the rivals TO their evil
senses, and they swept the, line with
those terrifying muzzles and that
heartstopping yelp: Hands up!"
Bill said: You take the east side Or
her, and III take the vest ~ q
"All right" ~.
And they began to snatch away her
side-combs, the little gold chain at
her throat, the 5eweled pin that Nal.
lory had given her as tie first token
OF his love.
The young soldier had foreseen this.
He had fotessen the Wild rage that
would unseat his reason when he saw
tho dirty hands OF thieves laid tudety
on the sacred body OF his beloved!
But his< understanding had drilled
| him to govern his impulses. 10 play
the, coward when there was no hope
Of successful battle, and to Strike only
when the moment was ripe With per
| feet opportunity - efsls,''at
He had kept telling himself that
when the finger OF one ot these men
touched so much as Marjorie's hem,
he would be forced to fling himself
on the profane miscreant. And he
kept telling himself that the moment
he did THIS, the other man would
calmly blow hole through him, and
drop him at Marjorie's feet, while the
other passengers shrank away ia ter
ror. ''t'' -" q
He'told himself that, while II might
be a fine impulse to leap to her de-
tense. It was a fool impulse TO leap
of precipice and leave Marjorie
alone among strangers, with 4: dead
man and d scandal asFStRe only .re.
wards for his impulse, He vowed that
he would hold himself in check. and
let the robbers takeseyeryttiing. leay.
ing him only the name Of coward,
provided they left him also the power
to defend Marjorie bettersat another
time. ~ 's, $lSs tssYi1
And nov thatJAe, saw the clumsy.
handed thugst afIng; his eethearts
jewelFy, 1zfeik Slls that he had fore.
seen. and gha beSd fought almost in
vain against this white fire OF his
heart. Between them he trembled
like leaf, and the sweat globed on
his forehead
| EThe4worst OF III was the shiverfng
terror Of Marjorie. and the pitiful'eyes
she turned on him ;, Bit. he clenched
his. teeth and g%1jted. thinking fierce.
ly. watching, lIlts.A lowering eagle. a
chance to- swoops '"
But the robbers Kept giancing this
way and that. and one motion would
mean death. They themselves were
so overweight with their own ordeal
and dts immediate conclusion, that
they would have Killed anybody. Nal.
Tory shifted his foot cautiously, and
instantly gun was iabbed into his
stomach, with snarl: Don't you
novel"
who's movingT Mallory answered,
with poor imitation OF careless
laugh. 81: ..i"
And now the man called Bill had
reached, Mariorle's right hand. He
chortled: "Golly. look at the sinners. !
FF But Jake. who had chosen Mar
jorie's left hande roared: SIS . 40
Say, you cheated All I get is,thii
measly. plain gold band" cHRIIL" !! !
trp 4oh; don't take thattT Marjorie
gasped. clenchIng her,hand. .an3os
s Mallory,s heart ached at the Thought
OF this final sacrilege. He.,had the
lIcehse, and the minister at last-and
now the. fiends were going to carry of
the wedding ring. He controlled him
self With a desperate effort, and
stopped to plead: Say. old man, don't
take that. That's not fair
"Shut up. both of YOU" Jake
growIed, and iabbed him again with
the gun. .ts 7a3
He gave the ring jerk, but Mar
! jorie. in the very face OF the weapon
would not let CO. She struggled and
tugged, Weeping and imploring: "oh
| f1t.. a