The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-11-20

nus.
The mayor sped down the hall TO
Jackie Winnings room.
Cad" he calculated, "this is a rum
thing I've got to debut everything Is
fair In love and politics-and this is
both"
Taking a key from his pocket. Be
digit slipped Il softly into the door.
The lock yielded Cautiously be
opened the door and entered the apart
ment of the Judge" A high.low in
candescent was burning with the dim
light on, and in the glow Bedights
eyes surveyed the apartment carefully.
AS his eyes swept the room, he sought
to locate two objects Of intense inter
est-the dresser, on top of which was
supposed TO lie the letter containing
the bill, and Jackie Niningl They
were both in evidence, the one in the
farther corner of the room, the other
in her bed asleep, her round arms
thrown upward about her face, her
beautiful hair in a braid that fell
across the white linen like a rope OF
gold. Beside the bed on a chair lay
a pile of filmy lingerie, and on top of
the heap a pair of black silk hose.
Bedight. fascinated, turned his face
away. Even a political career would
scarce excuse a man for such an In
trusion.
But she will never know" flashed
through Bedight's mind as he slipped
quietly across the room to the dresser.
Yes. the package was there-and I'M
sealed. Hastily slipping the envelope
off, he tucked the bill away in his
pocket. From a second pocket he
brought out another manuscript ana
substituted this for the one he had
lost on the morning of the run through
the swamp. He did not read the let
ter, returning it with the manuscript
to the envelope. Wetting the muci-
lage, he closed and sealed the letter
and laid it back on the dresser. Turn
ing to go, his eyes fell upon the face
of the sleeper How beautiful she was
and how unreasonable. For the
merest second he hesitated opposite
the lacy couch of my lady's dreams
but the moment was fatal.
By some strange freak Of fate the
high-low light, feeling an impulse of
fresh current, automatically shifted
from low to high. The brilliant glare
fell directly in the girls face. She
stirred, opened her eyes and would
have screamed but for Bedight's pres
ence of mind. Springing forward, he
spoke her name, muffling her startled
ejaculation with his hand, gently laid
across her lips.
And then as her eyes blazed like
torches with their outraged fires, he
dropped to his knees beside the bed
and said holly:
You will never forgive me for this
and / do not blame you. But some
day you will understand. l have done
nothing at Squirrel Inn to make a
gentleman blush for shame-except
this-and--I had to do it. thought
could-could say good-by without
awakening you. l am going now.
When first We met, you gave me a
kiss-or if you plea-e, stole it. In
| going l am giving in return my heart,
and taking as the sweetest memory
of my life this last good-by!"
Bowling his head over the face of
the half stupefied girl, he touched his
lips to hers reverently-and slipped
from the room.
AS he did so piercing shrek arose
The Judge" was coming to her own
1t was answered from below.
Bedight, scudding along the hall
heard the answering cry and knew
the sheriff had arrived. Exit from
the hotel by way Of the staircase was
out Of the Question He darted to
Bess Winters room. tried the door ana
breathed a sigh Of relief as It yielded
From the room a veranda opened and
from the floor of the veranda to the
ground was not too much OF drop for
an agile man. Bedight hung for mo.
ment on the rail. Then he let go,
| landing almost in the arms of an Of
! ficer evidently more surprised than
the mayor, who, quicker of action,
pushed the deputy headlong and fed
| h. hot