The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-02-16

| >1g
youAnnust promise me solemnly NOT to
make any attempt against your nfe."
Il promise nothing. muttereA I'm
derwood doggedly.
But you must she insisted. 1T
would be terrible crime, not only
against yourself, but against others,
You must give me your word"
Underwood shook his head.
Il promise nothing"
But you must persisted Alicia. u
won't stir from here until have your
promise
He looked at her curiously.
IF my life has no interest for you.
why should you carer" he askes.
There was q note of scorn In his
voice which aroused his visitors
wrath. Crumpling up his letter In heE
hand, she confronted him angrily
Shall tell you why carer" she
cried. because you accuse me In this
letter OF being the cause of your death
II, who have been your friend In
spite OF your dishonesty. Oil it's des.
picable. contemplated Above al, It's
a lie"
Underwood shrugged his shoulders.
Cynically he replied:
$50 It wasn't so much concern for
me as for yourself that brought you
here"
Alicia's eyes flashed as she an.
swered:
Yes. wished to spare myself this
fndignity, the shame OF being asso-
ciated In any way with suicide. j
was afraid you meant what you SAID
Afraid" interrupted Underwood
bitterly, that some OF the scandal
might reach as far as the aristocratio
Mrs. Howard Jeffries, SRI"
Her face flushed with anger. Alicia
paced up and down the room. The
mans taunts stung her to the quick.
In a way, she felt that he was right.
She ought to have guessed his charac.
ter long ago and had nothing to do
with him. He seemed desperate
enough to do anything, yet she doubt.
ed II he had the courage to kill hipa.
self. she thought she would try more
ccnciliatory methods. so. stopping
short. she said more gently:
You know my husband has suffered
through the wretched marriage OF his
only son. You know how deeply we
both feel this disgrace. and yet you
would add"
Underwood laughed mockingly.
why should | consider your hus.
bands feelings7" he cried. HE didn't
consider mine when he married YOU"
Suddenly bending forward, every
nerve tense, he continued hoarsely:
Alicia. tell you I'm desperate. I'm
hemmed in on all sides by creditors.
You know what your friendship-your
patronage means? If you drop me
now, your friends will follow-they're
a lot of sheep led by you--and when
my creditors hear of me they'll be
down on me like a flock of wolves
I'm not able to make a settlement.
Prison stares me in the face"
CHANGING around at the handsome
furnishings, Alicia replied carelessly:
"I'm not responsible for your wrong,
doing. l want to protect my friends.
II they are a lot of sheep, as you say,
that is precisely why | should warn
them. They have implicit confidence
in me. You have borrowed their mon.
ey, cheated them at cards, stolen from
them. Your acquaintance with me has
given them the opportunity But now
I've found you out refuse any long.
er to sacrifice my friends, my self.re
spect, my sense of decency" Angrily
she continued: You thought you could
bluff me. You've adopted this cow.
ards way Of forcing me to receive
you against my will. Well, you've
failed. | will not sanction your rob
bling my friends. | will not allow you
to sell them any more of your high
priced rubbish, or permit you to cheat
them at cards"
Underwood listened in silence. He
stood motionless, watching her flushed
face as she heaped reproaches on him
She was practically pronouncing his
death sentence. yet he could not helE
thinking how pretty she looked. When
she had finished he said nothing, but
going to his desk. he opened q small
drawer and took out a revolver.
Alicia recoiled. frightened.
What are you going to do:" she
cried.
Underwood smiled bitterly.
"oh. don't be afraid. wouldn't do
1t while you are here. In spite of all
you've said to me. | still think too
much Of you for that" Replacing the
pistol In the drawer. he added. Alicia
II you desert me now. youn be sorry
to the day of your death"
His visitor looked at him in silence
Then, contemptuously, she said:
fusSN mn fsnAJ1nTAsrFu5N