Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-09-26

rancN pelnS hanged Tor kllllnX raul
Luke" she said simply, you don't
seem to realize how you are hurting
met"
One ejaculation. My God!" escaped
him then. He stood quite still, in the
shadow. and presently his hand wan
dered with the old familiar gesture
down the smooth back of his head.
She remained on her knees and after
awhile he came back to her. and sat
down on the chair beside the desk, his
eyes on a level with hers.
Look here, Lou" he said quietly,
II have got to go and that's all about
It. l have got to, do you understand?
The consequences OF this crime can
me. There's Uncle Rad to think Of
first. He is broken and I'LL; he has
more than one foot I'm the grave. The
trial and the scandal couldn't be kept
from him; it would be bound to leak
out sooner or later. 1t would be too
big a scandal. n 1t would kill him
outright. Then. you see, Lou, 1t would
do! should be Earl Of rad
clyfe and a felon-it wouldn't do. now
would It? Who has ever heard Of a
peer undergoing a life sentence-or be-
ing hanged? 1t wouldn't do-you know
1t wouldn't To-"
He reiterated this several times. with
quaint insistence. as IL he were discuss
ing with her the possibility or impos-
sibility OF attending a race meeting.
or a ball In Lent. she proving abstinate.
She did not reply. leaving him to
ranable on in his somewhat wild speech,
hoping that II she let him talk on un-
iinterruptedly. he would sooner or later
betray something OF that enigma which
lay hidden behind the wooden mask
which he still so persistently wore.
Besides" he continued. still argu-
ing. there's Frank to think of-the
next heir to the title. I believe that
people In penal servitude live an un-
~onscionao ttme-especially IL they
Frank waiting to come into his own
into AN old title held by a felon. It Is
all much too much Of a middle. Lou.
1t Is simpler that I should go"
But" h said. really trying now to
speak as simply. as calmly as he did
himself. all these arguments which
you are using now, Luke. will equally
apply IL you make yourself a fugitive
from justice"
"Oh. I shouldn't be that for very
long!" he said lightly.
You are thinking Of suicide"
NO" he replied simply. II am not.
Only of the chances Of a wandering
life"
You seem to look at every chance.
Luke, except one"
Which n is that"
That though you might be arrested.
though you might be accused and even
tried for the murder of-of that man
truth might come out. and your in
nocence proved
That would be impossible. Lou" he
said quietly.
"Why-in heavens name. Luke!" she
exclaimed ~passionately. "why?"
MY dagger stick was found NIX
Inc TQtlfn00 NJ tho mo ssS - 49,. zs-A--
on 1t are trrefutable proofs"
That's only circumstantiaI evidence"
she argued, you ear demolish it. if
o choose"
"I cannot" he replied. IT should
Plead guilty.-Mr. Dobson says that IL
! plead guilty. counsel can plead ex-
observation-disclosures pro-
vocation and SO forth-and I might get
a more lenient sentence"
Luke" she said. looking him
straight in the face. compelling his eyes
to meet hers. for in their clear depths
y to read the truth. to compel
the truth at last. He had never lied
IN his life. II he lied now she would
know 1t. h would read 1t in his face.
Luke! you are shielding some one by
taking the crime on yCur own shout
ders."
But his eyes remained perfectly clear
and steady as they gazed straight Into
hers. There was no q shadow In
them, not 3 culver, AZ he replied quiet
ly:
mo. Lou. I am shielding no one."
IT was you who killed that man
Philip de Mountford-or Paul Baker
whoever he may pep"
And he answered her firmly. looking
steadily into her face:
ut was T."
She said nothing more then, but rose
20 her feet. and went quite close up to
him. With q gesture that had no
thought Of passion In it, only sublime.
IN both her hands n pressed 1t to her
heart.
MY poor old Luke!" she murmured.
She smoothed his hair as q
mother does to an afflicted
child; the motherly instinct was up in
the passionate instinct OF y less self
less love. She rent down and Kissed
his forehead.
Luke" she said gently, ut would do
Q such 9 lot of good II you would only
let yourself 60"
hands; those hands which he loved 30
dearly. with their soft. rose tinted palms
the scent Of sweet peas which
chung to them. His own hot fingers
closed onithoeo small hands. She stood
oefore him. tall. e~legant-not beautiful!
Louisa Harris had been beauti-
ful. o yet q fairy princess OF ro-
mance-ony . commonplace women!
= woman OF the world, over whose
graceful form. her personality even.
convention invariably threw her man-
tle-but . woman for al that-with
. passion burning beneath the crust Of
worldly sang ffoid-with heart attuned
90 teeI every CULVER. every sensation OF
JOY and Of pain. A woman who loved
With every 0ber in her-who had the
supreme lift Of merging self In love
OF swing all. her soul. her heart. her
mind and every thought- woman who