The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-09-06

only resources were his strength. not
OF mind but of body. He made anoth.
er most damaging mistake at this
juncture.
| We are alone here. and | am mas.
ter. remember" he said meaningly.
Come, let's make up. Give me a kiss
for my pains and"
Il have been alone here for a month
with another man. answered Enid
Maitland who was strangely unafraid
In spite of this threat. "A gentleman,
he has never SO much as offered to
touch my hand without my permits.
sion; the contrast Is quite TO your dis.
| advantage"
Are you Jealous of Louise Rosser.'
asked Armstrong suddenly seeing that
| he was losing ground and casting
about desperately to account for II,
and to recover what was escaping him.
why, that was nothing. a mere boz
and girl AFFAIR."" he ran on with a spe.
cious good humor as II It were all a
trifie. The woman was. I hate to
say 1t, just crazy in love with me, but
! really never cared anything espe.
cially for her; II was just harmless
sort Of Irritation anyway. She after.
ward married this man Newbold and
that's all there was about It,"
The truth would not serve him and
In his desperation and desire he stalk.
ed everything on this astounding lie.
The woman he loved looked at him
with her face as rigid as a mask
You won't hold that against me.
VIII your" pleaded the man. II told
you that I'd been man among men,
yes. among women, too. here In this
rough country. and that wasn't
worthy OF you: there are lots of things
In my past that ought to be ashamed
OF and ! am. and the more see you
the more ashamed grow, but as for
loving any one else. all that I've ever
thought or felt or experienced before
now is just nothing"
And this indeed was true. and even
Enid Maitland with all her prejudice
could realize and understand Il. Ont
OF the same mouth. was said of old.
proceeded blessing and cursing. and
from these same lips came truth and
falsehood; but the power OF the truth
to influence this woman was as moth.
Ing to the power OF falsehood. She
could never have loved him, she now
knew; better man had won her af
iecocns. nobler being claimed her
heart; but II he had told the truth re-
gardfng his relationship to Newbold's
wife and then had completed Il with
his passionate avowal of his present
love for her. she would have at least
admired him and respected him.
You have not told me the truth"
she answered directly; you have de.
liberately been false"
Cant you see." protested the man
drawing nearer to her. how much I
love your"
oh. that: yes I suppose that Ia
true; as far as you can love any one
l will admit that you do love me-"
SO far as ! can love any one?" he
repeated after her. give me a chance
and I'll show you"
But you haven't told the truth
about Mrs. Newbold. You have calum.
mated the dead. you have sought to
shelter yourself by throwing the bur
dan OF guilty passion upon the weak.
er vessel; II isn't manlike. II isn't
Armstrong was bold fighter. quick |
and prompt In his decisions. He made |
another effort to set himself right. lie
staked his all on another throw of the
dice. which he began to feel were
somehow loaded against him.
you are right" he admitted. won.
dering anxiously how much the woman
really knew. 1T wasn't true. II was
a towards act. ! am ashamed of n
I'm so mad with love for you that I
scarcely know what I am doing. but
will make clean breast OF II now.
loved Louise Rosser after a fashion
before ever Newbold came on the
scene. We were pledged TO each 9th.
er: foolish quarrel arose. she was
Jealous OF other girls
And had she no right to be?"
"Oh. suppose SO. We broke II OF
anyway and then she married New
bold. out OF pique suppose. or what
you will. ] thought I was heart-brok.
en- at the time. II did hit me pretty
lard: II was five or six years ago:
was a youngster then. am a man
now. The woman has been dead long
'ince; there was some cock.and. bull
story about her falling OF a cliff and
Ter husband being compelled to shoot
Ter. l didn't believe II at the time.
md naturally | have been waiting To
.et even with him. have been hat.
ng him for five years, but he has
'een good TO you and we win let by.
zones be bygones What do ! care
or Louise Rosser. or for him. or for
What he did TO her. now! am sorry
hat said what did. but you will
ave to charge II to my binding pas
ion for you ! can truthfully say that
ou are one woman that ] have ever
raved with all my heart. ] will do
be anything. to win you" ]
II was very brilliantly donA. he had