The Neshoba Democrat., 1912-12-12
CHAPTER IX.-(Contlnued.)


fesf'What lot Of things may happen in
hken years! Deaths, births, marriages.
he went on; "the snuffing out Of king
u.s. homs and republics; wars, panics.
uNf Nfamine; honor to some and dishonor
agek TO others. 1t kind of makes fellow
Agrind his teeth, little girl; it kind Of
makes him shut his fists and long to
8run amuck."
why should strong, intelligent
Sman, such as you are, think like that?
N You are resourceful and unafraid
III why should you talk like that? You
are young, too. Why?"
Ia He stopped and looked full into her
Eyes. "Do you really wish to know"
4 Had l better?" with wisdom be-
& Hond her years.
n "No, you had better not. I'm not a
n good man, Fortune, as criterions go.
I've slipped here and there; I've gam
bled and drunk and squandered my
hme. Why, in my youth l was as
model a boy as ever was Percival
Where the divarication took place
can't say. There's always two forks
IN the road, Fortune, and many of US
h bake the wrong one. It's easier going.
Fine excuse; eh? Some persons would
pall me 4 scoundrel, q black-leg; in
y some ways, yes. But in the days to
bome want you always to remember
ehe two untarnished spots upon my
bhield Of honor: 1 have never cheat
i bd a man at cards nor run away with
bis wife. The devil must give me
4 these merits, however painful 1t may
be to him. Ten years ago, only a
decade; good Lord! it's like a hun
nred years ago, somet1mes.' -
Fortune breathed with difficulty.
Never before had he taken her into
bis confidence to such extent. She
hssayed to speak; the old terror
eeemed fairly to smother her. 1t was
bot what he had told her, but what
Ahe wished to but dared not ask. She
was like Bluebeard's wife, only she
bad not the moral courage to open the
door Of the grisly closet Her
mother, her uncle; what. Of them, ah.
what of them? The crooked street
vanished; the roar dwindled away;
phe was alone, all, all alone
II suppose I ought not to have told
you" he said troubled at the misery
be saw gathered in her eyes and
Vaguely conscious of what had written
f there. Your mother and uncle
have been very kind to me. They
know less Of me than you do. I have
been to them kind Of errand-boy; a
happy -go-lucky fellow, who cheered
Them when they had the doldrums. /"
With forced cheerfulness he again
book her hand and snuggled it under
n1s arm, giving it friendly reassur-
Ing pat. "I'll not speak to you Of
love, child, but hair of your head
ls more precious to me than all Midas
gold. Whenever I've thought Of you,
I've tried to be good. Honestly"
And can't you go back to the be-
ginning and start anew?" TREMENDOUSLY.
"Can any one go back? The moving
dnger writes. An hour is a terrible
Ehing when you look to see what can
6appen In 1t. But. come; sermons!
d far rather see you smile. Won't
Hou?"
She tried to, but to him It was sad
per than her tears would have been.
d For an hour they walked through
khe dim and musty streets. He exert
ID himself to amuse her and fairly
succeeded. But never did the unac-
pountable fear, that presage Of misfor-
tune, sleep In her heart. And at last,
when he took her to her carriage and
bade her good-by till dinner, a half.
Formed idea began to grow in her
brain; to save Mr.. Jones without be-
Eraying Ryanne.
The latter's carriage was at the 9th.
er end Of the bazaars; so he strobe
eullenly through the press, rudely ell
bowing those who got in his way. An
occasional curse was flung after him;
put his height, his breadth of shoul-
DER, his lowering face, precluded any
thing more active. The Moslems had
q deal Of faith in the efficacy Of
curses; 80 the jostled ones rested up-
On the proAise of these, satisfied that
Qrectly, or In the near future, Allah