Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-03-19

uncle Sam OUT OI d lew .UOlldIo. AAOA
Jones, for instance; he would have
tried to smuggle in that rug. Isn't
that right, Jones?"
"Of course!"l cried George eagerly,
though scarcely knowing what he
said. 'I'd have done it."
"And you wouldn't call Percival a
thief" with forced laugh. Its like
this, Fortune. Uncle Sam wants al
together too much rake-off. He doesn't
give us square deal; and so we even
up the matter by trying to beat him.
Scruples? Rot!"
:It is stealing" with quiet convic-
ton.
cit isn't, either. Listen to me. Sup
pose 1 purchase pearl necklace in
Rome, and pay five-thousand for it.
Uncle Sam will boost up the value
more than one-half. And what for?
To protect infant industries? Bally
| rot! We don't make pearls in the
| States; cur oysters aren't educated up
to it." His dippancy found no re-
Spouse in her. "Well, suppose I get
that necklace through the customs
without paying the duty. | make
twenty-five hundred or so. And no
! body is hurt. That's all your mother
does"
ct is stealing" she reiterated.
How wan she looked! thought
George.
':How can you make that stealing? %
Ryanne was provoked.
"The law puts a duty upon such
things; if you do not pay it, you steal.
Oh, Horace, don't waste your time
in specious arguments" She made a
gesture, WEAKNESS personified. 1T is
stealing; all the arguments in the
world can not change it into anything
else. And how about my uncle who
feeces the lambs at cards, and how
about my mother who knows and per
mits it?"
Ryanne had no plausible argument
to offer against these queries.
"Is not my uncle thief, and is moi
my mother an abettor? l do not know
of anything so vile" Her figure grew
less erect. To Georges eyes, dimmed
by the rejecting misery in hers, she
dropped, as a flower exposed to sud
den cold. II think the thief in the
night much honester than one whE
cheats at cards. A card-sharp; did
you not call it that? Don't lie, Hol
ace; it will only make me sad
ST shant lie any more, Fortune. A
that you believe is true; and I won
;, to God that it were otherwise. Al
e I've been a partner in many Of the
exploits. But not at cards, Forum
: not at cards. I'm not that kind of
r cheat"
!. THANK you / should have knoy
a some time, and perhaps only half,
a truth. Now I know all there is
f know" She held her hands out !
$ fore her and studied them. 'I sh.
i. never go back"
r "Good Lord! Fortune, you mu
O You'd be as helpless as a babe. WI
,. could you do without money and co
d fort?"
81 can become clerk in a shop. |
will be honest. Bread at Mento
n would choke me-" and she choked
d little then as she spoke.
; my dear Fortune" said Ryan1I
calling into life that persuasil
)" sweetness which upon occasions i
could put into his tones, "have yd
ever thought how beautiful you arr
No, I don't believe you have. Son
\ ancestor of your fathers has been !
incarnated in you. You are witho
% vanity and dishonesty; and l hal
y found that these usually go tOgeth4
Well, at Mentone you had a little {
perience with men. You were und
protection then; protection it was
- sort. If you go out into the wor
: alone, there will be no protection; al
you will find that men are wolv
generally, and that the sport of tt
chase is a woman. Must I make
plainer?"
st understand" her chin once mo
4. resolute. Il shall become a clerk /
- shop. Perhaps I can teach, or |
- come a nurse. Whatever I do, sh
=. never go back to Mentone. And I
70 men are not bad. You're not all b
~ yourself, Horace; and so far as
- concerned, believe might trust "
- anywhere"
- "And God knows you could" gel
- inely. "But can't help you. II
- had sister or woman relative
- could send you to her. But l have
one but my brother, and he's a wol
- scoundrel than I am 1 at least wd
~ out in the open. He transacts
villainies behind closed DOORS"
VS. George listened, sitting as mott
1e less as Buddhist idol. Why could
Ut he think of something? Why could
he come to the aid Of the woman
loved in this her hour of trial? A
lover, forsooth! To sit there like
DC yokel, stupidity! Could he offer
lend her money? A thousand tim
IL no! And he could not ask her
d marry him; it would not have b
le' fair to either. She would have d
ne understood; she would have seen
oi love but pity, and refused him.
Ell Their she nor Ryanne suffered moro