The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-02-07

here. It's dangerous. There Is the
chance that the police may try TO con
meet me with this murder. It's known
that ! a after him, don't you see!
Goodby, Mary, i
Il am going with you. Tom"
She grasped him arm tightly. He
breathed heavily once or twice-a
groan broke in his throat.
"All right he said. She felt the
great muscles in his arm swell and
relax again. DO you know the Way,
TOM" she asked.
THAT next street below takes us to
the docks. | walked down there this
morning. BY heaven, Mary, ! think
you might spare yourself all this.
Why-why, / just can't do it with
you looking on. What do you think
ann"
You said you would do it, Tom"
she insisted, duly.
I'll do it all right he said. The
words came in an epitome of the
struggle that was going on in his
mind.
Don't walk SO fast, Tom. You are
firing me-"
You'll have to forgive me, Mary.
You see, I've been thinking of some
thing else. Men walk fast when they're
In a hurry
is it much farther" He could
scarcely hear the words.
Six or eight blocks, if | remember
right"
There was an awful. growing dread
that she did not intend to let him go
in alone. He tried to put down the
CHASTITY fear. His glances at her be-
came more frequent, less furtlve. He
came to an abrupt stop, rigid With
horror.
Mary. how can ! be sure that you
won't jump in after me? don't I'M
derstand you. For heavens sake, go
back! Don't do anything like that.
cant bear it. | cant oear the thought
Of you down there in the water
He had thought OF her at last, An
cdd, mysterious smile hickered on her
lips.
Tom, there is a little park over
there with benches. Let US sit down
for a moment"
You won't do il. Mary, Will YOU
he pleaded.
Il am not as brave as you are,
Tom" she said, He caught a new,
vibrant note in her voice. He misun-
derstood it.
Il call it pretty brave to be able TO
so down and see a man jump into the
river. Not many men could DO it, let
alone It's like seeing d man
hung"
christine was married tonight
she said after they had been seated
for a few minutes.
He remarked lifelessly: Hurried
It up on my account, Ell? It's bad
luck to postpone a wedding, even fol-
a death in the family. She's sure to
be happy, God bless herr"
Yes, she Will be very happy
You told her | was going away
that I'd probably never see hel
again."
Il told ner you were gone"
Il suppose she was relieved"
She cried because you were not
there to see her married
He was fully half a minute in grasp
ing the full meaning of that wonder
full sentence.
She did," he asked. lifting his heac
suddenly. Honest, Mary? You're
not saying it just TOTO make me-
feel
He stopped and waited for her to re
ply to his unuttered question. She
shook her head.
Then she does care a little for me
She hasn't lost all the feeling she uset
to have
She cried because she was not Civ
en- a chance to talk with you. She
thought she could comfort you-coult
help you"
oh" he cried, with all the bitter
ness of a lost, hungry soul. If | hat
only known. She could have com
forted me. What a fool | was not t,
see her. I've beer cursing myself al
day. Now | know why | cursed. /
was because | wanted to see her"
yes. Go on, Tom" she said quietly
q can't, Mary. | can't talk about it
| guess Id better say goodby now. II
lose my nerve if | get to thinking ant
talking"
almost the last thing she said t.
me before she went away was this
Tom: Some day | shall go to him. Fl,
needs some one to love him, | am sur,
he is not SO wicked as She got n,
further than that. | stopped her"
she said all Mary, why did yo1
stop her? Why didn't you want her t,
say it? Why did you begrudge ne
little thing like that" He was tren
bling violently. There was misery
not anger or resentment, in his voice
Tom, are you ready to go TO tn
river"
He shrank away from her, shudde,
ing, appalled,.
Its hard to die, after all. /
ought not to have let you tell me al
this. It's made it harder. | said l.