The Winslow mail., 1913-06-21

throwing his few effects into suit
case.
I'm ready, Bess," he said hurriedly
"While I'm trying to turn this trick
you slip out and see if Briggs is
waiting. It's an hour too soon, but he
may be there. Good-by, little girl
NUNS the word" giving her loving
hug.
The mayor sped down the hall to
Jackie Vinings room.
Cad" he calculated, this is rum
thing I've got to do-but everything is
fair in love and politics-and this Is
BOTH
Taking a key from his pocket, Be
digit slipped it softly into the door
The lock yielded. Cautiously he
opened the door I'd entered the apart
ment of the Judge" A high-low in
candescent was burning with the din
light on, and in the glow Bedight's
eyes surveyed the apartment carefully
As his eyes swept the room, he soughi
to locate two objects. of intense inter
est-the dresser, Oh top Of which was
supposed to lie the letter containing
the bill, and Jackie Vining! They
We're both in evidence, the one in the
farther corner of the room, the other
In her bed asleep, her round arms
thrown upward about her face, her
beautiful hair in braid that fell
across the white linen like a rope o.
gold. Beside the bed on q chair lay
a pile of filmy lingerie, and on top OF
the heap pair of black silk hose.
Bedight, fascinated, turned his face
away. Even political career would
scarce excuse man for such an in
trusion.
"But she will never know" flashed
through Bedights mind as he slipped
quietly across the room to the dresser.
Yes, the package was there-and un
sealed. Hastily slipping the envelope
off, he tucked the bill away in hi
pocket From second pocket he
brought out another manuscript an3
substituted this for the one he had
lost on the morning Of the run through
the swamp. He did not read the let
ter, returning it with the manuscript
to the envelope. Wettiug the muci
lage, he closed and sealed the letter
and laid it back on the dresser. Turn,
ing to go, his eyes fell upon the face
of the sleeper. How beautiful she was
and how unreasonable. For the
merest second he hesitated opposite
the lacy couch of my lady's dreams
but the moment was fatal.
BY some strange freak of fate the
high-low light, feeling an impulse OF
fresh current, automatically shifted
from low to high The brilliant glare
fell directly in the girls face. She
stirred, opened her eyes and would
have screamed but for Bedight's pres
ence of mind. Springing forward, he
spoke her namos muffling her startled
ejaculation with his hand, gently laid
across her lips
And then as her eyes blazed like
torches with their outraged fires, he
dropped to his knees beside the bed
and said hot1y:
"You will never forgive me for this
and l do not blame you. But some
day you will understand. l have done
nothing at Squirrel Inn to make 2
gentleman blush for shame-excep'
this-and-I had to do It, thought !
could-could say good-by without
awakening you. l am going now
When first we met, you gave me =
kiss-or If you please, l stole it. In
going am giving in return my heart
and taking as the sweetest memory
of my life this last good-byl"
BOwing his head over the face OF
the half stupefed girl, he touched his
lips to hers reverently-a slipped
from the room.
AS he did SO a piercing shrek arose
The Judge" was coming to her own
It was answered from below.
Bedight, geudding along tbs hall
heard the answering cry and knew
the sheriff had arrived. Exit from
the hotel by way of the staircase was
out of the question He darted tc
Bess Winters room, tried the door anc