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

Jones, for Gods sake, wake up and
suggest something! You know lots
OF decent people. Can't you think of
some one?"
But for this call George might have
continued to grope in darkness. In
stantly he saw a way. He jumped to
his feet and seized her by the hands,
boyishly.
Fortune, Ryanne is right. I've
found way. Mr. Mortimer, the pres
1dent of my firm, is an old man, kindly
and lovable. He and his wife are
childless. They'll take you. Why, it's
as easy as talking"
She leaned back against the draw
ing OF his hands. She was afraid that
IN his eagerness he was going to take
her IN his arms. She wondered why,
OF a sudden, she had become so weak.
Slowly she withdrew her hands from
his.
III cable the moment we reach
port" he said, as if reaching port un-
der the existing conditions was a
thing quite possible. evil you go to
them? Why, they will give you ev-
cry care in the world. And they will
love you as as you ought to
be lDved!"
R!anne turned away his head
Fortune was too deeply absorbed by
her misery to note how near George
had come to committing himself.
Thank you, Mr.. Jones; thank you.
l an going to the tent. 1 am tired.
An6 | am not so brave as you think
I an"
But will your"
{ shall tell you when we reach
por." And with that she fed to the
ten.
Fyanne folded his arms and stared
| at the sand. George sat down and
ainlessly hunted for the stub of the
cigIr he had dropped; kind of reflex
acton.
The two men were all alone. The
canel-boys were asleep. Mahomed
ha' now ceased to bother about a
gurd.
can't see where she gets this
ridiculous sense Of honesty" said Ry-
ange gloomily.
] feorge leaned over and laid his
had upon Ryanne's knee. "She gets
it he same way do, Ryanne- from
hee," touching his heart; "and she
isright."
/ believe I've missed everything
wrth while, Percival Till I met you
1 ways had a sneaking idea that
mney made a man evil. The boot
SENS to be upon the other foot"
Ryanne, you spoke about becoming
hoest, once you get out of this. Did
va mean it?"
I did, and still do"
TT may be that 1 can give you a
Ii. You worked in your fathers
bnk. You know something about fig
YES. I own two large fruit-farms
i California. What do you say to a
Kindred and fifty a month to start
Nth, and begin life over AGAIN."
Ryanne got up and restlessly paced.
onchalance had been beaten out of
i'm; the mercurial humor which had
, nee been so pleasant to excite,
thich had once given him a foothold
in such moments, was gone. He had
only one feeling, a keen, biting, bitter
shame. At length he stopped in front
of George, who smiled and looked up
expectantly.
Jones, when you stick your finger
into water and withdraw it, what hap
pens? Nothing Well, the man who
gives me a benefit is sticking his
finger into water. I'm just as I'M
stable How many promises have I
made and broken! 1 mean, promises
to myself. | don't know. This mo-
ment / swear to be good, and along
comes pack of cards or a bottle Of
worth while to trust man so damned
weak as that? Look at me. am six
foot two, normally a hundred and
eighty pounds, no fat. l am as sound
as a cocoanut. There isn't boxer in
the States I'm afraid of. I can ride,
shoot, fence, fight; there isn't game
I can't take a creditabIe hand in. So
much for that. There's the other side.
Morally, I'm putty. When it's soft you
can mold it any which way; when it's
hard, it crumbles. Will you trust a
man like that?"
eyes. Out there you'll be away
from temptation
Perhaps. Well, I accept. And if
one day I'm missing, think kindly of
the poor devil Of an outcast who want
ed to be good and couldn't be. I'm
tagged. I'm going to turn in. Good
night"
He picked up his blanket and saddle
bags and made his bed dozen yards
away.
George set his gaze at the fire, now
falling in places and showing mean
descent holes. A month ago, in the
rut of commonplace, moving round in
oiled grooves of mediocrity. Bang!
like rocket. Why, never had those
liars in the smoke-rooms recounted
anything half so wild and strange as
this adventure. Smugglers, card
sharps, an ancient rug, a caravan in