The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-02-13
A startling Tsse-csstiavsd-

a etsstiia0 Tesa-csatiaVs6-
His vtfe's hand vent out to him In
voluntarily. He looked at 1t for sse-
oaA. then into her eyes. vavsrins-
". uncertain - to the impulse that
moved her. He suddenly regainsd
eoatrol Of himself. He graspsd the
sasa1ss hand In his great, crushing IN
ssrs- The sullen, rspsllsnt glare leap
d hack into his eyes. Alert and
shffty. hs held up his free hand to
command the silence Of David. Then.
hks . hunted creature at bay. he
glanced over his shoulder. Seeing an
Open door almost at his elbow. he reso-
lutsly drew his wife after him into
tAs room beyond. A. he turned to
slam the door with vicious energy the
tsaes. incisive voics called out once
more from the head Of the stairs:
Fathse!"
The door banged - II propelled BY
- aAdsd sosegy Of sudden fear.
An instant later David vas dashins
y the stairs. three steps At . time.
She had started down.
Not Just now. dearest" he cried.
Wait! He wants to see your mother
nfst"
Is-is she safe. David-is he him
self? Oh. must 60 down there. l
know l can rsason-"
"she 10 perfectly SAFE
Her head dropped. her lip quivered.
Thea she quietly withdrew her hands
aod sank to . sitting posture on the
step.
David dropped to his svsetheart's
side. His arm fell about her shoul-
Sers. He whispered words of encour.
agement and sympathy. his soul In ev.
cry syllable.
David" she interrupted. 1T IL %
good Of you to say these things to
me. but-but-oh. can't you see how
impossible it IL now? Go away, Da-
vtd. Do you think that ! can marry
you now? 1t was bad enough before.
but now! What am that you should
take me to be your wife! You must
60 away and forget"
He drew her head to his breast,
smothering the heartbroken cry BY
the fierceness Of his embrace.
Open your eyes. Christine! Look
at me-" She looked up. utter desola-
ton in her eyes. Nothing on earth
can keep you from being my wife
nothing! couldn't give you up"
1T cannot be. David-it cannot bel"
she moaned.
Meanwhile Thomas Braddock vas
pacing the door Of the library almost
directly beneath them. His wife
watched him In sflencs. It was the
nrst time she had seen him in dvs
years. A curious analysis was going
on in her perturbed brain. The change
in him! She could not take her eyes
from the haggard, heavily lined face,
% unlike the blithe, youthful one she
had loved. or the bloated. bestial one
she had feared and despised. She
marveled. This was not the vacillat-
ing. whisky willed man she had known
for 70 long; here was . determined
character. swelling with force, fierce
In the resources Of belated integrity
Of purpose. No longer the careless,
handsome youth. nor the hornlesa
nan. but power! Whether that
power stood for good or evil 1t matter.
- not He was . man such a. she
had never expected him to be.
He stopped In front Of her.
This 10 the first time l have ever
been asked into this house." he said,
lips curling in = bitter. unfriendly
smile.
Tom" she said. taking a firm grasp
on her nerves. let US talk 1t over
quietly. Sit down."
He halted. Il can talk better stand.
Ing" he said grimly. He came up
close to her. She stood her ground.
looking him squarely in the eyes.
There isn't much to say. Mary. You
know me for what am, and you
know who made me 30. He's got to
pay. that's all. We won't go into the
past. It's not easily forgotten. guess
We remember everything"
TN not excusing myself. I'm past
tAat, and besides 1t wouldn't go down
With you. l did lot Of rotten things
while you and were ploddin' along
through those last two years with the
show-you know what they were. But
It was whiskyl took money that
didn't belong to me-yours and Chris
tines. and 0rand's, and Jenison's. I
did worse than that, Mary. sold you
out to Bob Grand-you knew that too.
But I'm going to try to pay up ali my
debts-all Of 'em, in . day or two. !
owe you my ugly. worthless life. I'm
going to pay you in full by ending IT.
I owe Colonel Grand for everything
was, for what l am. I'm going to
pay him, 20 help me God. Don't in
terrupt! My minds made up. came
here to ask you just two questions.
want you to answer them. I'm going
to believe you. You never lie. I know
that"
II will answer them. Tom"
He hesitated. his gaze wavering for
A. at t&roa Ill hofo ~ nsk v,,s,