The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-03

vanity and dishonesty; and I hay, round that these usually 20 together Well, at Mentone you had a little ex perlence with men. You were unde, protection then; protection it was nj sort. If you go out into the worlf alone, there will be no protection; ant You will find that men are wolve, generally, and that the sport of the chase Is a woman. Must I make fl plainer?"
 understand" her chin once more resolute. T shall become a clerk ir shop. Perhaps can teach, or be come nurse. Whatever l do, I shal never go back to Mentone. And all men are not bad. You're not all had yourself. Horace; and so far as I am concerned, l believe I might trust won anywhere"
 And God knows you could," gerr inely. But l cant help you. If had a sister or woman relative could send you to her. But I have nc one but my brother, and he's a worse scoundrel than am. I at least work out in the open. He transacts his Villainies behind closed doors."
 George listened, sitting as motion less as Buddhist idol Why couldn't he think of something? Why couldn't he come to the aid of the woman he loved in this her hour of trial? A fine lover, forsoothl To sit there like 4 yokel, stupidly! Could he offer tc lend her money? A thousand times no! And he could not ask her to marry him; 1t would not have been fair to either. She would have mis understood; she would have seen not love but pity, and refused him. Mel ther she nor Ryanne suffered mere in spirit than he did at that moment.
 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 way. He jumped to his feet and seized her by the hands boyishly.
 Fortune, Ryanne is right. I've found a way. MT. Mortimer, the pres ident 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 sudden, she had become so weak Slowly she withdrew her hands from his.
 I'll cable the moment We reach port he said, as if reaching port un- der the existing conditions was a thing quite possible. will 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 loved!"
 Ryanne turned away his head.
 Fortune was too deeply absorbed by her misery to note how near George had come to committing himself Thank you, Mir Jones; thank you l am going to the tent. I am tired And I am not so brave as you think l am"
 But will you?"
 T shall tell you when we reach port" And with that she fled to the tent
 Ryanne folded his arms and stared at the sand. George sat down and aimlessly hunted for the stub of the cigar he had dropped; kind of reflex action.
 The two men were all alone. The camel-boys were asleep. Mahomed had now ceased to bother about a guard.
 q cant see where she gets this ridiculous sense of honesty" said By anne gloomily.
 George leaned over and laid his hand upon Ryanne's knee. She gets 1t the same way do, Ryanne-from here" touching his heart; land she is right"
 q believe I've missed everything worth while. Percival. Till I met you I always had a sneaking idea that money made a man evil The boot seems to be upon the other foot"
 "Ryanne. you spoke about becoming honest, once you get out of this. Did you mean it?"
 q did, and still do."
 ''It may be that I can give you a lift. You worked in your fathers bank. You know something about fig ures. own two large fruit-farms in California. What do you say to a hundred and fifty a month to start with, and begin life over again?"
 Ryanne got up and restlessly paced Nonchalance had been beaten out of him; the mercurial humor which had once been so pleasant to excite. which 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 un' stable. How many promises have l made and broken I mean, promises to myself. I don't know. This mo ment swear to be good, and along comes a pack of cards or a bottle of wine, and back l slip. Would 1t be worth while to trust a man so damned weak as that? Look at me. l am six foot two. normally a hundred and