The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-01-23
The Return Of Christine.

The Return Of Christine.
I'm not quarreling. joey" said
Braddock. still watching David's face.
The change In Braddock was astound-
ing. David had always thought OF
him as the bullying giant purple
faced and blear eyed His face was
thin and gray. the pallor OF the prison
still upon It, His cheeks were sunken
and the heavy stubble Of beard that
filled the hollows was q dirty white.
One would have guessed this appan-
tion OF Tom Braddock TO be sixty
years OF age at least. His hair. still
rather closely cropped. was no longer
black but a defiant. obtrusive gray.
The heavy neck was now thin and
corded; the broad shoulders drooped
as II deprived Of all their youthful
power. His aggressive mustache OF
the old day was gone. laying bare =
broad. firI J set lip The cheap jeans
clothing that fell to him when he left
the penitentiary hung loosely on his
frame. for he had lost many pounds.
The coat was buttoned close about his
| throat. albeit the day was warm. He
wore no collar. His hickory" shirt
WAS soiled. He had slept in these gar
ments for many nights.
That this cadaverous. prideless In
dividual could once have been the
vainglorious Snowman Was almost In
conceivable.
We'll. guess you've changed about
as much as l have" said Braddock.
reading the others thoughts. He ut
tered a bitter laugh AZ he turned to
drag a chair up to the table with
something Of the assurance OF old.
Il hope I've changed as much for
the better as you have. Braddock."
said David, and he meant It.
Braddock whirled to glare at him In
wonder. He was silent for moment
Then he flung himself into the chair.
his Jaws setting themselves firmly, NO
trace OF the sarcastic smile remain
ing.
Il guess you have. David" he said
shortly. You're not what you were
when you Joined US five years ago"
sneer came to his lips. What high
and mighty chap you've come to b.
No wonder you won't shake hands
with Jail bird"
Stop talking. Tom Braddock." said
Ruby. q CLEAN of anxiety In her eyes
Here's what's left of the lamb. and
here's"
wait = minute. Ruby" said he.
With his elbows on the edge Of the
table and his chin in his broad. sinewy
hands he leaned forward and spoke
again to David. I've been out three
weeks. l was up there for two years
and q half. I'm Just telling you this
SOS you'll know why I've changed.
The whisky's all out Of me. There
never will be any more inside Of me.
do you understand that? Ten years
ago l was . man-wssn't !. Joey? I
was . dog when you knew me. Jenison.
Now. I'm = man again. See these
hands? Well. they've been doing hon
est work, even II 1t was In = convict
barrel factory. I'm ten times strong
er than | was before. There isn't .
soft muscle in my body. What you
miss 10 the fat-the whisky fat. I'm
gray headed, but who wouldn't bel
But that IL not what I'm trying to get
at saw Dick Cronk this morning
don't know how he found me. He
told me you were up here to take .
hand in my affairs. What I want to
know. right here. Jenison. IL this:
Where is your friend Bob Grand. and
where is she!"
You are very much mistaken. Brad.
dock, If you consider me the friend OF
Colonel Grand. | hate him quite ~
bitterly az you do l."
oh, no, you don't snapped the 9th
er. mo one In all this world. from
its very beginning. has ever hated a. l
hate"
He fell to eating ravenously. The
others sat back, stif and uncomfor-
table, watching him. His sunken but
powerful jaws crunched the food with
some Of the ferocity OF beast. 1t
came forcefully to the minds Of the
two men that they were looking upon
man whose great sinews were Of
steel, who could have crushed either
Of them in the long. hard arms that
stretched forth to seize the food Ruby
had placed before him. They were
slowly coming to realize the bent OF
this mans mind during its savage de-
velopment in prison. He had shaved to
a purpose The same thought grew In
the mind OF each observer. What
chance would Robert Grand have in
the naked hands OF his enemy?
Joey was the first to broach the sub
ject.
Brad" he said soothingly. you
want to think twice before you do any
thing desperate"
Braddock gave an ugly laugh as he
jabbed fork into a piece Of meat.
Joey" he said. I've already
thought ten thousand times"
What do you intend to do?' asked
| David