The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-02-16


cortlandt held up the watch to public
view.
4In payment for my poor friendship
he has given me this magnificent thing
OF gold and Jewels. the finest I ever
saw. / never e0nnted npon such graft
tude. It IS too much and yet a man
cannot refuse the gift of his friend
and not seem nngracious, can beg
zSoFaaRhere IN the orient they have a
eask6Tl of exchanging gifts. No man
ma accent 4 thing Of value without
king Adequate return. and It basal
ways struck me MS wise practice
he turned full upon Kirk for the first
time since ne had begun speaking. and
hfs voice rose a tone as he said, y
can't LET the obligation rest entirely
Ilpon me. we have been friends. AM
thong. and 1 am going to give you
something in return which have
priced highly. It would be counted OF
great value by some Once more he
paused and drew his lips back in that
el.imace of mockery. 1t could no long
er be termed a smile. 1T is this-I am
going to give you-my wife. You have
had her from the FIRST, and now she Is
yours
For one frightful moment there was
no sound: even the mems breathing
was hushed. and they sat slack jawed-
stunned. half minded to believe this
some hideous. incredible jest. Cort-
landt turned away gloatlngly.
Kirk was the last to recover his pow
ers. but when they did revive they
came with prodfsious rush He
plunged upward out of his. chair With
a cry like wounded animal. and the
others rose with him. The liable rock-
"a. somathing smashed. chair was
hurled backward. The room broke into
instant turmoil. Kirk felt hands upon
him. ana then went blind, With fury,
struggling in Il passion too strong for
coherent spcech. He was enSulfed in
chaos. He felt things break beneath
his touch, felt bodies give way before
him.
How or when Kirk left the room he
never knew. Eventually he found him
self pinned in his chair, with Runnels
white face close against his own and
other bands upon his arms. His first
frenzy quickly gave way to a sickenlnG
horror.
cried hoarsely: then, as his compan-
ions drew away from him, he rose to
his feet. why are you looking at me
like that? / tell you it's q ID lie!
never.'--
Runnels turned to the table and
with shaking hand put glass to ms
lips and gulped its contents Wade
ana Klmble exchanged glances, then.
avoiding each others eyes. took their
hats from the hooks behind them.
wait! Bring him back" Kirk
mumbIed. ''I'll get him and make him
say it's lie.'' But still no one an
swered. no one looked at him. God!
You don't believe it,"
s.I'm going home, fellows. I'm kind
of sick" Bimble said. One of the
others murnured unintelligibly, and.
wetting n napkin. bound up his hand
which was bleeding. They continued
to watch Kirk as if fearful of some in
sane action. yet they refused to meet
his eyes squarely. There was no sym
pathy in their faces.
The knowledge OF what these actions
meant came to him slowly. Was It
possible that his friends believed this
incredible accusation? As he began to
collect himself he saw his plight more
clearly. His first thought had been
that Cortlandt was insane. but the
mans actions were not those of
maniac. No! He actually believed
and these fellows also. He wanted to
shout his innocence at them, to beat
it into their heads.
One by one they took their hats and
went out mumbling goodnight to one
another, as if intending to go, home
singly in order to avoid all discussion
of this thing that had fallen among
them. Runnels alone remained.
''You don't believe did-that?' An
thony asked in a strained voice.
.I-I think L do.'' There was mis-
cradle silence. and then: "It isn't the
thing itself, you know, so much as the
ten-underhanded advantage yon
took. If he'd been stranger, now
Honestly, isn't it true?"
Kirk shook his head listlessly u
wouldn't lie to you"
Runnels drew a deep breath. ooh.
come. now, the man must have. known
what he was saying. Men don't do
things like that on suspicion"
HE misunderstood our friendship
said Kirk heavily. then reused himself
for a last plea. Look herev' he cried.
.tYou know Cortlandt. and you know
me. The man was insanely jealous.
know it sounds weak. but it's the
truth, and it's all can say. III go
mad If you doubt me. And tonight of
air He broke of sharply. MY
God! I'd forgotten that I'm married
Suppose Gertrulis hears Of thisp' An