The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-10-21

ther the moralst nor the criminal.
With a swift outreaching he drew her
to him. crushed her in his arms, Gov
cred her face with kisses.
81 am glad-glad that ! am youi
lover" he whispered, passionately
God, girl! but you are woman to die
for No, not yet"-when she would
have slipped out of his arms-believe,
me, Margery; there has never been
anyone else-not for moment. But
thought II was Raymer and for your
sake and his | could have stepped
aside That is the one decent thing
have done In all this devilish bust
ness. Are you listenlng?"
She had stopped struggling, and was
hiding her face on his shoulder. He
felt her quick little nod and went on
"Since you know the one decent
thing, you must know all the horrible
things, too. A dozen times have been
a murderer in heart"
She looked up quickly.
mo. boy, I'll never believe that
never!"
Wait" he said. ut was there this
evening-just little while ago Miss
Farnham and Galbraith were not the
only ones had to fear; there was an
other; the teller who got here from
New Orleans on the seven-forty-hve
train. You didn't know about him. did
you? He came. and an old newspaper
friend of mine was with him. ]
stumbled upon them on the sidewalk
in front of the Winnebago house; and
Brofiin was there, too. We were intro
duced, the teller and |. and Broffin was
so sure he had me that he got his
handouts out and was opening them"
Margery shudderc3 and hid her face
again. "And II didn't kncw!" she
gasped.
Luck was with me again." he con
tinued. johnson didn't remember
me; refused to do SO even whom
BrofIin stopped him and tried to tell
him who was. | had a pistol In
my pocket, and 1t was aimed at Brofiln.
If he had made move to take me.
| should certainly have killed him"
She sat up suddenly,
Give me that pistol Kenneth-give
it to me now!"
81 can't he confessed shamefaced
ly. when it was all over. smashed
the pistol with stone and threw it
away"
She drew a long breath. "Is that
all?" she asked
"All but one thing; the worst Of
them all that day in the bsnb
vault"
The daughter of men buried her face
on his shoulder again at that "Don't!"
she begged. you couldn't hMp IL,
boy; ! made you do it-meanhlg to
There! and said that wild horses
should never drag 1t out of mel"
Agein he said, Wait" and covered
the shining head on his shoulder with
caressing hand. ut wasn't love.
then, little girl; that's what it breaks
my heart to tell you-it was just mad
ness. And it wasn't clean; you've
got to know that. ZOO"
She nodded her head violently. 81
know" she murmured; 81 knew Il at
the time, and that was what made
me cry. But now its-it's different
isn't it, boy? now you-are-"
you have heard II all. Margery
You know what thought ] was. and
what | have turned out to be. I'm
afraid | am just common crook, after
ALL there doesn't seem to be stand
ing room anywhere else for me. But
every living fiber Of me, the good and
the bad, loves you-loves you!"
What do | care for anything else?"
she flashed back. you are you. Ken
meth, dear; that is all know. and all
| care for. If you had stolen all the
money in the world, and had killed a
dozen men to make your getaway. II
would be just the same. Only"
only what?" he demanded jealously
1T would be just the same to me;
but--but. Oh, boy. dear! II
will never, never be the same to you!"
Il don't understand" he STAN
mered
Some day you will. You call your
self crook-man, man! there isn't
a crooked drop of blood in you! Don't
| know? You persuaded yourself that
you had a right to take this money;
perhaps you did have; don't say
you didn't When | see anything !
want, reach out and take IL, If can
and guess most people would, If they
dared. But you are different; you are
good Some day all these dreadful
things that have come tagging along
after the fact will rise up and gnash
their teeth at you and tell you that 1t
was a sin, crime And then-oh.
boy. dear! then shall lose you'll"
Very gently he took her in his arms
again; and for time all things sen
sible and tangible the deserted drive
way, and the FLASHING of the little
waves on the sands, the staring moon
light and the stenciled shadows of the
oaks, we're forgotten in the great soul
healing silence that wrapped them
about and enveloped them.
(To BE CoNT1NUED)