Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-01-08

he started toward the door "Goot.by,"
he said brokenly.
Harper was ash-white under the &C.
cusation that he could not resent.
Where are you going?" he STAN
mered.
Il do not know. Away like l came"
answered Conrad. II forgif YOU" and
he was gone.
Harper was still sitting rigidly upon
the stool when Meade came bustling
in five minutes later.
Got a new job for you, SAM" he
said. I've made Parsons consent to
tear down the rickety old buildings on
his corner and put up good business
block. Say, what's the matter with
you, anyhow"
Harper had not moved. He had been
gazing at Meade with fixed eyes. like
one in a horror-stricken trance; but
now he drew from his pocket the
check that Meade had given him but
an hour before and proffered it,
Il stole it," he numbly confessed.
II falsilied the time"
"Oh, climb down from your perch!"
Meade whipped out with no abatement
whatever of his crisp manner Now,
what's all this about? Tell me like q
sane man.
You say you falsiiied those time
entries,' he went on. II glanced
them over while you were at my Of
fee. They were ali in Conrads writ
ing"
"Gad!" exclaimed Harper For the
moment ! had forgotten him. / read
of those items to him from the old
book last night, changing them as l
went along. He found out this morn
ing what I'd had him do and he called
me thief and left. God knows what
1t cost him. ,-here's girl here that
we'll, after he went away | had to re-
nege."
Away" yelled Meade. What dc
you mean by 'away?' Not that he's
going to leave Holden?"
Just that" affirmed Harper. "He
said he couldn't look my wife and me
in the face and tell on me, and
couldn't look you in the face and not
tell"
Put away your books! We've got
to stop Conrad. We've got to over
take that Dutchman, tell you!"
Nv.
They were Just about to leave the
office when suddenly the door opened
and Blanche Reynolds, a trife pale
and much too anxious for frivolous
embarrassment, stood before them.
Is Mr.. Hoehler here?" she asked
glancing swiftly about the office. II
was notable that, though knowing nc
German, she pronounced his name
with a perfect mastery of the Difficult,
sound Of the modulated vowel.
Harper shook his head and glanced
at Meade with a miserable sense OF
guilt.
'He is gone," he faltered. "He left
about half an hour ago."
Il got such curious note from
him." she explained. He met my
brother on the street and gave it tc
him. Why did he go?"
1T was "a point of honor" Har
per lamely told her.
1t was splendid to see the way the
girl squared her shoulders, and how
her eyes flashed, though she grew
paler still.
HE has done nothing wrong" she
declared. Il know"
"Bless your heart, no." exploded
Meade. He couldn't if he tried
Now don't you worry about Conrad
because his friends are not going to
let him get away" and he hustled
outside with his usual spluttering
energy.
Bewildered, not able to understand
any of it, the girl went out upon the
street, scarcely rejecting that she was
going with them. Walking at the side
Of Harper, with Meade forging nerv.
ously on ahead, during the next four
blocks she lost herself in the knowl.
edge Of how much, how very much,
she cared!
AS they turned the corner toward
the station Meade, who was in adj
vance. gave an exclamation of sur.
prise. for there, but half block ahead
of them. and going in the same direc-
ton. was Conrad. He was walking
slowly along the shady street, his head
down, his shoulders dropped, his peck.
cts bullying with his portable posses.
sions. Blanche, all thought for con-
ventions swept away in this over.
wrought moment, flew swiftly after
him.
"Oh, Conrad" she called, as she
overlook him and put her hand on
hts arm.
He whirled, and passing teamster
with jovial cast of countenance,
stopped his horses and looked back
ward with grin, for it was quite u1l-
usual in the streets Of Holden to see