Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-01-09

hair is straight and black and your
eyes brown. think your hair had
better be cut short"
Gafford looked at his changed self,
while she piled a pair of scissors and
comb. He grinned at the new Wis
age which looked back at him.
"You might add that the high
cheek bones are an asset, too," he OBJ
served as he laid the glass down.
"How long will this dye stuff last ?"
"About three days if you don't
wash" said Kate. "I'll give you a
bottle of stain to take along"
Half an hour later he was ready.
To all seeming he was nothing more
than a coolie. Dozens of his fellows
could be picked up any day on the
waterfront or be seen playing their
parts of bearers, drawers of rick
shaws, rowers Of sampans, beasts of
burden on the wharves and lighters.
Unlike them, he carried Yamata's re-
volver and a supply of cartridges, a
small mirror, strong knife, a bot
tic of stain, and sponge, to which
Kate now added a small chamois bag
with long string.
"What is it? asked Gafford "A
charm ?"
"The most potent of charms" she
retorted. at will open doors, pris-
ons, secrets, and other things. It's
money, boy"
"How much 2"
"A thousand, Gaffy."
Dollars ?"
Eyes"
A slow flush mounted in Gafford's
cheeks under the stain, and he put
down the bag.
81 can't take it, Kate" he protest
ed. 81 already owe you too much,
anyway, both of money and other
things. A man can't take money
from woman and keep his self-re-
spect."
"But how are you going to get
along without it ?" she argued. "How
are you going to Kobe? Oh, don't
be silly, Gaffy! Take the rotten stuff
and turn it to some good"
"I'll get to Kobe all right" he as
sured her. "I've got a scheme"
"But Pm not giving it to you," she
persisted. I'm giving it to the fight
for our country. You'll need funds to
put this thing through. You're doing
the work, running the risks, endan-
gering your life. Won't you let me
do my part? You don't mean to
shut me out? It's my country as
much as yours, Gaffy, and it doesn't
matter what | am or what I've done.
l love it, Gaffy-I love it as a person
does something he can't ever have
tended the bag toward him please
boy. My part, Gaffy-my part"
"But ! don't need it. i can get
money to put this over, l tell you.
I'm sure of it, Kate. Why, McRae'd
put up ten times what I'll need when
he knows. I've an idea you've been
saving that to go back to a white
mans world with some time. You've
spoken of such things to me-before
this. ] can't take that money from
you, girl. L"
White Kate set her lips in pur-
pose. Her face quivered for an in
st0t and then she spoke:
Were wasting precious time. You
haven't time to get word to McRae,
let alone get money from him, Gaffy.
| told you once that perhaps I'd tell
you what it was that brought me to
this place-why ! killed that man.
Pm going to tell you now. Listen.
''In those days when you first knew
me back home | had sister. She
was younger than l. Virgie we called
her; her name was Virginia. She
was just a living sunshine in those
days. And because there are men
who can't see beautiful thing with
out wanting to possess and crush it,
and because Virgie was q child In
her faith in promise, though
woman in years, the sunshine of her
life went out. When it was too late
she came to me and told me all about
it. 1t was one night in my dressing
room, after the show. There isn't
any use telling about that scene. l
took my little crushed baby sister in
my arms and promised to stand by
her. That night she died, Gatfy-
by her own hand.
From that time on | lived for re-
venge. She had told me the name of
the man who had wronged her, and |
made it a point to get into touch with
him. threw myself in his way, and
after a time he took notice. outdid
all my acting in trying to fascinate
him and all the time | loathed him,
hated him, meant to kill him when
could. Finally / yielded to his plead
ing and agreed to meet him in a GER
tain place.
81 met him, Gaffy, and | told him
about my sister, and then / killed
him, while he groveled on the floor
like a dog and begged me not to
shoot. They didn't ind him for two
days, and by then was gone. left
the country, and I've drifted to this.
Now, do you understand
THAT girl who was stolen tonight
is the same sort of girl as my sister
young, sweet, full of life and am
bition and hope. She is in deadly
peril in the hands of a man whom
we know to be a brute. Can you
think what it means to her-what it
may mean to her? Gaffy, want you
to save her before it is too late, as
! would have saved my sister had |
known in time. | want you to take
this money and go save her from
what threatens.
"Tm not giving you this money, or
lending it to you, on anything like
that. Pm giving it as a pledge for
her life and honor. Take il and go.
ToEa ~ IN x,laJ~a frov,, o,a ,xvovna,,