Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-11-06

HIS answer was Ln6 dnSHC CT "a e-<o
man who was. for the time being. nell
Their the moralist nor the criminal
With a swift outreaching he drew her
to him, crushed her In his arms. COW
cred her face with kisses
IT am glad-glad that 1 am your
lover" he whispered. passionately-
God. grill but you are a woman to die
fori No, not yet"-when she would
have slipped out of his arms-believe-
me. Margery; there has never been
anyone else-not for a moment But
I thought it was Raymer. and for your
sake and his l could have stepped
aside That is the one decent thing
1 have done in all this devilish bush
ness Are you nstening?"
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.
No. boy. I'll never believe that
never."
Wait he said. 'Tt 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-five
train. You didn't know about him. did
you? He came. and an old newspaper
friend of mine was with him. l
stumbled upon them on the sidewalk
in front of the Winnebago house; and
Broff1n was there, too. We were intro
duced, the teller and 1, and Broffin was
| so sure he had me that he got his
han nf1o
Margery shuddered and hid her face
again. And II didn't knowi" she
gasped.
Luck was with me again. he con-
| tinued. johnson didn't remember
me; refused to do so even when
Broffin stopped him and tried to tell
| him who / was. l had a pistol in
my pocket, and it was aimed at Broffin.
If he had made move to take me,
l 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 1t was all over, 1 smashed
| the pistol with stone and threw 1t
away"
She drew a long breath. us that
all?" she asked.
"Al but one thing; the worst of
them all -. that day in the bank
| vault"
| The daughter of men buried her face
on his shoulder again at that "Don't!"
she begged. "You couldn't help it,
boy; l made you do it-meaning to.
Therel and l said that wild horses
should never drag it out of mel"
| Again he said. Wait" and covered
/ IL ~.
| a caressing hand. cit 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. too"
| She nodded her head violently. 'I
| know" she murmured; 81 knew 1t at
| the time. and that was what made
me cry. But now it's-it's different.
| isn't it, boy? now you-are-"
you have heard it all. Margery.
You know what / thought l was. and
what l have turned out to be. I'm
afraid 1 am just a 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
1 the bad, loves you-loves you'll"
What do care for anything else?"
| she flashed back. You are you. Ken
meth, dear; that is all 1 know. and all
care for. If you had stolen all the
money in the world. and had killed
| dozen men to make your getaway. 1t
/ would be just the same. Only
| "Only what?" he demanded jealousy.
1T would be just the same to me;
| but-but Oh. boy. dear! II
| will never, never be the same to you'll"
| II don't understand" he STAN
mered.
Some day you will You call your
| self a crook-man. mani 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; l don't say
| you didn't When 1 see anything |
| want, / reach out and take it, IL 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, a crime And then-oh.
| boy deari then I shall lose you'll!
Very gently he took her in his arms