Meade County news., 1915-11-25
and laugh in his face. Are you slaA-

His answer was the answer Of the
man who was, for the time being, mel.
ther the moralist nor the criminal
With swift outreaching he drew her
to him, crushed her in his arms, COW
cred her face with kisses.
II am glad-glad that / am your
lover" he whispered, passionateIy
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 it was Raymer, and for your
sake and his could have stepped
aside. That is the one decent thing
l have done in all this devilish busi-
ness. Are you listening?"
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. 1T 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.
stumbled upon them or the sidewalk
in front of the Winnebago house; and
Broffin 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 shuddered and hid her face
again. And IL didn't know!" 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. had pistol In
my pocket and 1t was aimed at Broff1n.
If he had made a move to take me,
should certainly have killed him."
She sat up suddenly.
"Give me that pistol, Kenneth-givO
1t to me now!"
Il can't" he confessed, shamefaced-
ly. when it was all over, smashed
the pistol with stone and threw IL
away"
She drew long breath "Is that
all?" she asked.
"All 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 II,
boy; made you do it-meaning to.
There! and l said that wild horses
should never drag it out of mel"
Again he said. Wait" and covered
the shining head on his shoulder with
caressing hand. 1T 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 10 KNOW that, lpO. ,.,t
She nodded her head violently. Il
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 l 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'll"
What do | care for anything elsef"
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 q
dozen men to make your getaway, 10
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 stam- ?
mered.
Some day you will. You call your
self a crook-man, man! there isn't
crooked drop of blood in you! Don't
| know? You persuaded yourself that
you had right to take this money;
perhaps you did have; don't say
you didn't. When | see anything [
want, reach out and take it, 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 q, you and tell you that It
was a sin, a crime And then-oh.
boy, dear! then | shall lose you'll"
Very gently he took her in his arma
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 ami the stenciled shadows of the
oaks, we're forgotten in the great soul