The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-04-09

Gutter.
What she had was d gift from him.
and, as June had heard him put it him.
self. be gave her what was good for
her.
The woman. She was coming up the
ladder! The fugitive hidden in the at
tic was stunned by this unexpected ac-
ton.
Nearer and nearer came the woman's
head. and nearer and nearer to the
edge of the trapdoor extended June's
strong young hands!
"Babe?" Flub stirred uneasily.
The woman was down the ladder like
a cat.
"What?"
No answer. The man was still sound
asleep. The woman stood over him for
awhile to make sure Of this and started
FOR the ladder again. Halfway across
the room she hesitated, turned. walked
swiftly to the end of the hut and hid
the little channels bag beneath loose
stone behind the stove.
She was putting away the last of the
dishes when suddenly she stopped,
turned. and slow smile spread upon
her lips. Her eyes burned with a SOM
Der fire. She went over to Big Ben
and deity secured a long, slender
cigarette holder. She crossed swiftly
to her husband and inserted the holder
in his top vest pocket. so that its
shining tip protruded The water cask
stood by Big Bens head With a
CLEAN in her eye the woman went
over, filled the rusty tin cup and de.
liberately poured a fourth Of it's con-
tents over Big Ben's face.
Excuse me-" she laughed as he
jumped up and with the same motion
jerked revolver from his pocket.
He grinned at her sheepiShly as he
saw the sparkle of mischief in her eye,
and he wiped his face with his sleeve.
You done it o purpose" he speculat-
ed. chuckling.
Think so?' she dimpled.
Big Ben's eyes frightened
Il believe you're after that shawl"
"Flub'd sell it." And she glanced
across at the sleeping man with vim
dictive hatred.
Take it. urged Big Ben, land if
Flub sells it tell me-" He picked up the
shawl and clumsily threw it around
the woman's shoulders. She looked
down at the shawl and toyed with its
long, delicate fringe. She took it off
slowly and gave it back to the man.
Nothing doing" she sadly decided;
then she slowly turned and looked at
her husband and walked away. There
was softening in Big Ben's eyes as
she walked away. and then he, too,
glanced Mt the sleeping Flub. He stroll
ed TO the door and came back. Sudden
~ he stopped. The CLEAN of something
yellow had caught his gaze. He walked
close and bent low He pulled the Gig
arctic holder out far enough to identify
1t and pushed it back: then he gave the
sleeper IL kick
Get up you thief!" be roared.
Flub sprang up, dazed
whats that?"
Il said get up. you THEIR roared Big
Ben as lean Jake abruptly stopped
snoring and jumped up He was half.
way to the ladder before he realized
that this was not a raid, and June. di.
vining his intention. rose swiftly and
put her hands on the loose clanboards
OF the roof. Ben jerked the cigarette
holder from Fiub's pocket. You stole
itr
Flnb seemed daZed by the accusation
out suddenly he let out yell. Me.
chanically he had reached in his vest
pocket, as was his habit when the
chamois bag was there. and had discov.
cred his loss
MY diamond" he yelled. "Ifs
gone" And his face turned white az
ne looked around the tense eroun
slowly comprehe4 came to him
You framed mer he suddenly shout.
Cd pointing a trembling flnger at Biw