Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-01-02
CHAPTER xvIll-contlnued.

emphasized the word noticably. But
u have been doing some thinking OF my
own IN the last half hour and my plans
don't seem to go on at all where yours
leave Off II might interest you to
know, before you go, that | am going
TO stay right here and tell the truth
from first TO last-from the time you
came to Staten Island, until Mrs. Rey-
nolds received a letter from you the
other day showing that you had vol
unfairly squared a criminal transac-
ton for me al the bank"
AS he finished Bobs fist came down
on the little center table and almost
shattered IT, There was the vigor and
determination that Brand had had to
respect once before when he had
loosed Ills wilee on more gullible re-
cipient BIT VOW. IN this crisis, he had
not even considered the chance of OPP
position to his viii First astonished,
then thoughtful. his norid features
now revealed their old cunning.
You play the game big, Reynolds"
ne said at last Either this is
holduu right or you have gone clear
crazy"
IAN right Rave all you want to.
Brand. II can't do amy harr now
told you last week there were two
ways TO get olt of II all One was
money and tie other was 70 make a
clean breast of IT, one can't nave an
he wants all the time You had your
chance ten days ago and YOU threw IL
away. ! gave you my terms and you
took advantage Of my helpiessness
and ignored them You stayed away
and paid that paltry $4,000 a. the
bank. You thought you would fright
en- my wife, chat your magnauimity
IN releasing as from immediate peril
would impress her and that in the end
she would welcome the release you Of
fered Well, YOU succeeded with her
but not with me. For her sake I was
almost inclined 10 let matters drop
but this terrible afla has changed IL
all. We have taken human life. and
let OF It. and some one has got to pay.
so it anyone is going TO take the Iusi-
tauia. you re the man vino had better
hurry and pack his grip"
Brand stepped quickly To- Reynolds,
a tower OF Indignant rage. Trapped
or cornered be was always Brand. al
ways ready TO put lis back to the wall
and hght-in the open if he couldn't
fight from ambugA Bearded and al
most beaten now, he qulyeyed ia his
wrath and shock threatening fist
straight in Reynolds face
You're a big. blasted baby and an
imbecilei" be cried You play the
gutter now and I'll make you regret it
10 the last day of your life. IN fight
and III win as / always have. You
can't keep a man with money In Jail.
Those three words cant he grouped
in the same language! Hut what's the
use of talking" he added disgustedly.
You cant lay down now IL YOU want
to. You haven't got the nerve to send
that Girl there 10 the peuiteutlary for
six or eight or ten years. to come out
"a broken woman-not enough OF her
left to suggest who she was DO YOU
know what prison does to men. Rey-
nolds? Breaks 'em body. mind and
soul, Wen. what Mil il do TO a WON
an. then? TO your wlfc2 For II we 70
she goes with US. I've told YOU that
and ! mean h., SO ! guess my bluffs
about as strong as yours"
lie turned partly To Dick and. as II
10 cinch his threat. added
And I'm not sure but that our vir-
tuous friend here will be keeping us
company That's law and you know
st."
Bob. cried his Wife creeping TO his
side and cuddlinE against him as II she
saw In Brand some hybrid monster
whom she really feared. IN 20. Any
thing YOU say. dear I'm not afraid
not afraid" Weeping softly. in obvi-
GUS contradiction 10 her Courageous
stand. she nestled closer to his side.
We stand upon the brink OF nigh
precipiCe and looking down are Oh.
,sessed with strange desire 10 ump
The thought OF 1fe has vanished in a
vale of endless depths the hold on II
ds indnitesimal 4 bird flying over.
'NtAOt star AttA ~ NAE strange intruder
in his realms. drops twig he is carry.
ing 10 his nest The tiny bit of wood
futters to the mountain top and M
the precise moment that We have all
but signed our passport 70 other worlds
the twig falls at our feet, The sound
OF il is scarcely andible. but slight ss
1t is we hear It. turn. and the spell of
self-absorption and abandon Is broken.
We lose no time IN climbing back 10
terra hrma
So Reynolds, possessed with the
idea OF selfsacrice-sel tdestruction.
AZ necessary anything to bring to jus
hce the man he blamed for all his
wrongs and for the awful climax that
had Just some. grew stronger In his
purpose. more fascinated in the pur.
port Of il, with every word that Brand
used 70 dsssuade him Even Brands
reiterated threat concerning Jane had
lost its featraw has