The Carlisle independent., 1915-03-04

to you and l want to know what he has told you"
 But, Bob," she answered-and she looked at him through mist dimmed eyes-"why has he told me anything |? Why, if this-this terrible thing has happened-haven't you told me or warned me? Brand said you are ruined"
 q am." he broke in quickly. He told you the truth there, but did he tell you how am going to remedy it?"
 He said you had asked for more money-blackmail Oh. Bob," she cried, clutching at his hands. "it ism t true, is it?"
 He pressed her hands, but answered doggedly:
 Yes, it's true. That's the word for it-blackmail, and I'm going to have it."
 She drew back and looked at him through her tears, startled and afraid. Then she glanced involuntarily at the | table.
 "Oh, don't think I'm drunk" he said
 
 and what I'm going to do now. But you can't do it; you shan't," she exclaimed. Brand doesn't owe you money. If you've lost yours we will have to suffer for it, not Brand" Her words acted as an irritant to the sore.
 50, it's Brand. not me-" he an- swered bitterly. That's what l want ed to know; to know how 1 stand be- tween you two. You mapped out my line of march once, but not again. Jane, if you side with Brand against me this time we are done, that's all. We don't seem to do team work very well and I can go it alone"
 His tone, as cold and hard as his words, truly frightened her.
 "Bob-Bob, dear" she cried, don't talk to me that way. You're not your self You don't know what you're say l ing"
 T know exactly what I'm saying, he answered, "and I mean every word of it. Brand fooled you once and he's | fooled you again, but he'll find | haven't been so dull a pupil as he | thinks. His game Is all right If it's played to a finish, and that is just what I am going to do-play it to the l end. He used me when l was useful and thought when the right time came | he could throw me aside. I was weak enough to get into his meshes and I'm strong enough to get out. He found stock and trade in your credulity over on Staten Island and he thinks he can rely on you again. Did he tell you how lost my money-the very last of it?"
 "In the stock market"
 Yes, but did he tell you I invested on the advice of his broker? Did he tell you that he won 8 lot of money on the same stock? Did he?" he repeated as she sat staring at him in silence.
 He didn't say anything about him self, Bob"
 No, of course, he didn't. He didn't say anything about you, either, l sup | pose. He didn't tell you that when he 1 framed it up with you for us to take that money from the cement deal that We were committing a felony and that i you were party to the crime as much as any of us. He didn't tell you that if talked and we went to jail that you would go along with us. He didn't say that, did he?"
 Reynolds paced the floor and his voice rose to almost a hysterical pitch.
 God" he exclaimed, as be stopped and faced her, 'I almost believe he's | convinced you that I'm a criminal and | he's saint with a double ringed | halo!"
 She had reached the end of her en. durance and stood up quivering with resentment.
 You have no right to abuse me this way" she cried, and I won't stand it You know that I only tried to find a place for us among decent people and give you the opportunity to provide l it."
 Opportunity? be sneered ''Yes, l opportunity for plain, ordinary thiev- | ing. That's what 1t was. and I did 1t | for you. Now there are two alterna- tives, Jane. One to go on, and the other to give up. If you want to go on I'm going to have my way this time and Brand will have to deal with me and answer to me, not to you. I'm not going to let him of with S10,000 by squaring matters at the bank, and go out into the world penniless I am go- ing to clear my conscience and make a clean breast of 1t or I am going to make it plain blackmail and make it pay. Either we're crooks or we're honest and if we've made up our minds to be crooks let's be good ones"
 "Bob!" she cried again, backing away while he followed. Her back was to the wall now and she crouched almost as if she expected a blow. "Yes. crooks!" he persisted in an swer to her look of horror That's what I said. Crooksi"
 His hand was extended. fist doubled. But of sudden it dropped to his side. Her look of appeal-of abject terror-pierced the mists of his cloud ed brain. He stopped. limp and help less.
 Well, what-about it-Jane? I've