The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-13

paused to give bis conclusion Its full
intensity Of significance. ITO save him
self he might say he knew you as Mag
gle Flint"
"Oh. my God!" It was a vail from
the anguished woman. Dry sobs shook
the slender form:
eyes," Andrew went on, his owl
| voice vibrant with emotion. 1.-THE situa
ton is critical"
Lucene aroused herself 1ercely
You must keep him away!' sht
cried.
Andrew shook his head.
Il fear I can do nothing"
For a minute. there was silence b.
tween the two. Lucene fought to re-
gain her self control. for she knew tina,
she would need all her powers to NEE,
this crisis in her life.
Does he know the Blounts?" she
asked.
Il am afraid So" Andrew replied an
prehensively. I'm fact, I'm almost Ger
tain"
"Then-then he might tell Cortland
that they She broke of the sen
tence with a moan.
YES" the man agreed simply. But
he continued after a moment. thought.
fully. there is n ~chance-just one
You might meet him tonight when be
comes. and try to dissuade him."
A sheer twisted her lips.
"Only money could do that!"
Andrews comment was instant:
"Then give it to him."
She answered hopelessly.
ut would take a great deal Of money
to get him to go away without theft
from a house like this. When l met
him first l didn't know the sort Of man
he was. learned afterward. They
talked about him in the reformatory
He has a good reputation-among Grim
inals.
Andrew drew a bill case from his
pocket.
II have here" he said, lust a little
less than $1,000. That should suffice -
The girl shrank back.
Il am afraid!' she whispered.
Think! the Master Mind command
ed, with a note Of sternness. Think
what depends upon it." His voice
dropped. "Lucene, if you do not fail
tonight your troubles will be over
She shook her head slowly in dreary
negatiOn.
NO." she answered forlornly, they
will never be over l have learned the
lesson at last. You We're wrong in
what you tried to teach me. l know
it now, when it is too late. | should
have followed my conscience" She
threw herself back and sat huddled in
utter detection. 1T would have been
BETTER" she murmured brokenly. al.
most inaudibly. "better for Cortland
and me, II We had never met again.
The Master Mind perceived that for
the time being her feeling had carried
her beyond his control. He waited pa.
tiently until the violence Of her grief
should have spent itself. Then after
a time he assailed her ruthlessly from
a new point of attack. The very diff.
Guilty Of his task provoked him to
harsher endeavor. unweakened by sym.
patty.
"Lucene," he said earnestly. If II
were to become necessary in order tt
save your husband from public dis
grace you would be willing to do some
thing otherwise wholly repulsive t.
your every instinct, would you notT'
The girl opened her eyes and looked
up at him with a new questioning OF
dread In her gaze. If there were M
other way to ave him from disgrace
you would even pretend to go away
with this fellow Creegan. wouldn'
your" There was a long pause. II
which she continued to stare at hin
with an ever increasing horror as /;
vague understanding of his meaning
crept into her consciousness. "Wouldn'1
you? I mean IL it should be absolutely
necessary in order to stop Creegan',
mouth. Why. with ten words to tn
newspaper reporters about you and th'
Blounts he could ruin your husband''
whole political career. Think. Lucene
Is your love strong enough to rise t.
that supreme height Of martyrdou
wherein you would not only sacrifice
yourself in silence, but SO blacken you
character that be would gladly let 20,
go? Is your love so strong, LuceneY'
There was no answer. The distract
ed girl remained covering under
crushing weight Of horror. And YET
despite the despair that famed in he
breast, some secret prompting stirre'
her toward acquiescence. That singh
word ''martyrdom" had set her spiri
fermenting for sacrifice. In the hear
Of her was the eternal yearning Of tn
woman to give where she loved. tn
maternal instinct Of total self abnega
ton for the sake Of the n beloved
. the willingness 70 Yield q"
to dare Ill, b i've {