The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-04-02

That isn't all ] thank you. bran0
esr your solicitious care for me" Hs
emphasized the word noticably. sBui
have been doing sons thinking Of ms
bwn In the lsat half hour and my rlana
Can't seem to 60 On 1t all whore yours
save on II might interest yoa To
know. before you 90, that am coins
10 stay right here and tell the truth
from FIRST 10 last---from the time you
came 10 Staten Island, until Mrs. Rey'
nolds received n letter from you the
ether day showing that you had vol
antartly squared a criminal transac'
zion for me at the bank"
Az he finished Bobs tist came down
on the little center table and almost
shattered II. There was the vigor and
determination that Brand had had TO
respect once before when he had
toossd his wilea on Il more sullible re-
ndpient. But new, in this crisis, no had
not even considered the chance OF op-
position to his Will First astonishsd.
then thoughtt~l his fortd features
DOW revealed their old cunning.
You play TIM game big. Reynolds. =
he said at lsst Either this 10 .
holdup right or you have gone clear
crazy"
All right Rave all you want to.
Brand. II can't DO any harm now,
NAl tUn
ways TO get oct OF II all One was
money and the other WAS to make a
clean breast OF II. Ono can't have all
be wants all tbs time. You had your
chance ten dayl ago and you threw Il
away gave FOu my terms and you
took advantage OF my helplcssness
and Ignored them You stayed away
and paid that pnltry $4,000 at the
bank, You thought you would fright
on my wife; that your maguanimity
In releasing US 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 ms For her sake ! WAS
almost inclined to lot matters drop.
but this terrible affair has changed II
all We have taken human life. and
LOT Vt It, and some one has got TO pay.
90 X anyone IL going 10 take the Lusi-
tAnia, you're the man who had better
hurry and pack his grip"
Brand stepped quickly to Reynolds.
4 tower OF indignant rage. Trapped
or cornered he was always Brand; al.
ways ready TO Imt his back 10 the wall
and fight in tho open II he couldn't
fight from ambush. Bearded and al
most beaten NEW. he QuEvered In his
wrath and shspk threatening est
straight In Reynolds face.
You're a bis, blasted baby and an
imbecile'" he cried. you play the
gutter now and III make you regret II
10 the last day OF your life. I'll night
and I'll win as always have. You
can't keep a man with money In Jail.
Those three words can't be grouped
In the same language Hut what's the
use OF talking" he added disgustedly,
You can't lay down now II you want
10. You haven't got tho nerve to send
that girl there to tho penitentiary for
six or eight ar ten years. to Gssna ont
q 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 will II do to won.
an. them TO your wite' For II we 70
she goes with US. I've told you that
and | mean Il, 40 guess my BLUFFS
about rs strons az yours"
He turned partly to Dick and. a. II
10 cnch 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
T."
Bob" cried lis wife. creeping to his
aide and cwidling against him A. II ahs
saw In brand some hybrid monster
whom she really feared. an 90. Any.
.A!rg ~" say. dear I'm not afraid
not afraid" Weeping softly. In obvi-
sus contradiction TO her courageous
ssand. she nestled closer to his side
We stand upon the brink OF n high
precipice and hooking down are OBJ
sessed with a strange desire TO Jump
The thought Of life has vanished In q
vale OF endless depths hold on Il
Ia innnttesinaL A bird dying over.
head, startled by the strange intruder
In his realms, tfops twig he In carry.
ing to his nest The tiny bit Of wood
nut,ers to the mountain top and at
the precise moment that we have all
but signed our passport to other worlds
the tvtg falls at our feet Tho sound
OF Il Is scarcely audible, but slight ~
II 10 We hear IL, turn. aud the spell OF
aclt.shsorptlon and abandon is broken.
We ioSe Nc time III climbing back to
terra Nrma
So Reynolds, possessed with the
idea a. sritSacriace~ self destruction.
II necessary anything 70 bring to JUS.
tce the man he blamed for all his
wrongs aad for the awful climax that
had just come. grow stronger In his
purpose more fascinated In the gur.
port 81 il. With avery wort that Brand
used to d!ssua 10 htm Even Brands
reiterated threat c0ucprning Jane had
lost ita power, but thu sound Of. her
voice came to him ltse the sound Of
the falling twig. l, restored net the
instinct OF selipreservation for self
alone. but the sense Of duty TO her,
He the one who had sworn to protec,