The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-08-26
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I'LL iii MI
CHAPTER XvI.-(continued.)

mover lorBlVe me, SAID Adam SIoWi.
calculating. There's only n guilt
person In this case. and that is m
Let's be perfectly frank about 1t / al
the one who has made Horace suffer
not you, Eric. Can't o see what h
Will do to me? He will take 1t all out @
me. He will ruin me, destroy me.
won't say he can put me behind tn
bars, but he can make me the most de
npised creature in America"
You should have thought of all thi
before" said Mary sharply.
I have" quoth Adam, with a frown
Il he meant to say more, he wa
checked by a sharp. eager exclamation
from Eric.
by George! Listen to mel" His fac,
was bright with q new resolve. HI
leaned forward eagerly, his voice drop
ping to a tense, insistent half whisper
7 know how / can protect you. Mr.
Adam. It's as simple as A B c. You
AVE stood by me; I'd be a dog to drag
you down with me. Here's what I can
and will do. / will not mention your
name in connection with the affair. ]
Will not call on you as a witness. I'll
leave you out of 1t altogether, and take
the whole blame on myself. That will
Let you off clean as a whistle. There's
NO reason why you should be punished
Tor
Hold on. Eric" cried Adam. rising
slowly from the chair to look the i'm
FASHIONED young man squarely in the
eye. With an effort OF the will, he
managed to conceal the feeling of pride,
OF joy that Eric's words produced.
sort of a plan. First, leaving me out of
II how are you going to acount for the
disposal of the body?"
A slight shudder ran over Eric's
frame.
"oh, I a say that I weighed it with
frnn on1 OrynI a,,$ "
You haven't told a lie in connection
with the affair up to date, have your"
hsked Adam leyelly.
Why, no-I haven't even mentioned
Don't you think it's rather poor
policy to begin now?"
We'll, it's the only way / can think
OF to keep your name out of It."
Adam had been thinking hard all
tnlS time. His active, resourceful brain
mad been cropping for the means with
which to SUCCESSFULLY combat this rather
primitive, quixotic n Of honesty
That afflicted Eric. To gain time: that
9ect OF his visit to the little Werner cot
tage was forgotten In the face Of this
arnazing revolt. Strategy-ay, more
than that would be required in the
hardIi-- OF the conscience stricken
man; harsh. unfeeling measures would
- NSSSSSdA y. ANOI WAS ZIG Ll1DklIG Only
e his " safety, although, somehow,
q was becoming paramount. He loved
Hr1c, In q strange, bear like fashions:
peculiarly his own. He was a far
sighted man; he foresaw dark trials for
me boy II his present purpose was car
saed gut. II was quite impossible for
nim TO realize that he, too. had been
mort sighted. He had played a deep,
Ugly game without counting on the
certainty of this very hour. Time to
curse his stupidity and to reckon the
cost. not only to Eric but to himself.
aBut suppose / don't choose to be
!e1t out OF It, what then? n he demanded
don't have to imp1icate you went
q Eric earnestly. You can appear to
pc uch surprised as anyone when the
truth comes out"
lust go on being a detective.
enY' retorted Adam with grim humour.
Snaslhg 2 dead man for six years, Ell?
DO Q think I have no pride? pom my
word, I'd rather be called q scoundrel
than q fool
Eric began to argue his point. but the
older man cut him off short with the
curt reminder that he was old enough
20 look ou for himself.
See here. Eric" he continued ignor-
ing the hurt look in his young friends
yes, we'll get right down to cases. If
you go to Horace Blagden with voiIr
tale. I shall have to tell the world what
I k1ow q the affair. Do you realize
Wnat that may mean ~
You saw the fight" cried Eric. ..You
IN accident"
u can do nothing OF the kind said
Aaam coldly. He had thought OF q way.
ether. eieo tne
lust this. ! did not see the light. 1