The Huttig news., 1916-12-16

AS soon as he told me I would have come whether he wished it or not. You left me-all of us-stunneS. I had no time to thank you. Oh, do with all my soul. It was noble of you. Father is overcome He didn't expect so much And he'll be true. But, Duane, 1 was told to hurry, and here I'm selfshly using time"
 GO, then-and leave me. You mustn't unnerve me now, when there's q desperate game to finish
 "Need it be desperate?" she whisp- cred, coming close to him.
 Yes it can't be else"
 Her eyes were dark. strained, beau tiful, and they shed light upon Duane he had never seen before.
 "You're going to take some mad risk" she said. Let me persuade you not to. You said--you cared for me-and I-oh, Duane-don't you -know-E
 The low voice, deep. sweet as an old chord, faltered and broke and failed.
 Duane sustained a sudden shock and an instant of paralyzed confusion of thought.
 She moved, she swept out her hands anu the wonder oi ier eyes dimmed in flood of tears.
 My God! You can't care for me? he cried, hoarsely
 Then she met him, hands outstretch- ed.
 But 1 dol do.'
 Swift as light Duane caught her and held her to his breast. He stood hold ing her tight. with the feel of her warm, throbbing breast and the clasp of her arms and flesh and blood reali- ties to fight q terrible fear He felt her, and for the moment the might of it was stronger than all the demons that possessed him. And he held her as if she had been his soul, his strength on earth, his hope of heaven, against his lips
 The strife of doubt all passed. He found his sight again. And there rushed over him a tide of emotion un- utterably sweet and full, strong like an intoxicating wine, deep as his na- ture, something glorious and terrible as the blaze of the sun to one long in darkness. He had become an outcast i: a wanderer, gunman, victim Of circumstances he had lost and suf- fered worse than death in that loss :: he had gone down the endless, bloody trail, killer of men, a fugitive whose mind slowly and inevitably closed to all except the instinct to survive and black despair; and now, with this woman in his arms, her swelling breast against his, in this moment almost of resurrection, he bent under the storm of passion and joy possible only to him who had endured so much.
 Do you care-a little?" he whis- pered unsteadily.
 He bent over her, looking deep into i the dark, wet eyes.
 She uttered low laugh that was half sob, and her arms slipped up to his neck.
 Al Httit! oI, DuaHe-Dud0e- great deal !'
 Their lips met in their first kiss. The sweetness. the fire of her mouth seemed so new, so strange, so irresst- ible to Duane. His sore and hungry heart throbbed with thick and heavy beats. He felt ethe Outcasts need of love. And she gave up to the enthral- ling moment. She met him halfway, returned kiss for kiss, clasp for clasp, her face scarlet, her eyes closed, till her emotion overcame her and she fell back upon his shoulder
 Duane suddenly thought she was going to faint. He divined then that she had understood him, would have denied him nothing. not even .her life, in that moment. But she was over- come, and he suffered pang of regret at his unrestraint.
 Presently she recovered, and she drew only the closer, and leaned upon 1 him with her face upturned.
 He felt her hands on his, and they were soft, elinging. strong, like steel under velvet. He felt the rise and