The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1916-03-02

missed it with a shrug.
I mo chance, grille" he assured
her, It'll be the last lap O. the race
an I'm way in the lead They can't
catch me-" There was a grave as
surance in his voice that thrilled her
pride in spite of herself, but even
that couldn't quite kill the fear. She
made one last appeal, her soul in
her haggard eyes.
Tug" she said TREMENDOUSLY, 81
want you to stay-straight. I don't
want you to do it, even if it is safe.
I'd rather starve than"
A high thin wall interrupted her.
She stopped, her face whitening. 81
forgot the kid" she muttered in a
broken voice. Tugs face grew grim
mer, more determined, and somehow,
though he was planning to commit a
crime, sweeter. The girl suddenly
broke into fierce wild weeping, and
crept into his arms. "My God. what
world!" she stormed, What a
world!" Again the cry came, and
slipping out Of his arms, she ran to
the crib, and with bitter heart, but
tender voice and eyes, crooned over
the rosy baby who smiled brightly up
at the sight of her.
Poor little mite" she said pity
ingly, IF you just knew you wouldn't
smile. If you only knew!" 1t was
obvious that the baby at least had
not suffered so far. But Evelyn
shuddered when she thought how
soon the milk bottle would be empty.
Empty without chance of refilling.
There were unutterable deeps in
the eyes Tug bent upon mother and
child as he went out, vainly trying
to clear the lump out of his tn .oat.
Down on the street once more, he
turned and made his way to Kelly's
saloon, where he sat down at table
in the corner. He ordered beer.
His credit was good for that much
anyway. While it was coming he
gazed morosely at nothing, his mind
busy, planning, considering, behind
his expressionless face. He was sub
consciously aware Of the old man in
the obviously new store clothes who
came in at the door, and shuffling up
to the bar, smiled around with a SEN
lie attempt at youthful geniality, but
paid no attention to MIN until a
Whitney voice insisted in tone meant
to be pleasant:
Come on boys, the drinks are on
me. just inherited a bunch O. kale,
an l amt had any fer so darn long
that I'm out to paint the town, an
want We all ia help me-" Then, as no
one moved, "Ye amt goin' ia turn
down an old man are ye? Come on,
step up and have one." The crowd
made move, and in a moment Tug
found the old man addressing him
with watery smile of invitation.
He looked up irritablv. annoyed that
his revery had been disturbed. Then
his heart took sudden astounding
flop. In his hand the old man held
an enormous roll Of bills. Tug did
not notice that he held them so they
were concealed from the rest Of the
crowd. For a moment the start he
gave almost betrayed the undue in
terest he took, then he composed him
self. "Old fool!" he thought to him
self, but he grinned with an assump-
tion of good nature.
Much obliged ia you, believe l
will wet my throat" he said care
lessly, and stepped to the bar. Shades
of Croesus! Here was milk for the
kid, food for Evelyn. Surely provi-
dence had played right into his
hands! He had been thinking so
hard, trying to find way, and here
was fortune right under his hand.
He wouldn't take all of it he told
himself. Only just enough to tide
him over until he could get some
thing to do. The old man would
never miss little from such a wad.
Evelyn and the kid might as we'll
have it as old Kelly. He turned af-
ter swallowing his drink, and appar-
emily without looking at the strange
creature, stepped out of the door. He
waited at the corner, and when the
old man shuffled out of the dooretao
old man shuffied out again, he follow
him.
Again fate seemed to play right
into his hands. The old man, instead
of heading up town, turned down the
darkest street in the neighborhood
1t was very early in the evening, but
there was a fine drizzling rain fall
ing, and the streets were nearly de-
serted. No one saw him slip after
the STOPPING figure. Noiseless as a
creeping panther he slid along, his
hand in his pocket, clutching a gun,
which was, to tell the truth, empty.
Hands up!' he suddenly command
ed, stepping in front of the man, who
had stopped uncertainty in front of
a peculiarly dark doorway, and
seemed afraid to go any further.
At the sudden command the old
man seemed to shrink into himself,
and his hands unclasped in front OF
him. Hands up" ordered Tug
again. The ancient figure stepped
awkwardly toward him, and the
hands started waveringly upward
almost in his face. Then. when il