Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1916-10-05

come Dy tue ueilt uuu passion CQaI
hung heavy in the night air Sylvia
Arnaud clapped her hands like child
The noise of the dancing and music
| reached the lighted room that faced
| out on the avenue. At his place by the
| window Stephen Lowe seemed plunged
in his own thoughts. and the man in
evening dress who stood with his
clenched hand on the table stamped
impatiently.
Are you listening. Mr.. Lower"
Yes, yes. am listening. | heard
everything you said. Sewer was cash
tered. | am not surprised. His profess
sion was his tragedy. He would have
made an admirable company promoter.
but the task of being an honest gen
tleman was too much for him. You say
he has committed suicide. Have you
come all this way to tell me of poor
Sewers more or less providential es-
cape. Mr. Preston?'
swered steadily.
You were his friend"
A faint ironical smile crept over
loves suffering features
II was Sewers partner" he said
quietly. You were Farquhar's friend
You chose to act with us against him
of your own free will There was
compact, an understanding. The whole
scene that night was farce. little
play-acting with you as an unconscious
actor. Farquhar interviewed. He blum
dered recklessly, but he spoiled our
plans.''
You scoundrel!'
Eyes, | am a scoundrel," Lowe said
simply; but do not trouble to murder
me. That would get you into Difficult
ties. and it is not necessary" He
touched himself lightly on the chest.
II have something here which will fin
ish me off in month or two-less
pleasantly than you would do. That
is why | care not at all how much or
how little you know. The partnership
is ended-and am going out of BUSH
ness" He laughed sardonically and
turned back to the window. The crowd
beneath had broken up and fallen back
on either side beneath the trees of the
avenue. and from the distance there
sounded dull rhythmic beat and the
ominous rattle of drums. The Legion
has returned" Lowe said quietly. do
you want to see the saddest sight on
earth, Mr.. Preston?"
The young man drew nearer. re-
luctant yet fascinated. His hands were
no longer clenched. He was looking at
the gaunt figure leaning negligently
against the window edge ass at some
thing monstrous. Incredible.
Have you no conscience-no re-
morse? ?" he said
'Oh, yes, Mr.. Preston, a great DEAL"
Then pity my remorse. For Gods
sake-if you know-tell me why Far
quhar did that thing-help me to I'M
derstand"
The boyish passionate pleading
caused Lowe to turn moment. He
smiled. and that faint gimmer of half
compassionate understanding was
light falling deep into turgid stream
revealing many sunken. forgotten
things.
"Farquhar sacrificed himself" he
said. "He resigned because Sewer
wished it. That seems incredible. But
Sewer held the reins There was an
old tragedy which he used for his own
ends-the tragedy of his fathers death
and of Captain Farquhars disappear
ance."
The roll of drums was close at hand,
and woman's note of laughter fut
tered up birdlike from the somber- flow
ing tide of sound.
Lowe turned back to the window.
went on. "He was a Jew from God
knows where, and he lost his sense Of
patriotism. He did not understand
this red-hot love Of ones birthplace.
He did not understand the reckless
temperament of the man with whom
he was dealing. Are you beginning to
understand, Mr.. Preston?"
Eyes, l am beginning to under
stand" Preston said DULY. And then?"
"Then history repeated itself-not
in incident, but in character. Robert
| Sewer tried to be the honorable gen.
tleman he tried even. strange as it
may seem, to gain Farquhar's friend
ship. He failed, and then-you re-
member that scene at the card ia bes?
That decided him. Blood and instinct
were too strong. He turned and used
his power"
Lowe stepped out on to the balcony,
and bent forward with his elbows on
the rail, watching the dense company
of chausseurs force their way through
the restless crowd. The clash of the
band was already fainter The chas-
seurs rode now in silence. and once
more the dull monotonous tread pre-