River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-02-24

steadied and grew stronger, but ever
leaped and danced, 80 that he, lost in
wonder Of 1t and forgetful OF himself,
thought OF 1t as the ardent face Of a
happy child dancing in the depths Of
some brown autumnal woodland.
YOU" she breathed incredulously-
you mean you're going to stop"
Il have stopped, Miss Shannon. The
Lone Wolf has prowled for the last
time. l didn't know 1t till just now
when | woke up an hour or SO ago
but I've turned my last job"
But why?" she demanded in bewil-
derment. But why do you say that!
What can have happened to make
you
IF it won't bore you, I'll try to ex-
plain" He drew up his chair and sat
down again, facing her across the lit
tered table. II don't suppose you've
ever stopped to consider what an es-
sentially stupid animal crook must
be. Most Of them are stupid because
they practice clumsily one Of the most
difficult professions imaginable, and in
evitably fail at it, yet persist.
There's another class, men whose
imaginations forewarn them Of dan
gers and whose E2ental training, tech
nical equipment, and sheer manual
dexterity enable them TO attack a
formidable proposition like q modern
safely way Of illustration-and force
it's secret. They're the successful
criminals, like myself-but they're no
less stupid, no less failures than the
other ninety-nine in our every hun
dred, because they never stop to think.
1t never occurs to them that the same
intelligence, applied to any one of the
trades they must be masters of, would
not only pay them better, but leave
them their self-respect and rid them
forever Of the haunting dread of arrest
that dogs us all like the memory Of
some shameful act. All of which is
to infiict upon you. Miss Shannon, and
sums up to just this: I've stopped to
think"
With this he stopped for breath as
we'll and momentarily was silent, his
faint, twisted smile testifying to self
consciousness; but presently, seeing
that she didn't offer to interrupt, but
continued to give him her attention
so exclusively that 1t had the effect
of fascination, he stumbled on, at first
less confidently.
when woke up just now it was as
If, without my will, l had been think
ing all this out in my sleep. saw
myself for the first time clearly, as
have been ever since can remember
"a crook, thoughtless, vain, rapacious.
ruthless, skulking in shadows and
thinking myself an amazingly fine fell
low because, between coups, l would
play the gentleman bit, venture into
the light, and swagger in the haunts Of
the respectable. In my poor, perverted
brain l believed there was something
fine and thrilling and romantic in the
career of a great criminal and myself
a wonderful fgure-an enemy of So
ciety-potentially as deadly as rattle
snake, always ready to kill-if never
did!"
why do you say this to me?" she
demanded abruptly out of phase of
profound thoughtfulness.
He lifted an apologize shoulder and
laughed with sheepish air.
Because, presume, I'm no longer
oI3 e1TH lott T q nq ".
four hours ago, but now I'm as lone
some as a lost child In dark forest.
haven't friend In the world. I'm
like a stray pup, groveling for SYM
pathy. And yOu-are unfortunate
enough to be the only person can de-
fight know that too well-and with
out something outside myself to strug-
gle toward I'll be heavily handicapped.
But if"-he falteHHed, with a look of
wistful earnestnessA~"tf thought that
you, perhaps, were little interested,
that had won your faith and had that
to respect and cherfsh-if dared hope
that you'd be glad to know had won
out against odds-it would mean a
great deal to me; it might mean my
salvstion!"
Watching her narrowly, hanging up
on her decision with the anxiety Of a
man prescribed and hoping against
hope for pardon, he saw her eyes cloud
and shift from his, her lips parted but
hesitant, and before she could speak
he hastily interposed:
please don't say anything yet. First
let me demonstrate my sincerity. So
far I've done nothing to persuade you
but-talk and talk and talk! But give
me half chance to prove / mean
what say"
"How"-she enunciated only with
visible effort and no longer met his ap-
peal with an open couutenance-"how
can you do that?"
I'm the long run, by establishing my
self In some honest way of life, how
ever modask; but now, and principally,
by taking reparation for at least one
crime I've committed that's not ir-