The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-10-19

"Yes, Dead Broke. We've Conc as Ear
as We Can on tho Cash We've Goal"
prevented her from hearing a ring
at the front door bell on the floor be-
low and the opening and closing OF the
door.
Take tho chock!" she insisted.
And give mo back my certificates"
Halsey Brent was known in Wall
street a. . man who g ' lost his
head and who could not be staggered
by any sudden emergency.
"Tll gladly give you back the stock,
little GIRL" he said, pleasantly, as he
drew the Sheaf Of certificates from his
pocket "But-srst, you've got to earn
them"
Earn them" sho echoed, per-
picked.
yes. You must promise to make
me Gloriously happy by marrying me.
Just as 500 as we get rid Of Carter
for you Do that and the stock Is
yours for the asking"
He drew near to her as he spoke.
Before the horriaed girl could guess
his intent, he had caught her in nis
arms.
"Just ono kiss. to seal the PROMISE"
no begged, and"
let ne go! You brute. Let me
so!" cried Leila, struggling in vain to
free herself.
Not till I Set the kiss" laughed
Brent. Then L"
His clssped arms fell from about
her shrinking body and he reeled
~back-under the thud OF a smashing
blow IN the mouth.
Tom Carter. HIS tanned face distort-
cd with fury, had leaped into the room
and without a word had attacked hts
wi.e's inxulter.
Leila screamed at sight OF the rage.
possessed man. But before she could
intervene Carter and Brent were cloSe-
locked in q death grappie.
By q series OF savag.Iydealt short.
arm blows Tom at last drove his foe
before him toward the hallway door.
Brent strove In vain to hold his own
against the husbands terrific on.
slaught and to block or dodge the
blows that were showsred upon his
face and hedy.
But even in his extremity Brent's
willy brain was at work. He remem-
bercd that the steep fight of stairs
from the front hall endsd almost ct
the living room door.
So, even as he waged the UNEQUAL
battle against the stronger man, Brent
contrived to back directly toward the
door and thence out into the upper
hall close pressed BY the victorious
Tom.
Once On the landing Brent changed
his tactics. Wheeling he so maneu-
vered as to bring Toms back to tho
stairway Just behind him. Then,
gathering oil his failing powers, he
ceased to retreat and charged his an
tagcnist. A single backward step
would now bring Toms lest over the
edge of the fight.
Leila, keeping as cioss to them as
the Keeling bodies and Sailing arms
would permit, saw her husbands sud-
den peril.
Toni she shrieked. Swinging TO
his side. Look out! The stairs are
just behind you"
Carter heard. Instinctively, on the
very edge OF the stairt0p, he side
stepped, eluding Brent's YusA.
But Leila was not so fortunate. Be-
fore she could spring aside the full
force Of Brent's forwerd-hung body
struck her.
Lifted clean OF hS fsst by the I'm
pact she was hurled backward.
Down the stssp stairs rolled TIE
helpless white Azure. striking heavfly
aHainst tho n~swsleost at the bottom
of the Eight, and thea iyixg strangely
still IN a huSf1sd heap en- the polished
nscf Of the hallway.
"she-ehe r. stusnssts MrssQsed
brent, incoaercntiy.
But Tom Carter know sSttsF. 70
haA looked on death before now.
Rasel.ng beside the pftffdiiy inert
form and gazing down into tha me-
less lace. he groaned in duh korros;
mo. She n dead"
-Hv 49, - n-~-