The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-06-23


nl:ng.
"As you know. had a debt TO pay
before ] could say; Come. little girl
lS's So and get married So | became
a stockholder in Cortwright's power
company. knowing perfectly we'll when
l consented that the hundred thousand
dollars worth OF stock he gave ne was
a bribe-the price OF my silence and
noninterference with his greedy
schemes"
but you didn't mean 10 keep Il;
you know you couldn't keep it," she
broke in: and now he did not need to
look to know that der lips were trem.
bling piteously.
II did keep it,"
She dropped quickly on the step be-
side him and a sympathetic hand crept
into his.
You kept IL until the unhappy day
when you gave IL TO my father. and he
and he threw IL away" She was
crying softly. but his attempt to com.
fort her was almost mechanical
Don't cry about the money. II had
the devils thumb-prints on Il. and he
merely claimed his own and got It."
Then he went on as one determined to
leave nothing untold. "Cortwright had
bought me. and | served him as only a
man in my position could serve him I
became promoter. booster. with
the others. There have been tines
when word from me would havo
pricked the bubble. haven't said the
word; am not saying II now. II
should say II I'd lose at single
stroke all that have been fighting for.
And l am not good loser, Amy"
For once the keen. apprehending per
ception failed.
Il don't understand" she said. speak.
Ing as II she were cropping In thick
darkness. II mean don't understand
the motive that could"
He turned to her in dumb astonish-
ment.
II thought hal been making Il
| plain as | went along. You wanted
something-you needed it-therefore
II must be purchased for you. And
the curious part OF the besetment Is
that have known all along that was
killing your love for me. II II wasn't
| quite dead before. II will die now--now
that have told you how am fiinging
the last vestiges OF uprightness and
honor TO the winds"
But how?" she queried. "You
haven't told me-"
with the dam completed before con.
gress could intervene. Mirapolis would.
OF course, be quite dead and ready for
it's funeral. But IL the Cortwright peo-
pie industriously insist that the spend.
ing OF another million or two OF gov.
ernment money Is only another plum
for the city and its merchants and in
dustries, that, Notwithstanding the re-
newed activities, the work will still
stop short OF completion and the city
will be saved by legislative enactment.
the innocent sheep may be made to
bleed again and the wolves will es-
cape"
She shuddered and drew a little
apart from him on the log step.
But your part I'm this horrible plot,
Victor?" she asked.
1T is as simple as II Ia despicable.
In the first place, am TO set the situ-
alton before the department in such a
light as to make It clearly a matter OF
public policy to take advantage of the
present Mirapolitan crisis by pushing
the work vigorously TO conclusion.
After thus turning on the spigot OF
-. 40 ~.
pay rolls and at the same time to hold
back on the actual progress OF the
work. That is all-except that am to
keep my mouth shut"
But you can't, you can't" she cried.
Then, in a passionate outburst: III
you should do such a thing as that. IL
wouldn't kill my loye-I can't say that
any more but 1t would kill me-I
shouldn't want to live!"
He looked around at her curiously.
as II he were holding her at arms
length.
Shall do what you would have me
do, Amy? Or shall / do what is best
for your" The opposing queries were
as impersonal as the arm's-length gaze.
The tears had burned out OF the
steadfast eyes which were resting.
with the shining soul looking out
through them, upon the crimsoning
snow peaks OF the distant Timanyonis.
How little you know the real Lowell"
she said slowly.
He got up stiffy and helped her 10
her feet and together they stood look
ing down upon the city OF the plain.
lying now under the curved, sunset
shadow cast by the mighty. intending
sweep OF the great dam.
Monsieur Poudrecaulx Bongras, TO
tund. smiling and reached and waved
20 a broad burlesque OF second-empire
ferceness. looked in vain among bis
dinner guests that evening for the
chief OF the reclamation service. and
Brouillard's absence held a small dis
appointment for the Frenchman. Ru.
NOR, the rumor which was never quiet
and which could never be traced con-
/ clusively 10 its source. was again busy
with exciting hints OF new era OF