Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-04-20

/ back detantly, challengingly, he knew
! she knew he was there.
AS if without will Of his own, but
drawn irresistibly by her gaze, he
stepped out from hiding.
And since he was no more the Lone
| Wolf, but now a simple man in agony,
with no consideration for their situa-
| ton, with no sought for the fact that
| they were both housebreakers and that
| the slightest sound might raise a hue
and cry upon them, he took faltering
step toward her, stopped, flung forth a
| hand with gesture of appeal, and
| stammered:
''Lucy-you-'
| His voice broke. He waited.
She didn't answer other than to re-
coil as though he had offered to strike
| her, and she commenced to retreat.
wearing look of utter grief and
| stopped her, and she leaned back
against it, as if glad of the support.
"Oh!" she cried, trembling why
why did you do it?"
He might have answered her in
kind, but self-justifcation passed his
power. He couldn't say: Because to-
night you made me lose faith in life
itself, and l thought to forget you by
| going to the devil the quickest way l
knew-this y!"-though that was
true. He couldn't say: Because, a
thief from boyhood, habit proved too
strong for me, and l couldn't withstand
temptation! for that was untrue.
He could only hang his head and
wretch 8dly confess: Il don't know"
AS if he hadn't spoken, as if she
! hadn't heard, she cried again. why
oh, why-did you do it? I was so proud
| Of you, so sure of you-the man who
had turned straight because of me!
| It compensated. But now"
| Her voice broke in a short, dry sob.
Compensated? he repeated stupid
ly.
yes, compensated" She threw
back her head with a gesture of impa-
tience. For this-don't you under
stand?-for this that I'm doing! You
don't suppose I've come here of my
own accord THAT l went back to Ban
non for any reason but to try to save
you from him? I knew something of
his power, and you didn't; l knew, if |
went away with you he'd never rest
until he nd you murdered, if he had
to follow you round the world to do it!
And I thought if l could mislead him
by lies for a little time-long enough
to give you opportunity to leave
| France thought -perhaps-if could
overcome my terror of him might
be able to communicate with the po-
lice, denounce him"
She hesitated, breathless and ap-
pealing.
At her first words he had drawn
close to her; and all their speech was
couched in muted murmurings, barely
more than Whisperings. And this was
quite instructive for in the passion of
that meeting both had been carried be-
yond considerations of prudence, their
most coherent thought being that now,
once and for all time, all misunder-
standing between them must be done
away with.
And now, as naturally as though
they had been lovers always, Lanya I'd
possessed himself of her hand.
you cared as much as that" ne
said
Il love you," she declared tensely-
Il love you so much I am ready to sac
rifce everything for you-life, liberty,
! honor"
Hush, dearest, hush" he begged,
half distracted between joy and pain.
Il mean it; if honor could hold me
back, do you think l would have bro
ken in here tonight to rob for Ban
non?"
"He sent you, eh?" Lanyard COM
mented in a dangerous voice.
He was too cunning for me. l vas
afraid to tell you. | meant to tell-to
warn you this evening in the cab. And
then | thought perhaps if l were cold
and distant and let you go on believing
me the worst of wOmen-perhaps you
would go away, save yourself, forget
me-"
"Never!"
L tried to carry out my program OF
lying to him, but he wouldn't have it.
They forced the truth from me by
| threats
They wouldn't dare"
They care anything, l tell you. But
1t wasn't threats of personal injury to
me, but to you, If | refused to tell them
the TRUTH the whole truth. They knew
enough of what had happened,
| through their spies, to go on, and they
| tormented and bulIied me until l broke
down and told them everything. And
when they learned you had replaced
| the jewels here. Damon told me | must
return and bring them to him. He said
if l refused he'd have you killed be-
| fore morning. | held out until to-
night; then, just as | was going to bed,
he received telephone message, and
told me you were driving a taxi and
were being followed by Apaches and
wouldn't live till daylight if l refused"
you came alone?"
mo. Three men brought me to the
gate. They're waiting outside III the
park"
'Apaches?"
1.-TWO of them-I presume they're
| Apaches, at least. The third is Cap
| tain Ekstrom"
'Ekstrom!" Lanyard cried in de-