The Washington herald., 1916-07-30

the hall table. Knowing she had
forgotten it. he had sat up to open
the front door for her. Now, hearing
the motor stop, he looked out OF an
upper window. To his amaze. he saw
his sister coming toward the house
with the last man in the world with
whom he would have expected to see
her. He ran downstairs to the front
door to let Mabel in. ~
Meantime, she and Henry had paused
at the top of the front steps, while
the girl groped in her handbag FOR
the forgotten latchkey. She looked
wondrous pretty and alluring as she
stood there in the glory of the moon
light.
Henry Rokeson, scarce knowing
what he did. threw his arms about
her. She wrenched herself free. with
an exclamation of alarm just as Tom
opened the door. Henry, blind to all
except his love for her. cried out:
Sweetheart, l love you! l want
you to marry me-"
He caught her again in his arms.
AS he did SO he felt himself whirled
backward and away from her with
force that sent him banging against
u post of the veranda.
In front of him stood Tom Morris
sey. white and coldly resolute.
NcVp yOuI DdHuS Oll my S'SNSA'
commanded Tom, very quietly. we
do not want men of oyur sort around
our home. Please 60"
CO." beloved Henry, insane rage
gripping him at this interruption to
his love-making. and at the humilia-
ton to which he had just been sub
jected in the presence of the fright
ened girl Go. Ell? l go or stay as
please. You've seen how l treat
mn rra1 Tnly mi nv IL
He mistook Toms calm self-control
for cowardice. and enforced his angry
retort by a smashing blow at Morris
seys face.
But Tom, sidestepping the blow,
landed a short-arm left handler be-
tween his assailant's eyes.
He struck too high to score a
knockout. But he broke the bridge
Of Henry's nose and sent him reeling
backward under the trained muscular
drive of his fist.
step. He fell sprawling into the
brambly heart of the very rose bush
under which poor little Hutch lay
buried.
This served to break the violence
of his fall-though without easing its
pain-and he merely landed on his
back. with all the breath and all the
hght Knocked out OF HIM
Painfully Henry Rokeson crawled to
his feet. holding two very badly
scra tched hands over his broken nose.
His face. as we'll as his hands and
portions of his clothing. had suffered
badly from the unloving embrace Of
the rose bush. and his eyes had be-
gun to swell. He was not good to
look upon.
In his heart blazed a murderously
undying hatred for his conQueror
Glaring up at Tom. from between his
putting and blackened lids. Henry
gasped incoherently:
I'll get you for that! I'll get you.
If it takes my last breath and my
fathers last dollar and last scrap of
influence. I'll get you"
Tom took a step forward. Henry's
rage suddenly became tempered by
prudence. He fled. without another
word. without so much as a backward
look.
Mabel had disappeared into the
house. Tom mechanically began to
straighten the crushed branches of
the rose bush His eyes fell on the
pathetic. little new-made mound
among its roots.
Hutch old friend" he whispered.
'if you saw that blow struck. you
know now that you didn't die quite
unavenged. But but he'll keep his
word, Hutch He'll get me. unless
I'm careful. Life isn't very easy for
some of us. after all. is it, Hutch?"
Henry Rokeson-disheveled lis face
distorted with swelling and with fury
stamped into his fathers study.
three minutes later
Look at me-" he gurgled, choking
ly Look at me, That Morrissey
swine did this He"
His father broke into amazed ques-
tioning. But Henry cut him short.
you've been wanting me to accept
| that chance to go to Vienna. as at
tache to the United States embassy
there. I didn't want to go, in spite
of your saying it meant a big career
for me. I don't want to, even yet.
! But I'll make a bargain with you:
I'll go to Vienna. without any further
| kick. If you will find a way. first. to
send Morrissey to Jail. Get him a
prison sentence for what he's done to
me. and I'll start for Vienna the day
after he's sentenced"
I "I'll do it," said the elder Rokeson
eagerly. II ought to have pull enough
in this town to get pretty much what
I want. Did he attack you on the
street or in"
"On his own doorstep" was the
first"
Good Lord Were there wit
nesses?'
! There was-a witness" muttered
Henry, a vision OF Mabers fear-strick-
! en- face rising before him.
And you want me to get him Jailed
for that" stormed his father in dis
gust why. man, you'll be lucky If
he doesn't swear out warrant
against you"
He won't" said Henry briefly. and
/ if I am going to Vienna, he must
be sent to Jail before I 60"
! IT'S a big order reflected his
father. We must take time to think
up some way. I see none, yet"
| The very next Afternoon both the
Rokesons saw the way"
| Tom. coming home from work, found
six of the Rokeson chickens busily de-
| spelling his mothers flower garden.
| He chased them across the yard.
| Five of them flew over the back fence,
and seemed inclined to jump back into
the Morrissey yard.
| Tom, in evaporation, picked up a
stone and flung it at the bird. to hasten
| its departure. The stone missed its
mark and whizzed over into the Roke-
son grounds.
By luckless fate, Henry Rokeson and
his father chanced to be strolling, side
by side, toward the kennels The ran