Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-27

III had to beat hina over the mead 70
make him keep quiet; thought for
the moment that 1 had killed him, and
l knew, then, Just how far 1 had gone
on the road I've been travelling ever
since a certain night in the middle Of
last May. The proof was In the way
l felt; wasn't either sorry or horror
stricken; was merely relieved to
think that he wouldn't trouble me, or
clutter up the world with his worth
less presence any longer"
"Dut that wasn't your real self !"
she expostulated.
"What was 1t, them"
II don't know-I only know that 1t
wasn't you. But tell me: did he die2"
"No."
"What have you done with himT'
"Do you know the old abandoned
Wire-Silver mine at Little Butter"
81 knew it before 1t was abandoned,
yes"
"I was out there one Sunday after
noon with Starbuck. The mine is bulk
headed and locked, but one Of the keys
on my ring fitted the lock, and Star
buck and / went in and stumbled
around for q while in the dark tun-
nels. ]. took Jibbey there and locked
him up. He's there now."
"Alone in that horrible place-and
without food2"
"Alone, yes; but went out yester-
day and put basket Of food where he
could get It."
"What are you going to do with
hlmT
81 am going to leave him there until
after l have put Stanton and Kinzie
and the other buccaneers safely out Of
business. When that is done, he can
go; and I'll 60, too"
She had risen, and at the summing
up she turned from him and went aside
to the one window to stand for a long
minute gazing down into the electric
lighted street. When she came back
her lips were pressed together and she
was very pale.
"When I was in school, our old
|
us about the underman; the brute that
lies dormant inside OF us and is kept
down only by reason and the super
man. 1 never believed it was anything
more than q flne-spun theory-until
now. But now l know it is true"
lie spread his hands.
81 can't help it, can II"
"The man that you are now can't
help it; no. But the man that you
could be-if he would only come
back" she stopped with little un-
controllable shudder and sat down
again, covering her face with her
hands.
I'm going to turn Jibbey loose
after Tn through" he vouchsafed.
She took her hands away and blazed
up at him suddenly, with her face
aflame.
"Yes after you are safe; after there
is no longer any risk in 1t for you
That is worse than If you had killed
him--worse for you, mean. Oh, can't
you see? It's the very depth Of coward
ly infamy!"
He smiled sourly. "You think I'm
a coward? They've been calling Inc
everything else but that In the past
few days."
"You are q coward" she flashed
back. "YOu have proved 1t. You
daren't go out to Little Butte tonight
and get that man and bring him to
Brewster while there is yet time for
him to do whatever it is that you are
afraid he will dop
Was it the quintessence Of feminine
subtlety, or only honest rage and in
dignation, that told her how to ain
the armor-piercing arrow? God, who
alone knows the secret workings OF
the woman heart and brain, can tell
But the arrow sped true and found Its
mark. Smith got up stiffly out of the
big swing chair and stood gloominl
down at her.
"You think I did 1t for myself
just to save my own worthless hide