The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-03-22
CHAPTER XVI.
The Sentence.

In the anteroom the doorkeeper
waved Hardy to a door on the right.
It led him into a stenographers' room.
He saw the flounce Of a woman's skirt
behind a revolving bookcase near the
far end of the room, and paused.
Someone stepped into the room after
him, and touched him authorltatively
on the shoulder.
zone moment, Captain Hardy
your sentence"
He turned and faced the presidents
aide with the clear, unflinching gaze
Of a brave man about to be shot. The
aide saluted with punctillous formal
lty. Hardy responded with equal for
mality. The aide presented an official
document, saluted, and withdrew from
the room.
For q long moment Hardy stood with
the decree Of his fate slowly crumpling
in his hand. His eyes were fixed on
vacancy. Doubtless he was seeing the
years of soldierly comradeship and
duty that now lay in the past and the
vision of the career to which he was
to have given the utmost Of his pow
ers. He had always loved his profess
sion-and now
The woman whose skirt he had seen
was In front Of him before he became
aware of her presence. He found him
self looking into the cool, half-mocking
face of Marie.
"Are you afraid to read your SEN
%tence?" she tainted. Had it not been
for you, he would have had the mine
and a million from his contract and
me. The president conferred with Sen
ator Clemmer m hour ago. The treaty
appropriation bill will be passed with
a clause that no commission Is to be
paid for the services of any tribal
agent or representative. He has lost
everything. And now-I am waiting
to see you read that paper"
Hardy drew himself up, opened the
envelope, took out the document and
read.
AS Marie saw the look Of blank In
credulity that came into his face, her
eyes flashed under the lowering veil Of
their long lashes. He stared up at her,
but was too dazed to perceive the
change in her expression.
Acquitted honorably - on all
charges!" he murmured. "On all
charges! Honorable mention eco
neutrality-suspicious. President"
Marie smiled with cool condescen-
sion.
Merely a question of doing justice
to you, Captain Hardy. When a maj
has done his duty, however harshly,
1t Is the duty of others to see that he
receives just compensation. l take
credit for having helped to bring this
about"
"You?" he exclaimed. "Of course,
though, if you really did not love
him"
"That does not follow. You must
know l did love him. But to find that
l had for rival another breed girl
one not half so beautiful as IL could
not endure the thought. You have
seen the proof that there is q good deal
Of my mothers red grandfather in my
blood. No, / had to give him up, and
l have decided to marry another man.
UAnothar ~ aphon1 Hardy
"Will you not congratulate me2"
she asked.
He rallied. 81 congratulate him.
After what has happened, / feel conf
dent that you must have chosen some
one more worthy of YOU"
"He isl" declared the girl, her glo-
rious eyes melting with tenderness.
"He is far more worthy Of me than l
am of him."
With an effort she recovered her cool
composure.
"But now, before going, I wish to
take this opportunity to discharge in
a way the obligation that, as a member
VI lilc tliDc, L oWS w you WI you'
services. / shall therefore return the
mine to you"
She held out a document. He
stepped back.
mo, Miss Dupont" he said. II can
not accept it."
"You must. l took 1t from you.
Though / have used the income from
1t not altogether for personal gratif-
cation, you must realize that my pride
will not permit me to keep 1t any
longer. Let me add that 1t has not
plnched out, as you may have inferred
from what l said at the ball. 1t is a
bonanza"
81 regret that l cannot accept It," he
replied. "A captains pay is quite suf-
fclent for a-bachelor."
Marie gave him a hooking glance.
REALLY now, Captain Hardy, you do
not expect me to believe you will long
remain unmarried?
He tried his best to conceal how her
~frivolity tortured him. "You may not
believe it, Miss Dupont. Yet 1t is
true"
ut is not" she contradicted. "When
we were abroad, Pere and l went to
Monte Carlo. / fancy the gambling
spirit infected me. Let us settle the
ownership of the mine with q wager.
If you do not marry this year, ! agree
to keep 1t. But If you marry within
that time, you will accept 1t back from
me on your wedding day."