Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-09-12

II don't KNOW only know that il
wasn't you. But tell me: did he die?"
mo-
what have you done with him2"
''Do you know the old abandoned
WRESTLER mine at Little Butter"
II knew 1t before IL was abandoned,
yes"
81 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 1 went In and stumblea
around for a while In the dark tun-
nels. took Jibbey there and locked
him up. He's there now"
"Alone in that horrible place-and
without foodT
alone, yes; but went out yester-
day and put basket of food where he
could get it."
What are you going to do with
him?"
Il am going to leave him there until
after | have put Stanton and Kinzie
and the other buccaneers safely out of
business. When that is done. he can
go; and I'll go, too"
She had risen, and at the summing
up she turned from him and went aside
10 the one window to stand for a long
minute gazing down into the electric
lighted street. When she came back
her lips We're pressed together and she
was very pale.
"When | was in school, our old
psychology professor used TO try TO tell
us about the underman; the brute that
lies dormant inside of us and is kert
down only by reason and the super
man. never believed it was anything
more than a fine-spun theory-until
now. But now l know it is true"
He spread his hands.
II can't help 1t, can II"
THE man that you are now can't
could be--if he would only come
back" she stopped with a little I'M
controllable shudder and sat down
again, covering her face with her
hands
Pm going to turn Jibbey loose
after I'm through" he vouchsafed.
She took her hands away and blazed
up at him suddenly, with her face
aflame.
Eyes 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, 1 mean. Oh, can't
you see? It's the very depth of coward
ly infamy!"
He smiled sourly. "You think I'm
coward? THEY'VE been calling me
everything else but that in the past
few days
You are a coward!" she flashed
back. "You have proved it. 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 dol" e.
Was it the quintessence of feminine
subtlety, or only honest rage and in
dignation, that told her how to aim
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 glooming
down at her
'You think I did 1t for myself
just to save my own worthless hide?
I'll show you; show you all the things
that you say are now impossible. Did
you bring the gray roadster?'
She nodded briefly.
"Your father is coming back; hear
the elevator bell. I am going to take
the car, and l don't want to meet him.
viii you say what is needful?"
She nodded again, and he went out
quickly. 1t was only few steps down
the corridor to the elevator landing,
and the stair circled the Gagged elevator
shaft to the ground floor. Smith halt
ed in the darkened corner of the stair
way long enough to make sure that
the colonel, with Stillings and a wom-
an In an automobile coat and veil-a
woman who figured for him in the
passing glance as Corona's mother
got off at the Office floor Then he
ran down to the street level, cranked
the gray roadster and sprang In to
send the car rocketing westward.