Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-05-03
DAMS PREPARATION
By SUSAN cLAeETT.

you. but to have him something nearer
than a friend is not to be thought Of.
You must give up that foolish idea
'Idea," scoffed Dams sister. II love
Larry OConnor. Dam / am thirty
years old aud he Is the first man
have ever cared for save yourself.
Knowing this, do you think that will
give him upav
you are old enough not TO let your
heart get the better Of your judgment,
your common sense. / have known
O'Connor for six years. know him
as one man comes to know another up
here in the mines. He is a true friend.
He win divide his last penny with an
enemy II that enemy is hungry, but be
can no more keep out of game OF
chance than you can keep from breath
ing. He left here Christmas night and
went directly to McDougan's. He broke
the bank, At daybreak he took his
team and started for Fort Glbbon.
heard today he made a cleanup there"
Il must think II out, Dam" Ellen an
swered slowly.
II had turned bitterly cold, the cold
that freezes checks and extremltles I'M
awares. Fortunately there was no
wind, but In crossing the flats Larry
O'Connor Ind to pause several times 10
thaw the ice from the feet OF his dor
team. Each time he stopped there
came whimper from the bundle Oh
the sled, and az longer pause voice
said irrTltably:
MY heart Is freezing, Larry. Aren't
we almost there7 D. your stub.
bornness In making me take the trip :"
There was nothing else to do. Tim
| had TO get you away. You have about
finished me IN Fairbanks, as you have
Ia every other place have been. Now 7
am through with you. leave you Mt
Fort Gibbon. What you do thereafter
Is nothing to me, save this: You are
to keep away from inc. They viii care
for you AT the fort until you can
travel Then hit the post trail for
Holy Cross"
Larry left his team at GIhbon, re-
turning the next morning on orr'a
stage. The FIRST person he met upOn
reaching Fairbanks. as he WIS the inst
with whom he had spoken before ieay
Ing. WAS Dan Holiday. OConnor stiff
fened MS he saw him. lie could net
forget their talk, talk that Ind turned
the first glimmcr Of happiness that hc
ha'i seen for years into black rage aud
despair, lie would have passed with
. curt nod but thAt he saw Ellen stand
INK near her brother. His heart Missed
ii beat as he caught sight Of her. her
arms filled with tamaraek. her gay cap
and blanket coat making spot Of bril-
liant color against the grnyness of the
coming night She nodded gayly sind
called 10 him that ahe WAS keeping
open house New Years day sud h.
must come and help decorate the
rooms.
Dan wheeled about and looked at
her with heavy frOwn. Larry
thanked her. but said he had an 81.
gngeiuent.
BREAK H." she commanded with n
laugh. "Ali the world, Including the
butcher. the baker and the caudleailrk
maker. are coming. and there viii be-
no place elise for sou to 10. 80 come
you must"
An through New Years day aud eve.
Ming ELLEN wntehed and waited. Then
be came, 40 late that her heart had
grown chill with fear. A. he INSIDE his
way toward her he wis stopped hy
newcomer. Ellen could not help but
0yerhenr their conversation.
"wherc is Timi heard he was with
You, snid the newcomer.
Larry hcsitAied. "de WaH. for n
time" His eyes rested upon Dan. IS ho
was standing near. ''The two If "a
went TO the fort on Christmas night.
He will go on 10 Holy Cross and from
there 10 Nome"
doing better or worse up hcrcT
Worse"
"And you are stsll the scnpcgoat.
suspectT
Drop II, Jack" Larry said irritably.
The other turned to Dan "llnye sou
ever seen his twinG Alike as two
pens-alike IN everything save ehnr
acter. Larry has all Of that. Tim IL q
loYable chip. but weak. aud The worst
Of his weakness u that be lets o'Cpn.
nor take the blame for his mlsdceds.
think be has committed every sin save
murder and he IA u confirmed gambler.
A lucky one, too, II nii that hear So
trne."
Larry left town some days ago after
cleaning up McDougau's bank
Tim, you mean" the other answered
with show OF nnger. Il suppose he
has been up 10 his usual tricks II
wasn't Larry. Tint fellow ~ the
straightest, wbitcst white man / have
ever known"
Dan considered. II guess II IL Up TO
me 10 make reparation." he said. Rlanc
ing about the room. He made his way
TO his sister and Larry. who were
stnnding together Mt the further end of
the room, and talked very earnestly
with them for some minutes; then he
raped upon a table standing near
The silence was instantaneous. Dan
hesitated. cleared his throat, stilI hesl.
tated. Then with rush the words
cane--not many, but when they were
uttered pandemonium rcignod for d
moment
Say IL again. someone called.
And once more Dan said:
Ladies and gentlemen wish TO nm.
nounee the approaching marriage Of
my sister,to Mr.. Lawrence 0'Connor"
tcopyright 1917. by the Mcclure Newapa.
per syndicate)
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There Mtaht bave peen