The Carlisle independent., 1917-08-16
"You'II Hand That Over, or You'll
 Never Leave This Room AliVe!"

You'lI Hand That Over, or You'll
 Never Leave This Room Alive!" ed return and his discovery of the pa- per that had led to the quarrel that ended in Diego's death.
 Jerry, although innocent of the death of Sebastians brother, had been placed in compromising circumstances. He had been tried before an Argentine court of law, found guilty and sen fenced to life imprisonment. Soon afterward she had learned that he had died.
 As she read the whole story. Leon- tine felt a deep and rebellious rage against her husband fill her heart.
 She stood like a statue underneath the lamp, incapable for the time of movement; she knew nothing, but lived again in the past. She saw Jerry starting on his wonderful voyage, which was to bring them fortune and she heard again her own parting pledge of loyalty to him. The paper fiuttered loosely in her hand.
 That was the moment when the mag pie, Louie, stealing up behind Leontine. saw his own signature at the bottom 1 of the paper. With swift, delft move ment, he snatched it out of her hand. T know that name," said Louie, rub | ping his hand across his forehead. ''Why-why, it's my ownr'
 Leontine, recognizing Louie, looked at him in wonder.
 "Give me that paper" she said quiet ly. "Yes, 1t is your own confession, MT. Lamb. And I thank you a thousand times"
 Don't mention it." said Louie, mak- ing an ironical bow.
 Louie, holding the confession high in the air, took his station beneath the light, and began reading it. He read on in profound astonishment. Leon- tine waited. She knew the situation was a difficult one, but she knew that she was more likely to get back the paper by diplomacy than by force. !
 Leuie's brows wrinkled as he contin- ued to read. He had not the faintest recollection of having ever written such thing. What had been the mat ter with him? Well, it was lie, any way, and probably forgery.
 Let me have it now" pleaded Le- ontine. as Louie came to the end.
 Louie, still holding the paper above her head, grinned mischievously.
 What's the gamer he demanded. "Going to send me to the penitentiary, eh? Whats the game? Who put you up to it?"
 MT. Lamb, please listen to me. You wrote that confession and it's very val uable to me. Jerry Carson. whom you wronged. meant a good deal to me. I want that paper now. You won't go back on your word?"
 Louie grinned, and suddenly iower- ing the paper, tore it in two.
 With scream Leontine flung her self upon him, trying to wrest the pa- per out of his hand So unexpected was her movement that at first Louie was quite taken aback. Her fingers closed on his clenehed fist which held the two halves of the document. She was trying with all her might to force his hand open. And all the while she pleaded.
 Give it back to me, please-please !" she implored. Tt is worth everything to me. It is worth thousand dollars all that have. Listen, thenl Bring it to my house tonight, and I will give you thousand in cash tonight"
 "A thousand dollars !" grinned Louie contemptuously. Say, reckon to drop as much as that any night in Madame Bianca's."
 He flung her off and deliberately tore the two halves across, and again and again. He hurled the fragments of paper into the roadway. The breeze caught them and sent them flying in all directions. They rose into the air like miniature snowstorm, futtered and drifted away.
 So Jerry's honor was scattered to the winds again; and Leontine's hopes were dissipated into the night air.
 Think I'm a fool?" sneered Louie. ''Think I'm going to put myself in the penitentiary for a thousand dollars? It's fake. anyway. never wrote It."
 And, raising his hat with magpie malice, the little crook took his non chalant departure.
 Leontine sank down upon the steps and sobbed her heart out.
 CTO BE CONTINUED.)