Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-19

where Madison, suave, hippant, 50 cor
tain Of his own infallibility, glorying
in his crooked masterpiece, laid the
tribute to genius at his own feet!
Here it was very still-only the dis
tant, mu6ed boom Of tho pounding
surf. And the shrine room, for the
first time since its creation. was lock-
ed against the night.
Where b had been wont to sit In
the days gone by the Patriarch sat
now in his armchair by the empty IRE
place, In the shadow, bis head turned
in his strange, listening, attentive way
toward the table and the four who
were grouped around It. There had
been no one to stay with him In his
own room and 80 Helena had Brought
him here TO play his silent part.
Z. the table Pale Face Harry. bronx
"a and rugged, clear eyed, robust fg-
are from his clean living, traced the
grain Of the wood mechanically with
his finger nail, his face sober and per-
picked, while the Flopper, clear eyed,
too. his face almost q handsome one In
It's bright alertness now that it had
rounded out and the hard, premature
lines were gone, mirrored Hary's per-
turbed expression, bis eyes d1ed anx-
iously on Madison, opposite him, and
Helena, sitting beside Madison, was
very quiet, her forehead wrinkled and
pursed up into little burrows. the brown
eyes with 4 hint Of dismay and con-
sternation lurking in their depths.
Madison, his lips tight, pushed back
his chair suddenly. They had been SIT
ting there an hour.
you were right, Helena" he said.
with nervous laugh. 1.-THE more you
try to figure it out the worse it gets"
Jaw, say, Doc" pleaded the Hopper
desperately, don't youse give it up.
Youse have got de head; youse amt
never left us In a hole yet"
Madison looked at him and smiled
mirthlessly.
my head!' he exclaimed bitterly.
II got you into this, all Of you, but 1t
will take more than my head to get
you out. If could stand for 1t my
self I'd do 1t, but can't without drag
ging You in, too; we're all too closely
mixed up. If said it was deal Of
mine they'd ask where Helena came
from; they'd ask where you came from,
Hopper. We're beaten-beaten every
way WEI turn. The game has got us
We haven't move. We played it to
the limit, the slickest swindle that was
ever worked, and 1t worked till there's
more money than I've tried to count
And then 1t changed US from thieves.
from-ffom anything you like, and now
that We want to quit-now that we
want chance to make good-it's got
US In its grip. and we can't get away"
He dirted q bead of moisture from
his forehead.
r My Godl don't know what to
do hs muttered hoarsely. ut was
easy enough to talk about stopping this
thing about returning the money-but
i can't see the way out"
No one answered him. All were ii.
lent-as silent as the mute and veneer
able figure that sat, listening attentive
ly, 1t seemed, In the armchair by the
fireplace.
Madison turned abruptly after q mo-
ment to Pale Face Harry.
You. Harry" he said. laying hand
ON the others shoulder, you're the
only one Of the four that can walk out
of it-you don't show in the center of
the stage-you go. You said the old
folks would cry over you. Twenty
years IL I long time to stay away from
the old folks. I'll never knew mine.
You 60 back to the little farm out there
IN the west where you said you'd like
to 30 and-and give the old people q
hand for the years they've got left"
Pale Face Harry shook his head
God knows I'd like to- he said.
choking little. ''but I don't go that
~ y I don't cTa wi out a ni ! leave you.
What's coming to you Is coming to-
sI'sslslsat Won help y nv. HaErj
MI II