The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-10-11

"You'li Hand That Over, or You'll
Never Leave This Room AIiveI"
! 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 Sebastian's 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 n deep and rebellious rage
against her husband fill her heart.
She stood like u 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
fluttered loosely in her hand.
Tint was the moment when the mag
pie, Louie, stealing up behind Leontine
saw his own signature at the bottom
of the paper. With swift, deft move
ment, he snatched it out of her hand.
Il know that name," said Louie, rub
bing his hand across his forehead
''Why-why, it's my own!"
Leontine, recognizing Louie, looked
at him in wonder.
"Give me that paper" she said quiet
| ly. .'Yes, 1t is your own confession, Mr.
Lamb. And l thank you Thousand
times"
Don't mention it," said Louie, max
| 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 establishment. Leon.
tine waited. She knew the situation
was difficult one. but she knew tirnt
she was more likely to get back the
paper by diplomacy than by force.
| Louie's brows wrinkled as he contin.
ued to read. He had not the fafntesi
recollection of having ever written
such n thing. What had been the mat
ter with him? Well, 1t was n 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
Ell? What's the game? Who put you
up to it?'
| "Alr. Lamb, please listen to me. You
wrote that confession and it's very val
uable to me. Jerry Carson, whom you
wronged, meant good deal to me. ]
want that paper now. You won't go
back on your word?"
Louie grinned, and suddenly lower
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 clenched fist which held
the two halves Of the document. She
was trying with all her might to force
pleaded.
Give 1t back to me, please-please!
she implored. at is worth everything
to NE. 1t is worth thousand dollars
all that have. Listen, then! Bring
It to my house tonight, and 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, fluttered
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 q 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 nom
chalant departure.
Leontine sank down upon the steps
| and sobbed her heart out.
(TO BE OONT1NUED.)