The Yale expositor., 1917-03-15

"You'l Hand That Over or You'll
Never Leave This Room AIive!"
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 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
1luttered loosely in her hand.
That was the moment when the mag
pie, Louie, stealing up behind Leontine.
saw his own signature at the bottom
of the paper. With a swift, deft move
ment, he snatched it out Of her hand.
81 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. ayes, it is your own confession, Mr..
Lamb. And 1 thank you a 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 astonishment. Leon
tine waited. She knew the situation
was difficult one, but she knew that
she was more likely to get back the
paper by diplomacy than by force.
Louie's brows wrinllled 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? What's the game? Who put you
up to it?"
"Mr. Lamb, please listen to me. You
wrote that confession and it's very val
liable to me. Jerry Carson, whom you
wronged, meant a good deal to me. /
want that paper now. You won't go
back on your wordT
| Louie grinned, and suddenly lower
| ing the paper, tore 1t 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 70 force
his hand open. And all the while she
pleaded.
"Glve II back to me, please-please !"
she implored. 1T is worth everything
to me. 1t is worth thousand dollars
all that have. Listen, thenl Bring
IL to my house tonight, and l will give
you thousand In cash tonight"
"a thousand dollars ~ grinned Louie
contemptuously. "Say, 1 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 ir
all directions. They rose into the all
like miniature snowstorm, fluttered
and drifted away.
So Jerry's honor was scattered to tho
winds again; and Leontine's hopes
were dissipated into the night air.
i "Thinlx I'm n fool?" sneered Louie
"Think I'm going to put myself In the
| penitentiary for q thousand dollarsi
It's fake, anyway. never wrote it,
And, raising his hat with magpiS
malice. the little cr--S took his non
chalnnt departure.
Leontine sank down upon the ST
and eohbed her heart out.
ITO an (QXTINITEnl