The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-06-15
CIVIL ENGINEER

II wish to heaven I could"
"Can't you tell us anything"
swell, yes, can"
'What?"
ut may be breach of confidence"
''rd take the risk" said the girl, her
bosom heaving. Was she at last about
to hear from her lover?
"Know where he is, old MANI" asked
Rodney.
II think so-not sure, but"
"Where prom the woman, breath
lessly.
II didn't agree to tell you that"
"What then?"
"All can say is that after the death
Of his father he turned up at my ranch
one day some five months ago and told
me his story"
"What" exclaimed Rodney. did
he tell you he was innocentf"
"Not at first. He told me he was
guilty"
"But you didn't believe him, did
your" asked the woman impulsively.
II certainly did not"
"Why not?"
swell, ! don't know why. / just
didn't, that's all. / know Meade.
know him well. / know his makeup.
We get accustomed to sizing up a
mans actions out West here, and it
didn't take me longer than 1t took
him to tell the story to know that it
wasn't true"
"Oh, thank you for that" said the
woman.
"But our beliefs are not evidence,
Dick" interposed Rodney.
1--WE can't prove it and that's the
point. told him." continued Winters,
"that 1t was a da-darned lie-I beg
your pardon, Miss Illlngworth. / mean
told him that 1t was not true and that
he was a fool for sticking to 1t, and
er-he-admitted- houndered
Winters, suddenly realizing that he
was on the eve Of q breach Of conf
~dence and checking himself just in
time. "In fact, the subject was painful
to him, and let him alone, which Is
what we generally do to a man who
doesn't want his affairs inquired into
too closely" Winters ended lamely,
realizing how near he had come to
betraying his friends confidence and
telling Of Meade's own admission that
he had said what he had to save the
fame and honor of the father.
"Well, what next7' asked Rodney,
understanding as did Helen Hing
worth herself the ranchman's hesita-
lion, and respecting 1t, although the
unavoidable inference gave her great
10y.
''He hung around the ranch for a
month or six weeks to get his balance.
He was pretty badly broken up. I'm
a bachelor myself and don't know
much about those things, but I can
say that he loved you, Miss Illingworth,
more than life itself"
"But not more than the reputation of
his father" she said with little tinge
of bitterness.
swell, take it he looked at that as
a matter of honor. You know mans
got to keep his ideals of honor"
"Even at the expense of woman's
hearth" said the girl.
1T sounds hard, but l guess we've
got to admit that. But that's neither
here nor there" he continued, gliding
over the subject, "the point is l found
that he had to fight it out himself, and
mainly let him alone. l gave him a
horse and gun and turned him loose In
the wilds. Best place on earth for q
man in HIS condition, Miss nlingworth
You can go out into the wilderness and
get nearer to God there than any
place know Of. He came back finally
turned in his gun, borrowed the horse
babe me good-by, and said he was go
ing out to make new start"
"Where did he go? Which way?'
"He was headed south when saw
him last, and all this lay in his way"
"You mean-?" cried the woman.
"He may be here2" said Rodney.
Winters nodded.
II have thought so. It's only q
guess, of course, and probably poor
one. But when read In the papers
thot CoIonal nIfnuUorth was rominn