The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-06-07

ney. His life had been wild and rough,
and his manner when he wanted was
according. He would fain add physical
cOmpulSlOn under threat of death to
ROdney's mental insistence.
"And do you think, sir, that I'm
afraid Of any lethal weapon you can
produce or even use, any more than l
am Of Mr.. ROdney's words?" The old
mans eyes flashed, and his knees
shook, but he had all the spirit of
stern face, full Of threat and menace.
His thin voice took on a certain quail
ity of courage. 1t even rang a little.
His courage was mainly moral, but
there was some accompanying physical
hardlhOOd, that was undoubted. You
can beat me, you can even kill me, If
you wish, but you can't make me say
q sword / don't want to say of my
own free WILL" he cried out at last, his
voice strangely rising.
Gentlemen; gentlemen" said Helen
IllingwOrth, rising and swiftly inter-
posing between the secretary and the
two angry men. She realized that the
affair had gone far enough and that
she must intervene. They had certain
ly failed lamentably, almost ludicrOus-
ly. "YOu are wrong to threaten Mr..
Shurtliff. He Is old enough to be the
father of either of you. Drop your
arm, Mr.. Rodney. Put up that pistol,
Mr.. Winters. Mr.. Shurtliff," said the
girl quickly, "as am in certain sense
your hostess, and as you are In GER
tain sense my guest here, l apologize
to you for the improper and impulsive
conduct of these young men. They
love Bertram Meade dearly, as I do.
Let that be their excuse. Meanwhile,
they will apologize to you here and
now, am sure"
There was n moment Of silence. Rod
ney and Winters stared at each other,
and both looked at the girl, confront
ing them so confidently in her superb
and beautiful way. Winters smiled u
little shamefacedly as he showed his
gun buck into it's holster. His had in
deed been the greater offense.
"Mr. Winters, Mr. Rodney" said the
girl insistently.
"Oh apologize. / suppose it was
wrong to threaten him. said Rodney
disgustedIy.
Hang it," said Winters, now utterly
forgetful of conventions, ut wasn't the
thing to do to draw gun on a little
old man, and I'm sorry did it,"
"And now that we've apologized
you'll tell us the truth, won't your"
asked Rodney swiftly, with no appre-
ciable change Of manner.
Eyes, we beg it now humbly,"
Chimed in Winters, with anything but
an humble air or voice.
'T won't have Mr.. Shurtlifr even ap-
pCaled to now," said Miss IllingwOrth.
You have threatened him and you
have apologiZed. Whether he fOrgives
you or not is for him to decide, but he
shall not be worried, or questioned, or
insultcd any more"
THANK you, Miss IllingwOrth.
came for that book on the desk; your
father wants it," said Shurtliff grimly,
bowling slightly to her.
He stepped little tremblingIy-the
scene had been unnerving-paSt the
young men, picked up the book, bowed
again formally and Enthusiastically to
Miss lllingwOrth alone, and went out
of the car. The honorS of the encOun-
ter were certainly his.
"Well. Miss IllingwOrth," said Win
ters, Il don't know whether you made
Il mistake or not. l think l could have
scared it out of him with this little
persuader of mine" He tapped the
butt of the pistol.
"You couldn't have done it if you
had killed him." said the woman, who
had read the old secretary correctly.
"He isn't what I call daring man,
but he has courage that would take
him TO the stake rather than make
him give way, the courage of endur-
ancc rather than of action. When he
speaks, if he ever does, it will be of
his own free will"
"Or because you may persuade him."
said Rodney. by jOve, when I think
it over. it was the finest thing you ever
did"
Bert MeadeS lucky fellow" said
Winters. you're the kind of a girl
that ought to marry out West, where
we try to breed men that will match
up"
Helen Hlingworth laughed little,
although she felt no inclination to
merriment.
"Thats fine compliment" she said.
"WeIl. this has rather shaken me, and
I'm going to ask you gentlemen to OK.
cuse me-"
"Well see if he is working on the
dam tomorrow"
"You will stay all night, Mr.. Win
terSY
"Your father invited me to take a
bunk in his car, and, to be perfectly
frank with you, I'd sleep out in the
open rain rather than miss a chance
of being in on the end of a game like
this"
The girl bowed and left them.
"Dick," said Rodney slowly at last,
as the two sat smoking together in the
silence of complete understanding and
good cOmradeship, which requires no
expression in talk, "yOu're not the only
man who thinks that girl would be
good wife to a man."
"Ah," said Winters, "slts the wind
in that quarter, Rod?"
Eyes" answered the other, "but I'm
fighting this thing through for Meade"
"Well, by George" said the big