Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-09-06

till you know of what / accuse you.
It is this: I accuse you first of being
an associate of these peop1e-oi go
ing to Goldfield and meeting Miss
Lawton and deciding to betray her; Of
winning her affection and making her
an offer Of marriage and Of establish
ing your position in that place by a
pretended intention to buy an interest
in moving picture house. ] allege
that after she had given her promise
to wed you you came to Salt Lake and
met Stakos and Paulos, Of which meet
ing we have proof, and Of plotting the
girls capture.
"You 30 timed your return to Cold
field that you arrived too late for her
to be intercepted by warning on the
train she had taken, and you returned
to Goldfield solely as you believed to
clear yourself from any suspicion of
completely in the case. In that you
blundered, because after you went to
Colonel Sheldon he kept you with him
so that you had no opportunity to dis
appear. Later, after came into the
case. you sought to mislead me, but
failed, for the simple reason that you
were combating a force you did not
understand, which demoralized your
self-control and robbed your efforts of
power.
"The uncertainty of your position
made your actions either to warn your
confederates or make your own escape
futile. Quite without your volition
you were caught in web from which
you were unable to free yourself, and
So"
With a twitching face Reich came
to his feet.
"You fiend," he cried hoarsely,
You flend! You're right! Yes. ]
was caught in a web-a web of yo0r
spinning! / hadn't known you fifteen
minutes before 1 felt something about
you 1 couldn't understand. You
played with me-played with me for
days, damn you-like cat with
mouse! was afraid to stay with you
and afraid to leave. Once or twice
failed me. That night went to see
Paulos wanted to make a run for it,
and they persuaded me not to. They
said l ought to stick and keep an eye
on you and tip off your hand.
well, tried, and there wasn't a
that-one real chance. / might have
sent wire from the train, but Shell
don stuck to me all the time and / was
ratified. kept waiting and trying to
make up my mind and 1 couldn't. /
was afraid-afraid. l thought after
we got here could find chance sure,
but you acted too quick.
well, it's all over. You've got me
and I'm glad. These last days have
been hell! l couldn't say thing.
couldn't do thing that you didn't
seem to block almost as soon as /
thought it. l guess you did read my
mind as you say. You must have.
You couldn't have acted like you did
If you hadn't. I thought l could fool
you, but I've been the fool, and you've
broke me-broke me-Pm sick-sick
my nerves are in rags.
away-somewhere. don't care where
so long as it's away from you-you
smiling devili Take your eyes off of
me-take 'em off-take 'em off, say
Il can't stand 'em. Sheldon-nake
him quit looking at me. L Oh"
He sank painting into his seat and
buried his face in his hands.
Greek Annie laughed in the silence
which followed.
"You poor simp! guess there
wasn't no need of my squealing," she
said.
"My Lord!" muttered Sheldon.
Lilly Lawton wept, with her face
buried on Lucile's breast. don't think
her faith had faltered until Reich's
own words had spelled his guilt. Then
and only then-she accepted the aw-
full truth and turned moaning to the
older woman at her side.
"And so," said Dual, "you stand self
confessed as the vilest of human crea-
lures, lost to decency and to shame; a
despoiler of youth and innocence and
virtue; betrayer of the holiest of hui
man passions; befouler of the fount
of life itself; modern vampire prey
ing on your fellows; menace to the
social fabric, more loathsome, more to
be Stunned and blotted out than any
foul disease; creature beyond the
pale of any charity or mercy; an in
suit to the name of man."
Connel nodded slowly and cleared
his throat.
Dual spoke again:
"And now, Miss Foote."
Very gently Lucille disengaged the
arms Of the weeping girl and led her
across to Sheldon. who took her hand
and patted it softly in an awkward
effort to comfort.
Miss Foote turned back. Her hand
darted inside the neck of her waist
and drew forth an old-fashioned locket
OF silver. With her eyes fastened on
Reich, she pried it open, extended II