The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-05-03

ventional scars Of a rough-and-tumble
fight. For a moment Hazel found her
self believing the Herald story a pure
canard. But as he walked across the
room her searching gaze discovered
that the knuckles of both his hands
were bruised and bloody, the skin bro
ken. She picked up the paper.
"Is this trueT she asked tremulous-
ly, pointing to the offending headlines.
Substantially correct" he answered
coolly.
"Bill, how could you2" she cried,
"It's simply %disgraceful. Brawling in
public like any saloon loafer, and get
ting In jail and all. Haven't you any
consideration for me-any prideip
"Yes," he said deliberately. y have,
Pride In my word as a man, A sort
Of pride that won't allow any bunch
Of lily-1ngered crooks to make me q
party TO any dirty deal. I don't pro-
pose to get the worst Of 1t In that way.
l won't allow myself to be tarred with
their stick"
"But they're not trying 60 give you
the worst Of It," she burst out. Visions
Of utter humiliation arose 10 confront
and madden her. you've insulted and
abused our best friends-to say moth
ing of giving us all the benefit of news
paper scandal. Well be notorlousl"
"Best friends? God save the mark n
he snorted contemptuously. "Our best
friends, as you please to call them, are
crooks, thieves and liars. They're rot
ten. They stink with their moral rot
t%enness. And they have the gall to
call it good business"
"Just because their business meth
DDS don't agree with your peculiar
ideas is no reason why you should call
names" she flared. "Mr. Brooks called
just after you left at noon. He told
me something about this, and assured
me that you would find yourself mis-
taken If you'd only take pains to think
1t over. I don't believe such men as
they are would stoop to anything
crooked"
$50 Brooks came around to talk II
over with you, eh2" Bill sneered. 'aTold
you 1t was all on the square, did hei
Explained 1t all very plauslbly, l sup
pose. Probably suggested that you try
smoothing me down, too. 1t would
| be like EN-"
"He did explain about this stock
selling business" Hazel replied defen.
sively. "And I can't see why you find
It necessary to make a fuss. / don't
see where the cheating and crooked
ness comes In. Everybody who buys
stock gets their moneys worth, don't
theyf But / don't care anything about
your old mining deal. It's this fighting
and quarreling with people who are
not used to that sort Of brute action
and the horrid things they'll say and
think about u.s."
about you, YOU mean-as the wife
Of such a boor-that's what's rubbing
you raw" Bill 1ung out passionately.
you're acquiring the class psychology
good and fast. Did you ever think of
anybody but yourself7 The petty
larceny incident of my knocking down
two or three men and being under ar
rest rs much as thirty minutes looms
up before you as the utter depths of
disgrace. Disgrace to you'll It's all
you-youl How do you suppose II
strikes me to have my wife take sides
against me on snap judgment like
thati It shows a heap Of faith and
trust and loyalty, doesn't iti Oh. II
makes me real proud and glad Of my
mate. II does"
"If you'd explain" Hazel began hes
~itatingly. She was thoroughly startled
at the smoldering wrath that fiared out
In this speech Of his.
eth explain nothing" Bill flashed
| stormily. "Not at this stage Of the
game. I'm through explaining. I'm
going to act. I refuse to be raked over