Connecticut western news., 1918-03-28
CHAPTER XVI.
The Note Discordant.


lire satisfaction. Moreover, he bore
lrentional scars of rough-and-tumble
Light. For moment Hazel found her
Ipelf believing the Herald story a pure
4eanard. But as he walked across the
boom her searching gaze discovered
hat the knuckles of both his hands
We're bruised and bloody, the skin bro
ZEN. She picked up the paper.
lis this true" she asked tremulous-
", pointing to the offending headlines.
1 Substantially correct" he ans Sered
{soolly.
"Bill. how could you" she cried.
tits simply disgra ceful. ., Brawling in
public like any saloon loafer, and get
hing In jail and all. Haven't you any
Consideration for me-any pride?"
"Yes." he said deliberately. 81 have.
pride in my word as a man. A sort
1pf pride that won't allow any bunch
ef nly-fingered crooks to make me a
earty to any dirty deal. I don't pro-
pose to get the worst Of 1t In that way.
p won't allow myself to be tarred with
their stick"
"But they're not trying to give you
The worst of It," she burst out. Visions
of utter humiliation arose to 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 notorious %
BEST friends? God save the mark ="
fne snorted contemptuously. sour best
Friends, as you please to call them, are
3crooks, thieves and liars. They're rot
ften. They stink with their moral rot
ttenness. And they have the gall to
feall 1t good business"
. "Just because their business meth
sedsa don't agree with your peculiar
ideas Is no reason why you should call
names" she flared. "Mr. Brooks called
ttust 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
|ft over. [ don't believe such men as
(they are would stoop to anything
crooked"
5 $50 Brooks came around to talk 1t
|sver with you, eh?" Bill sneered. "Told
(yOu it~was all on the square, did he?
Explained it all very plausibly, 1 sup
|Nose. Probably suggested that you try
me down, too. 1t would
he like.'em"
s. HE did explain about this stock
selling business" Hazel replied defen-
|elEelS., "And / can't see why YOU find
|ar necessary to make a fuss. I don't
see where the cheating and crooked
mess comes In. Everybody who buys
Rsfocklgets their moneys worth, don't
sAeyf? Bnt don't care anything about
your old mining deal. It's this fighting
quarreling with people who are
Fnbfused to that sort of brute action
a.11 lie horrid things they'll say and
think about u.s."
"About you, you mean-as the wife
of such a bOOr-thats what's rubbing
You raw" Bill flung out passionately.
EsYou're acquiring the class psychology
|Eood and fast. Did you ever think Of
anybody but yourself? The petty
larceny incident Of my knocking down
two or three men and being under ar
kHtSL AS AuuSL Till lOOluo
kap before you as the utter depths Of
disgrace. Disgrace to you! It's all
tSou-you! How do you suppose 1t
ktrikes me to have my wife take sides
against me on snap judgment like
fhat? 1t shows a heap of faith and
thrust and loyalty, doesn't it? Oh, 1t
makes me real proud and glad Of my
mate. 1t does"
| "Ifskou'd explain" Hazel began hes
Eatfnsly. She was thoroughly startled
lot the smoldering wrath that fared out
IA this speech Of his.
sTll explain nothing" Bill flashed
Estormily. "Not at this stage of the
lxarne. I'm through explaining. Pm
Ixcing to act. 1 refuse to be raked over
tfhe Goals like a naughty child, and
hhen asked to tell why I did it. Pm
hight, and when know I'm right I'll
10 the limit. I'm going to take the
kinks out of this Free Gold deal inside
aAf forty-eight hours. Then I'm through
with Granville. Hereafter I intend to
Sight shy of a breed of dogs who lose
every sense of square dealing when
there Is a bunch of money in sight
shall be ready to leave here within q
week. And 1 want you to be ready,
TOO"
ST WON'T" she cried, on the verge OF
Mysteries. II won't go back to that
cursed silence and loneliness. You
made this trouble here, not I. 1 won't
no back to Pine river, or the Klappan
Nwon't, tell you!"
Bill stared at her modify for sec
tsna.
sJust as you please" he said quietly
He walked into the spare bedroom
Hazel heard the door close gently be
hind him, heard the soft click OF
.vell-Oiled lock. Then she slumped
.gasping, in the wide-armed chair b.
the window, and the hot tears came II
In blindinp flood