Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-22

Syp soAN
tense in the, dim. shadow of the room,
suddenly felt the place whirling about
her land the candle dancing afar of.
Her knees gave way beneath her and
she dropped blck to the piano stool
weakly, and covered her face with her
hands, pressing hard on her eyeballs:
trying to keep her senses and stop: this
black dizziness that threatened to
submerge her consciousness. She
must not faint-if this was fainting.
She must keep her senses and guard
her precious shoes. If one Of those
should fall of while he was uncon-
scious all would be undone.
! CHAPTER XIV.
The man looked up from the paper
he was twisting for q fire and saw
Shirley's attitude of despair.
Say, kid. he said, with a kind Of
grur tenderness, you don't need to
take it that away. 1 know it's tough
luck to lose out when you been so
nervy and all.\ but you knew we had
it. over you from the start. You
hadn't a show. And say! Grille! I
tell you what! I'll make Hennie sit
down right now and copy EN- off for
you. and you can put 'em in your
nobody. be the wiser. Well just take
out the leaves. We gotta keep the
original o. course, but that won't
make any beans for you. It won't
take you no time to write 'em over
again II he gives you a copy"
Somehow 1t penetrated through
Shirley's tired consciousness that the
man was trying to be kind to her. He
was plying her and offering her a
fering to assist her in some Of his
own kind Of deception. The girl was
touched even through all her other
crowding emotions and WEAKNESS. She
lifted up her head with a faint little
smile.
Thank you" she said, YEARLY,
but that wouldn't do me any good"
why not?" asked the man sharply.
"Your. boss would never know it got
out through, you"
But l should know I had failed!"
she said sadly. IF you had my notes
should know that I had failed in my
trust" ttt
st wouldn't be your fault. You
couldn't have helped it,"
oh, yes. I could, and I ought. I
shouldn't have let the' drive turn
around. 17should have-got u of that
car and wait at the station as. Mr..
Barnard told me to do till he came.
I had boon w~arned.sand I ought to
have been on my guard. So you see
1t wa my fault -
She dropped her head forward and
rested her chin sdejectedly on the
palm Of her hand. her elbow on her
knee. The mar stood looking at her
for a second in half Indignant aston
ishment. g. -
"By golly!" he said at last. "You
certainly are some mutt. Well, any
how, buck up; and let's have some tea.
Sorry l can't see my way clear to help
you ou ny further, being as we're
sort Of partners in this job and you
certainly nave got some nerve for a
girl, but you know how it is. I guess
L can't do no more'n I said I got my
honor to think about, too. See?
Hennie!. Get a move on you We
amt waitin' all night fer eats. Bring
in them things from the cupboard
and let's get to work."
Shirley declined to come to the
table when at last the repast was
ready. She said she was not hungry.
In fact, thes smell of the crackers and
cheese and pickles and dried beef
sickened her. She felt too hysterical
to- try to eat, and besides she had a
lingering Keeling that she must keep
near that piano. If anything happen:
ed she had a vague idea that she
might somehow hide the precious.
notes within the big old instrument,
The man frowned when she declin-
ed to come to supper, but a moment
later stumbled awkwardly across the
froon, with a stopping sup Of coffee
and, set 1t down beside her.
Buck up. g~irlie!" he srowled.
Drink that and you'll feel better"
Shirley thanked him and tried to
drink few mouthfuls. Then the
thought occurred to her that it might
be drugged, and she swallowed no
more. But she tried to look a bit
brighter. II she must pass this
strange evening in the company OF
these rough. men. it would not help
matters for her to give way to despair.
So after toying with the, teaypoon a
began to play soft airs on the, old
piano again while the men ate and
took a stealthy taste now and then
from a black bottle. She watched
them furttvely % she played, marvel
ling at their softened expressions. re-
membering the old Mne.
Music hath charms to soothe the
savage breast" and wondering II per-
haps there were not really something
In 1t. If. she had not been in such q.
terrifying situation she would really
have enjoyed the character study that
This view of. those two faces Afforded
her, q 3 she sat In the shadow play-
ing softly while they ate with the mar
ing candle between them. NJ
Il like music with my rnsals!" sud
denly. .chanted out the boy in an in
terval. But the man growled in q low
shut up! Amt you got no man
shirley prolonged that meal -
much d music could do 1T: for she
had NO Fel1h for q more 81 intimate
tteteai.tete With either Of her CONF
pantons. When She saw them xrov
re1elSsS she hs6an 70 sing agAin. 1ight
little airs thaS time With. catchy
words; or. old tender {, melodiesf. az
home and - mother; and childhood.
They. wefOg Dohxp she had SUM- thst
last nisht@aif hs d1ar old barn wheni
Sidney afaham ana elisabeth were
4 Win mem. 2 unoonsctously her
voice to6k .onsths.Nail Of her heart Tor
all thet dear past so far away from
n "a aesNs es9ss II ss.
suasdsahlyil q the last tender note 81
q sony dItd aWay Joe stirnbled
\ breAth1eGnlys Into th4 1roo1a. /. 4 hnv
Horfiie 1Dlttldered dut 81 the room NE
2 nsrnsfit ta4 shi9 sArst word.
aBeAtl tti.s: 4, cried, III hoarse
oats sftsr ID w ~ thsy ~ ~ i Ss.
sinEih,l T4ks Asf an' at a Til
I1s 49,. a5fdlt bucket ~ water ana
daettAd ~ 6xst ft1S sd1thk az. SHIRLEY
felt = 4tltef skrssp her arm ID