Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1920-12-02

from bewilderment to perplexity, from
perplexity to hysterical alarm and an.
ger. 80
"You! what-what do you meanT
she screamed.
Before he could realize what she
was about she had darted at him and
plucked frantically at his mustache.
"Jove!" he calculated, and he
clapped his hand to his lip.
"Ohl oh oh r. she painted. shrinking
away from him. her dilating eyes fixed
in Mortified stare upon the few stiff
hairs in her clutched fingers. tits
real! Obi"
my word! I should say 1t list" he
mumbled, pressing hard on his lip.
"But-but how then-oh, dear! oh
dearl Take me in to doctorl must
be crazy! You had it; then you didn't
have it; now you do have It'll"
"Have it,"
"Your mus-mustache I thought
you had shaved. 1t was gone-I'm sure
it was gone-yet now-l" t,.,
"Gone! When?"
"In therein the library-not five
minutes agoi Oh, dearl must be
raving crazyl 1t wasn't there then
you've grown 1t again in five min
utes!"
He stared at her wildly, infected
with the terror in her look and voice.
Insane-insane! That face in the mir
ror! She, too, had seen it! ru.
They glared at one another, over
come with dread and horror.
II say" remarked voice behind
him.
He wheeled about and found him
self looking into the muzzle of an, au-
tomato pistol in the hand Of BENIN.
Caught you mapping, eh?" jeered
the detective. II learned that Kirk
land was tracing in this direction. I
did not rush up to the front door.
Quietly slipped in from the rear,
y'know; and-here we are. Quite
clever. ! call II. No wonder you look
1abbergasted."
In q fash Amy flung herself between
the two. "Don't you shoot him Don't
you dareT she cried.
Hastily he lowered the pistol and
| sought to explain: II had no intention.
none whatever-only in self-defense.
Can't you understand? II he is vio-
lent-attenpks to resist But If you
persuade him to submit am sorry
| to have to use handouts"
|, "Handcuffs1 Oh, shamel shame on
| you!-pretending to be his friend all
this time! Shame on youi"
r. BENIN bit his lip. His bright, shall.
low eyes deepeaed and darkened with
profound emotion. But he stood firm.
/ II made no pretense," he rejoined.
Il offered to prove myself his friend.
7 stood ready to save him, even at the
cost OF my professional honor"
"Your professional honori" she re.
preached .N
"He is your brother. I thought yor
weuld understand. am willing to
give a great deal to clear him, IL you
wiN-er-aeeept my
| "But IL / cannotT'
'TAen shall do my duty. Do you
take me for fool, to connive at the
escape OF an embezzler, unless you are
considerable enough to-"
"Oh, yoo won't-you can'tl. Surely
you'll not be so meant"
II can send him to the penitentiary.
What's more, j win, unless"
'No-n-noi do mott" cried the ago
nized girl. LET hinge. please let him
go! l win do what-what you wish II
"You will7 You will marry met" he
demanded, and he stepped forward In
eager citation.
She shrank back with her hands
over her averted face. The prisoner
slipped protective arm about hez
shoulders and quietly remarked to
BENIN: "Better step aside II you are
nervous. You might accidentally dis
charge your pistol. There are people
coming along the path behind you"
Suspicious Of ruse, BENIN edged
around to the side Of the opening and
glanced swiftly over his shoulder. A
few feet away two hats were vinplt
over the shrubs, moving down the
twisting path. , 4 9F Fs /.
"Here they are. Hurry up" boosaet
the voice Of Doctor Kirkland.
l nm MI