Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-07-09

lhtic N"S hO'iii5 tiet nc tcHiu lc-
store TO them.
He didn't believe that Harmon
would ever carry out his promised be-
traya; not that he had faith IN Har-
mons code of ethics. but because he
trusted Harmon's horse sense. IF Hill
lizard were alone to be accused, Har-
mon would gain nothing and might, If
he offered any adverse testimony. even
implicaie himself Indeed II Harmon
should say enough 10 establish the
proof in the dangerous status Of an ac-
cessOry before the fact. No
this was the same procedure; to let
the memory Of Dicky Morgan rest IN
peace. and to let the brunt Of anger
fall on Henry billiard, who was no
body from nowhere. with a lying face,
a lying tongue and no claque to mourn
at his exit.
But then there was Angelas start
ling allegation She had declared
that Everybody" In town knew all
about Hiillard and Carol. Every
body" would have a different opinion.
He had tried to explain himself to
Carol, and he had failed; and in the
light of Angela's revelation, II was diff
ficult to decide whether Carol herself.
In protesting that she wanted to re-
tain him as a friend. had meant that
and nothing more. or that and a great
deal more But no matter what she
had intended to convey, he dared not
go to her again, he dared not see her
and speak TO her, for if he lied to her
:. but he couldn't lie TO her now.
and every word of truth would prove
a boomerang. He was trapped; and
although his heart was breaking for
the love he had almost won a second
time, he remained steadfast TO the
ideals he had created. If Carol were
to lose him as a sutton, she should new
er know that her first and foremost
sutton had gone to the devil.
He told himself fiercely there was
one definite and permanent way out
of ii. Nobody would then have
cause to gossip about Dicky Morgan;
no one-after the first natural food of
excitement and denuneiation-would
remember very much about Henry
Hilliard. 1t would save such deal of
needless trouble; it would save such a
wearisome amount of shame.
But against the pitiless background
of the war. self-destruction as means
of avoiding personal difficulties, self
caused. seemed curiOusly repellent-
cheap.
No it was part of his own
grievance that Carol and the others
must grieve, too he had a dual re-
sponsibility to society He had no
right TO leave these matters elouded by
any uncertainty of motive. Syracuse
had right to know the facts; and if
he facts brought pain to those ne
oved why that was something he
should have thought about in June.
md not in November.
AS he chung comfortiess to the last
slipping hours of the reputation he
had so carefully builded, he knew that .
il wasn't the punishment of the law +.
hat he dreaded, it was the Ostracism I
which would accompany it. It wasn't
his own shame which gripped him. 1t
vas the consciousness of the shame
which would attach to his friends.
And so, for a day or two, all his fac
lilies were strung upon the attitude
f the public toward him; he was
ratching frantically for the first signs
f adverse demeanor, and bracing him
elf for the shock which was unavoid-
bly, to come. For secrets will out,
nd although he had no reason TO ex-
'ect Waring to break his pledge, he
new that when rumor smolderS
mong as many as four people, there
always cOmes-a mo-
ient in which It bursts forth in spon-
aneOus combustion.
Presently he sensed a subtle super
harging of the atmosphere whenever
e met a male acquaintance; he
Ouldnt deny that the greeting of his
ankers was suddenly less informal,
lore impersonal; he perceived, with
hiking spasm of forebodlng, that
aver people stopped to chat with him
q the street and that those who still
ere willing to halt ard pass the time
{ day were uncommonly FESTIVE about
Syracuse hadn't yet srrayed itself
hcially against him, and a part of
yracuse was outwardly as pleasant as
ler, but there wasn't the slightest
lestion that the story had leaked out.
nd that it had got itself adherents.
he end was plainly i'm sight, Arm
rong's report was due. Only the Gull
ms and the Durants and one or two
her of the James street families were
lite as cordially attentive as former
and to billiards vast chagrin, they I
Their overdld 1t he seemed TO
ell in the steady warmth of their {
,endship q sort OF blindly uuSeaSon-
lie resolution to support him, whether
no. This infinitely more than the y
ding manner Of the majority, CALLED
N necessarily 1t was as though 4
a,. ,.olliad IN his defense before the