The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-06-28
Times
Revenges
BY JUSTIN WENTWOOD

L
e. 1928. Western Newspaper Union,
CEVEN years in the penitentiar
- takes the soul out of a man. ]
. would have taken the soul out OF Chri
: Fergus, ground him in the mill Of it
iron discipline, but for the hope O
revenge that buoyed up his spirits.
He kept a little calendar, and ever,
day be marked one point nearer t,
freedom. At last his release came
And, curiously enough, it had SUDDEN,
become more Or less meaningless.
He had grown used to the pen. be
told himself with a sheer. Freedom
meant comparatively little to hin
now-except as a means to getting
even with his brother Tom.
Tom and he had been associated IN
the series Of robberies by which they
meant to recoup their fortunes. Both
had been In love with Elsie Wentworth.
Chris was a shade the better in the
running. But Chris had been caught
and Tom had escaped.
The dastardl He had never dared
come to see him in the pen, but he had
written him letters. All through those
seven years Chris had nursed the
dream of the day when he could take
Tom by the throat and wiring the life
blood out of it.
And now Chris Fergus stood outside
his brothers home in Clayton, looking
in through the gap between the shade
and the window-frame, seeing the
lights within, and hearing the low u
mur of voices.
In his pocket was the cheap revolver
which he had purchased out of his
prison earnings. Good enough to kill
a man with!
All his old hate had come back to
him as he stood there. Tom, prosper
Gus, married to Elsie, with three chill
dren-Chris could hear them romping
within. Tom, at the pinnacle of world
ly %successl And Tom had been the
principal in their nefarious transac-
>tions.
1t was Tom who had come to him
and suggested the ingenious method of
raising money on checks which could
be repaid as soon az they had made
their coup upon the stock market.
And he had been caught-but he had
not given Tom away
So Tom had married Elsie, and he,
Chris, was a homeless ~vagrant. And
now Tom should pay the penalty.
He took out his revolver and ex-
amined it. There were five bullets in
the cylinder. Five shots at close
rangel He rang the bell.
Elsie came to he door-Elsfe, staring
him, recognizing him, and starting
back, speechless at the pollution of her
house by a jailbird.
She must have seen the murder In
his eyes, for she put out her hands and
gripped his Chris, old boy, we've
lidn't expect you"
The children came running out.
chris saw with a pang that they had
1lsie's blood in them; two were girls,
me a boy, and they were all Elsie. His
leart contracted, his fingers frightened
lpOn the revolver in his pocket. But
t was not for them, 1t was for Tom
he bastard!
children, do you know who this isl
Jncle Chris! Uncle Chris, come back
Abroad
Chris smiled bitterly. OF course
hey had not let the children know l
hat their uncle was a jailbirdl
Thou xvoro o1inp;,~ - 49,. GOl II
Tncle Chris, what have you brought l
s? Did you bring a lion, as mummy
aid you would? Will you tell us some
please?"
eve got your room ready" Elsie
as saying.
He hardly heard her. Tom was COM
g out of the living room. He looked
der, more serious; but It the sight
his brother a pang ran through .
hris' heart. Now was the time! :
owl" z
"Chris, old man." Tom was grip
ng his hands. "They let you Quill
can, you arrived a day sooner than
9 expected. We were coming for you
Couldn't you have let us
lOW?"
Of a sudden Chris realized with as
nishment that Tom did not seem TO
.derstaad. He seemed friendly. And -
lat was Elsie saying? Why were 9
ere tears in her eyes? s
''The children have been looking for q
lrd so long to the day when their 5
Gle would come home from abroad. 9
inside, children! You know, Chris. 8
erything has got to be wiped out. 9
body in Clayton knows. You're 60 5
!, to live here; we've got the best 9
I'M in the house for you, and Toms 5
en- keeping a place open for you in 9
mill "a
TO start in next month, old man. 9
ull work up toward a partnership s
,ntually," said Tom, putting out his 3
I'd. 8
Slowly Chris hand went out to meet g
He did not quite understand what s
: happening. But he was suddenIu 9