Evening star., 1923-09-07

Continued from Yesterdays starr
Justice. Great God" he muttered.
| what neXt?" He feared to turn, lest
/ the men on either side might recoG-
| nize him. The thought made his
hair bristle with fear. The whole
| thing was wrong, horribly wrong. He
! dollars taken from his safe! He
| hadn't been near the safe the day he
| left. and the money was there when
| he closed it the day before. Thoughts
] j-forebodings. plans, helplessness
! raced through his brain in the first
panic of the moment. He noticed with
some relief that the men beside him
didn't seem interested. that they act
ually walked away Out of the cor
ner of his eye he observed strange
viewed the lunch counter. His en-
emy of the morning. nose red and
swollen, eyes discolored. was there,
but the noon rush kept him busy.
Hoping to gain the street unob-
served. Pete started, as naturally as
possible for the door. Before he
could reach it, however. Brud Haw-
kins pushed it open, and called cheer
lily:
Ready. Aldeno Let's go" AT the
| sound of his name Pete lmasined ne
felt the concentrated stare of a half
dozen pairs of eyes on his back. he
hurried through the door. and faced
the mountaineer
II wouldn't have known you. boy.
| I wouldn't have known you Haw-
kins exclaimed. his admiring eyes
moving slowly from Pete's feet toward
his head, when they met his eyes.
! fingered a moment, then wldened IN
astonishment.
My God. man. what's wrong:
Pete met the alarmed look of the
miner with a straight though badly
startled stare. He moistened his lips
and jerked his thumb over his
| shoulder.
Inside. on wall look
| Puzzled at the strange manner of
his newly made acquaintance. Haw-
kins frowned slightly and walked
through the door.
Feeling miserable beyond words,
Pete braced himself against the cor
ner of the building. determined to
so much more justly deserved punish
| ment, and let matters run their
course.
A moment inside and Hawkins
came out. Looking earnestly at Pete.
he asked. We'll boy. did you do it?"
Pete looked straight at him and
answered. No
Then buck up. son. buck up. You
look like you might have murdered
1 somebody in the bargain. Come on,
we're late, let's go"
Yet even as Hawkins said 1t, Pete's
heart: swelled with gratitude at the
simple straightf0rwardness of the
man. He had known men for years,
but could count on the fingers of one
hand those who would so quickly and
Iwhole-heartedly dismiss so serious
| matter, and accept their own judg-
| ment. of him Is final.
Hawkins, though, was doing far
more than this. He was still invit-
ing Pete to accompany him to the
| mountains; and Pete, unaccustomed
| though he was to the open life of his
Inew surroundings. quickly caught the
| unusual spirit of comradeship that
| prompted Hawkins words. Yet he
hesitated long before he answered.
NO, i don't see how / can" he
! finally stammered. Il don't care for
myseif-but father, poor, dear old
dad, it'll kill him, I'm sure 1T Will kill
him. l never dreamed of that" wav-
| ing hand at the saloon. when l
| left. never dreamed of II"
"Figurin' you were back. could you
prove you didn't do it?" Hawkins
asked, as he grasped Pete by the arm
as though to steady him.
mo" Pete's words grew bitter. Il
sneaked away like . thief. tell you,
luke g cHE dexs" --...---,- -----.---