Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-04-10
The FREE TRADERS

have you prowling all round the ooun-
try, doing God knows what, when I'm
keeping you hereY His eyes roamed
over her. He saw that her clothes
were splashed with muddy snow He
saw the fatigue in her bearing.
by God, you followed me" he
cried.
/ He seized her fiercely by the wrists.
Estelle looked into his face, laughing
contemptuously. Railways eyes fell.
He swore under his breath.
you think you can frighten me by
violence, Jim2 You ought to have
learned by now that that doesn't pay.
| Which did you bring back, the girl or
the gold?"
Railway writhed under the sting of
her contempt. you were eavesdrop-
ping outside the house, d-n you !"
Suddenly he changed his tone.
Both p he cried exultantly. I've got
the girl. and I've cached the gold near
here, where no one can find It,"
His rage broke out again. 1--WE had
enough of your tongue!" he cried.
IN have no spies In my camp. You
could put rope around my neck with
what you know. BY God, Estelle, a
little common sense should tell you
you're playing with fire when you try
to cross me. I've never treated you
mean with money. You'll have enough
to live In comfort ON for the rest of
your life if"
what have you done with Ander-
son?' asked Estelle quietly.
"Anderson's where he'll cause no
further trouble"
You mean you-you killed him,
after-after your agreement"
"D-n you, you heard that, did you ?"
shouted Pathway, turning livid with
fear. mo, didn't kill him. If you
want to know. He met with an ac-
cident.
"See here, Estelle," he continued,
"yOu and me've got to work together
on this game and not try to cross one
another. Play fair with me and IN
play fair with you. want you to
make that girl act sensible. She's like
tigress. Now you're an intelligent
| woman. You know how I feel about
her, and quarrelling won't help mat
tiers. 1t won't last, and then I'll come
back to you"
Estelle drew her hands out of Rath-
ways grasp and placed them on his
shoulders, looking searchingly into his
face.
Now, Jim, want you just to lis
| ten to me-" she said. you know
you've never gone wrong when you've
followed my advice. And guess you
know I'm the only friend you've got
in the world, don't you, JinaF'
well, what if that's so" he NUT
tered
Il told you you'd made mistake
in bringing that giFl<h here before"
Aye he sneered, land you told
me old Pelly's nine didn't exist And
I've got the gold I've got the gold, I
tell youl" he cried exultantly.
II was wrong, then, but that was a
matter of fact and not of Judgment.
Jim, y9d know this Is nothing but an
| infatuAtion of yours. AS you said, 1t
WON'T last And what are you going
to do with her afterward? You know
what it'll mean to you" Estelle was
pleading now "You know when Nc
Grath learns the truth, he'll raise the
whole country against you. Let her
go, Jim. What do you mean to do"
You know what mean to dol"
snarled Railway; but he could not
meet her gaze.
Estelle laid her hand on his arm.
Jim, did you ever have pity on any
one in your life?" she asked
"Oh. maybe, when was young and
foolish"
did you ever feel respect for any
woman, Jim?"
'Ah, cut out that line of talk, Es-
telle! Don't try to ride the moral
horse when it's just plain jealousy
one female jealous of another. That's
all it is
TITS not, Jim. And you'll regret
what you're planning to do. Jim, IL
feel you're slipping your neck into a
moose"
He leaped back and swore Violently
at her. "Cut out that talk. tell you 7"
he shouted, almost beside himself.
"Jim, listen-just listen. guess
I'm not what anyone would call a good
woman, but was like that girl once,
andAI can't bear it, Jim. Jim, I'll do
anything in the world for you If you'll
have pity on her. 1t may be there's
jealousy. too, but it's much more
much more for her sake-and for
| yours"
Estelle was working herself into one
of her hysterical frenzies. PATHWAY
grew crafty. 1t is not easy for man
| to fool woman, except when she Is
in love with him. Then 1t isn't very
hard. And Estelle was desperately
eager to be deceived.
UCaa hara Esfnllo" said RAILWAY