The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-02-26

loCk. Probably for very good rea
son." he said. "They are insistcn,
at the @. and Il. Railroad on GOOD
character"
"How do you know he hasn't goot
character?" she asked quickly.
~ know nothing about it, nothing
at all However. it wasn't anything
to his credit to be seen with .
drunken woman in his arms on The
street"
Glow do you know" she asked
watching him through narrowed
eyes, "that she was drunk"
He shrugged. Il think know
the symptoms. They're rather un-
mstakable."
81 know differently" she pursued
she wasn't drunk. as you say
He started. "Why. how how de-
you know he stammcrcd. "Have
you seen her."
''No, haven't, but intend to-"
"Oh. no. Mary, you mustn't do
that. Promise me you won't do that
She's not the sort of girl you
should know"
you said she was drunk" Mary
continued, when. as a matter OF
fact. she had tainted. 1t was unfair
to both Of them"
How do you know she tainted
Have you been talking to him? Did
he try to make you believe that?'
He tried unsucccssfully to suppress
his anger. His face turned be"fv
red and his hands trcmbled on the
wheel He stepped on the acce.cr
ator and the car shot ahead, vio-
lcntly.
1T ma''o. no d ference where
got my information" she said c1ldly.
II know; H.. IS all'
"Oh. we'll. Mary he sa:l with an
cffof: at p ca. antry. Lets not quar-
rel about il. It's not worth it."
The car sped along, as swift and
] nois.. ~ as the. December wind.
Mary fen silent and responded to
his lame attempts at gaiety with
monosylIaLlcs. His face clouded and
he pressed grimly down on inc ac-
eel, ratof The car fairly flt y
along.
Up the street q little fox terrier
was frsking and leaping about with
his young master, a boy of item. The
boy would throw a tennis ball and
the dog would retrieve it and then.
returning to his master. tantalize
, him before giving it up again.
As the car with Mary and Church
! in it approached, the terrier dashed
out into the street and barked.
Church saw him. and he had plenty
Of time to apply his brakes and
swcrvc. But he merely laughed.
II all happened in fleeing i'm
slant The boys agonized cry:
"Spot! Here, Spot!" Mary's frantic
appeal to Church, her hand on his
arm, the other hand to her throat.
! The bark that ,endcd in a despairing
yelp as the wheels passed over the
little animal and left in their wake
a broken. bloody form.
The little boy was standing at the
curb, his hands covering his ewes.
not daring to look at the lifelcss
thing that had been Spot. Mary
turned and saw him and nifty struck
deep in her heart.
stop the car" she commanded.
You've killed that little boys dog"
, He shrugged. at was just a dog.
lie got in my way; couldn't help
it." n
you didn't try. You could have
slowed down. | saw it. u could al
Most say you did II deliberately. Let
sHp out I'm going back
He stopped the car, helped her
out. "Oh. we'll, I'll go back with
you. III buy him another dog"
Mary took the little boy in her
arms. One swift look at the dog
sickened her. -.
Here. kid" said Church. produc-
ing some crisp new bills. "Now you
can buy yourself another dog"
/ Ill don't want another dog"
tke boy sobbed. II want Spot"
"Tell me your name,' said Mary
soothingly. 'Ill see that Santa
Claus brings you another little dog
just like Spot-maybc Spots broth
en-"
"No, l want Spot His chest
heaved with his sobs.
"You see what you've done she
tlazed at Church. you've not only
killed his dog-you've killed some
.:,ing inside that boy"
"Now, now. Mary" he placated,
you're getting worked up over moth
ins:"
| there were a policeman here I'd have
you arrested. 1t was your fault.
You just didn't care"
II offered to buy him another dog,
didn't /? He turned again to the
| boy. "Herc you are, sonny" But
t.,c boy again refused his money.
'I'm glad to learn Just what kind
If = man you are" Mary said to
him. They were standing at her
doorstep. She had been st0nily silent
the rest Of the way home. "I'm
III rough. Do you understand"
Nov, Mary" he began, taking
! her arm, hut she tore herself away
f.iom him.
II mean it," she cried. II never
want to see you again"
MARY. you're talking crafty
He grabbed her roughly and crushed
her to him and, in spite of her des-
perate struggles. kissed her full on
the mouth.
"You brutc!" she gasped. striking
at him with her hands and beating
him away from her. II hate you =
you and your money. Herc--try to
buy somebody else" She tore the
diamond ring he had given her off
her finger and threw it At him and
Once inside her room, she tore
threw it to the floor. Then she
SElSus o"o, OuuAy S"Uu6", ~ "co WY
first time in weeks that she had been
happy.
1t was just abou. this time That
Jimmy Rand was eating his supper
in a "beanery," contemplating the
evil aspect of the world which ell
lc,wed the Churches to win the
Marys. . g. 1t was in this frame Of
mind that he went. home, to find
news from his sister, Janet, that
only served to add to his worries.
ITO Be C0ntinued)