Evening star., 1928-04-01

tin, and thought I'd drop in for talk. !
Privately" he added, with a wink and
nod toward the kitchen behind him.
Asheley--or Benson-had been sweat
ing profusely with his canter through
the heat. Yet the subsequent moisture
appearing on his lower eyelids was not
perspiration. Great, terrible man-tears
began to we'll there, though his gaze
stayed riveted on his callers face. The
whole stocky figure. splendid moment
before in physical development and
pride of his acres, started to droop. He
became as one stricken. He tossed his
hat to the ground.
Il suppose so,' ne
whispered hoarsely.
Don't run off, Martin"
Il won't run off. Whered l run?"
Stickney felt the screen push open
behind him. He had to give way.
Seavers had been unable to restrain the
wife longer She stumbled out and
caught at joist sustaining the roof.
Her face too. was waxen.
+Martin!" she cried piteously. What's
1t all about? What's the matter?"
"G-g-got a little appointment with
Brother Stickney here, honey" the hus-
band said duly. Had it, / guess
for quite a long time'
The woman reached her man. She
| clung to him desperately. Look at me,
Martin! oh, Martin! Is he an
officer, after you for anything?"
Reaching up mechanically, he patted
| her shoulder. He spoke to Stickney.
How much-have you told her?"
Il haven't told her anything. I saw
she didn't know, and determined to do
my errand with you--in private"
"Oh. oh, OH" walled the woman, her
| knees weakening, her body sagging.
You can tell her" declared the
rancher. she's got to know 1t some
tiE1e"
But I'd rather not Where can we
go for little quiet confab Martin?"
Come across to the barn. It's as
good place as any
I'm going with you. Martini I'm in
on IT.. too, no matter what 1t Isl"
mo, honey. you stay back. It's
merely a little business Mr.. Stickney
and got together"
Look after the little lady moment,
Bill" the officer ordered his companion.
The wife stood motionless as nus
band and Nemesis moved away to-
gether.
They reached the shade of the barn.
Il spose you found me because Nick
Cooper saw me in the hotel to Chi
cago?"
after fashion, Martin"
Well what you aiplin to do to me?
was fool to think could ever run
far enough-or stay away long enough
for the Government to forget"
And vet. from the look of your ranch
and your family. Martin, you're hardly
the lad who skipped out of Vermont"
I'm not I was wild in them days.
I'll admit. But l come out here. Stick
ney. and turned new leaf Somehow
/ figured IL I did--and the Govern
ment ever got trace o. me-bein an
/ honest respectable citizen. mindin' my
own business and getting ahead might
make a difference. Besides. there was
Helen. fell in love with her and &.
/ didn't want her ever to know"
You mean the fear of what hap
/ pened back in Vermont altered yoil-
made YOU what you appear to be
/ todav?"
! Before my Maker, Stickney! I paid
/ for that mess back East through
/ thousand nights Fourteen wears I
/ been irwin to live 1t down. Stickncy
really live 1t down. And I thought I
had"
! Fourteen years!" unused the marshal.
1T must have been torment"
But. now you've found me. the real
1 toTmentS aneau. thlnkln of the Suf-
ferif1' it means for Helen and little
Ted. Just wild, boyish prank. Stick
ney. To get little easy money-and it's
spoiled my life. If Fred Whipple had
only kept his mouth shut. If he only
/ hadl"
He was diving. Martin. He wanted
/ the whole thing off his conscience"
/ But whv didn't he stop to think of
/ the rest of us?" The rancher wiped
/ his sleeve across his forehead. 1t left
a ludicrouS streak. II swear | never
/ happened TO think that old Sargent's
grocery was branch post Office and
| that what we was doin' was really a
Federal offenSe. Think of it I was
onlv 20 at the time A kid don't stop
( to figure things out verv fine at 20"
| Breaking and entering any sort OF
place Is pretty grave crime. Martin
| If YOU had been discovered and any,
hodyd been shot you'd have been liable
| for murder"
| But nobody was shot. Sticknev."
Was Fred right III his confession
| that he took the money while you only
stood bv?"
/ He was, Stickney. I swear IT,"
And YOU came out here and turned
/ a new leaf"