The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-04-20

Pamela plans to break with him.
So she snubs him in stephens
presence and when he objects
tells him that she and stephen
arc engaged. stephen protests
when they are alone and she says
that was the only way she could
get rid Of Huck. She pleads with
him to confirm the engagement.
Meanwhile, Huck summons Har.
old and commands him to prevent
Pamela's marriage to Stephen
under fear Of exposure concern
ing forged check.
\ = i
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XIII
When Harold left Huck's rooms he
was in state Of mind that bordered
on frenzy, but there was no pity, only
relentless purpose, in Hucks attitude.
The boy slipped into his own quar-
tiers like wounded animal seeking
shelter. He wanted drink, wanted
to drink himself into oblivion. He
did. in fact. take one stiff glassful
before an ever-present fear asserted
itself, and he pushed the decanter
aside. IF 90 blotto I'll babble," he
cried despairingly. "Oh, God, what
will I do?''
. He threw himself down In chair
and buried his face In his arms. His
struggle might, have been physical,
judging by the way his slender
frame was convulsed.
But when the paroxysm was over
and he became quieter he also be-
came afraid. He couldn't endure be-
ing alone, facing things alone. He
was afraid Of hts conscience, afraid
he would rush to destroy Huck, what
ever the consequences to himself.
He must do something, 60 some-
where, find someone, get in crowd
!. no. there would be drinking .
he daren't risk 1t. He was pacing the
floor now. trying to keep hts eyes off
the decanter on the table.
OF course, there was Mildred. He
could always 60 to her, but she was
almost as dangerous as alcohol. She
made him want to talk. to tell her
everything and shift his burden to
her shoulders. II that happened the
whole world would come topping
down on his ears. Harold had z
painfully clear mental image Of Just
how his father would look. when he
| got that forged check into his hands
Why did I do it," he groaned
but he knew well enough. The temp
tation had come In a moment Of
madness, a moment when the play. ir
Huck'S room had reached q point
where 1t drove all common sense from
his mind. He had needed money
Tried to borrow It. None would lend
him penny. His I. q. Us weren,
wanted, Huck saying he was not tx
play any more.
y = 4
That had driven him insane. Stor
fplaying when the game was life itsel
to him? When each moment he wa.
away from the table was torture
When sight Of the cards falling o.
they were called for while he stoo.
off and pleaded with Huck for ,
loan was like the sight Of his drul
to an addict? !. =;
"I'll get the money!: he has
screeched, and dashed from the room
to return in q few moments. with tn,
check that now hung over his hea.
like sword.
Huck had known in an instan
that it was forgery. He had beef
waiting for 1t, had skillfully prime,
the boy to q pitch Of madness tina
he knew would result In this crime
Harold's first offense had beel
more in the nature Of . joke on hi
father than an intention to perpetrat
q felony. The boy had stumble
upon the factsthat he could dupli
cate his parents signature and ha.
done so more to see II he could &c
away with it than for any othe
reason.
But Amos Judson had taken 4 NOR
serious view Of the matters stupen
dously serious View, as 4 matter q
fact. And Harold knew that h
meant what he said In regard to /
There had been no more forging o
the boys part, but there Was hi
gambling which finally had drive
his father to the necessity Of curbin
hts allowance aud the threat 1
prison Il his passion led him int
crime.
And now Harold had committed
crime. And Huck Conner held q
evidence. He had not cashed tt
check.
Damn him, damn him, dam
him." Harold gritted through his q
teeth.
His cursing failed to ease his mir