The Bismarck tribune., 1929-04-29
~J ~ RUTH
Gie7o ~ MA ssn.1 - OEWEy GROVES

1A0VV ~ AS~ 1~
any harm unless Huck Is at the bot.
tom Of his arrest" Mildred pointed
out. III he Is, Harold, you ought to
be willing to have him found out.
Then he'd have no chance to marry
Pamela"
"You don't know what It means to
me-" Harold groaned. 'Huck would
soon know 1t II Armitage put anyone
on his trail; then he'd make me pay"
Mildred felt suddenly nauseated.
Harold's cringing fear Of Huck sick
ened her.
I'm sorry" she said colorlessly.
but I've got to tell Stephen; its the
only clew there Is"
Harold collapsed like . pricked
balloon. Mildred strank from touch
ing him. but she was forced to give
him what comfort she could.
"I'll see that Stephen doesn't do
anything to let Huck know We sus-
pect him." she promised, "and II we
can prove him guilty you won't have
anything more to fear. You see that,
don't your" she added, her aversion
overcome by pity.
you're . fraud" Harold cried. get
ting up to face her; - cheating
fraud. You wormed all this out OF
me Just because you're In love with
Armitage And I thought you were
the one friend had in al the world"
Mildred thrust out protesting
hand. Harold" she cried, Il didn't.
wanted to help you. I had no idea
Stephen was mixed up In It. You
only told me that the last time I
saw YOU"
"But now that you know you're 60
Ing to throw me to the lions" Har-
old sneered and turned away from
her.
I'm not" Mildred said tearfully,
II want to help you both"
Harold wheeled back. Then you
don't know Huck Conner" he de-
clared hotly. "You can prove him
guilty as hell, but that won't save
me. tell you the mans fiend. Lay
off 1t, please Mildred, for Gods sake. :"
Mildred shrank away from him, her
face going white as parchment. "Oh," !"
she moaned. II can't. Stephen Is In
nocent. ! must help him."
i = =
Her decision seemed completely to
unnerve Harold. He dropped down In
his chair again and his shoulders
shook with suppressed Sobs.
Mildred could not bear to look at
him. When, q few minutes later, he
lifted his head to speak to her she
was gone.
He Immediately became obscssed
with q desire to find her. He tore
madly from the room to scan the
wide corridor, then he hurried to the
mezzanine and from there he ran
down the lobby, attracting not q lit
tie attention by his frantic manner
and searching movements.
But Mildred had gained the street
and was out Of sight around the cor
ner, on her way home, all thought OF
seeking employment gone from her
mind for that day.
She wanted to be in her room, un-
disturbed, to think. Harold's charge
of broken faith hurt. There must
be some way in which she could help
Stephen without further agonizing
the boy who had given her the one
clew to Stephens trouble that she
held.
Harold did not allow her nucll
time to find = solution to the prob
lem her innate loyalty offered. Guess
| ing that she was homeward bound,
he followed as soon as he could IN q
taxicab.
For several days and nights after
that Harold dogged Mildred's foots
steps. pleading with her to keep 81
lent.
Stephen wondered at her changed
attitude. She had come to him, a
she promised, but only to tell him
that she wasn't yet free to revea'
her "clew."
Her failure to decide against Harold
made her stiff and self conscious ir
Stephens presence. She felt that sh(
was not being q good friend. Conse.
quently the spontaneous warmth thai
had existed on her first visit to hi
cell was lacking in the others, though
she did not fail to come each day
= - =
Stephen was cneereQ py ner vl6It'
in spite Of being conscious Of lacl
Of understanding between them. H
thought It was fine Of her to conn
at all and he told himself he couldn'
expect her to show 4 lot Of enthus
iasm over guy in jail.
From Pamela he had received NJ
word or sign Of interest.
Mildred was torn with sympathy
for him. Harold had told her tina
Pamela considered the engagement
broken. Deep In her heart. Mildre'
experienced m exultant momen
when she heard this, but Stephen
detected air and pain-ridden eye
made her hate Pamela with hatre'
she had not known she harborcd i
her nature.
Il They did not speak pf Pamela, bu
once when Mildred brought him q
unfolded paper and discovered TO
late that 1t contained Z photoSrapl
Of Pamela and she saw his patnft
i. reaction to u, she told herself thu
she couldn't much longer continue t
yield to Harold's entreaties.
soon after that her troubles wer
: lishtened. She got Z satisfactory po
; stitch a. secretary to the presider
Of . large hAndising firm.
Ard ~ felt she was s,coeeding !
!. the campaign sl1e had undertaken
awaken Haroids sense Of fairness
3 the point where no would allow h