The Ely miner., 1932-06-03

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alone. But Lee gave so sign of chang
ing his mind about her going, so
rather reluctantly she turned and went
into her bedroom.
Ames swung round and faced Lee,
all that he was feeling blazing in his
eyes,
"To think of her being stolen from
me by you of all meni" he cried out on
curious, low note of suffering. "Youl
A convicted thiefw
Lee looked at him with cold eyes.
"It is the thief's nature to steal"
he said. immovably.
what in Heavens name made you
do it?"
Made me take her from you, do you
mean?"
"Yes. What fiendish plan was there
in this marriage of yours?"
II knew that her father idolized
her. / knew you loved her." said Lee
slowly, letting the words fall very
clearly. You two men between you
were the means of my disgrace. One
uOeS uOl ~ W HAASOh LOA iii &C "iOAC
years, Ames, and come out with ones
heart overflowing with brotherly love
for those who have sent one there"
"We did not send you there!" an
swered Ames hotly. 1T was your own
conduct that sent you there. We
could only see that justice was DONE"
''I implored you to believe me when
l swore that | was innocent, Ames. l
implored, desperately implored, John
Gresham to see me before it was too
late to do anything for me. And what
did you do? How did you listen to
the prayer of a desperate man? You
resolutely determined to disbelieve me.
Ind old Gresham went yachting :.
A mans future hung upon you two.
And you refused to heed"
He stopped speaking abruptly and
caught a breath.
"Why should l believe you, when it
was so obvious that you were lying?"
retorted Ames. "Why should believe
you, when judge and jury agreed that
you were lying?"
Your support, and the support Of
Sir John, might have made all the
difference TO me- If you had not been
so prejudiced against me, you might
have cleared your mind of the obvious
the subtler ones. Your evidence at
my trial might have been of differ
ent complexion"
II see. So it was to revenge your
self upon us, upon Sir John and my
self, that you have taken that girl
away from US? To make our love for
her a thing Of torture to us? Skies
abovel What devil could have pos
sessed you to work out your revenge
upon herr"
''The devil of injustice" answered
Lee, his voice very low, and shaken
with the effort he was making to keep
himself in control 1.-The devil of lone
liness. The devil of prison. OF know
ing that life is going by, outside those
walls that keep you from sharing it.
hard. :"
IF / were caught out in a dirty
crime like yours was, think I should
take what came to me as my due. and
not work off my spite on an innocent
girl who knew absolutely nothing
about the affair - said Ames
angrily. Cd, can't think {.
can't see what can be done . How
am I to tell Sir John?"
''Allow me to relieve you of that
painful duty" said Lee. "Allow me to
tell Sir John :"
But Ames scarcely heard. He was
trying to think clearly; trying to get
the appalling truth sorted out in his
mind, and to realize its full signif-
canoe and horror
Man alive, what exquisite refine
ment of cruelty made you think of
her?' he asked again. Did you in
some rotten way of your own, care for
her? Love herr"
Lee laughed suddenly; short, un-
amused sound. lone does not come
from prison a sentimentalist, Ames
My thoughts were tuned to hate
rather than to love :"
$50, cold-bloodedly, you set your
self to make her love you. Cold
bloodedly, you took her from me f.. :"
| He broke off suddenly as a new
thought struck him. Where did the
money come from, Warrington?
Where did the money come from to
enable you to cut tie figure you have,
since you came out of prison? Re-
member, that a great deal of the
money that you stole from that poor
devil of clerk vas never found {.
Did .you know where to put your hands
on it when you were let out?"
Lees hands closed to fists.
''Fm getting rather tired of this,
Ames," he said, a u'et threat in the
words. There's a limit TO my pow
ers of endurance and you are getting
| perilously near to it. You had better
go, / think And let me say that
you can do exactly as you like, and in
any way you like, about what you
have learned today. You cannot
hurt me: nor alter my purpose"
'You don't nee1 TO give me that
| permission, Warrington" answered
Ames, in much the same way. do
you think I'll rest until | have found
some way out Of this appalling trag-
edy for that girl you have treated so
abominably? If you do, you very much
underrate my love for her Do
/ you understand? love her as a man
can only love once And I'll stop
at nothing -. Give my life for her
If necessary" He stopped, caught up
| by the expression In Lees face; and