Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-12-05
By Richard Hoffman,
Copyright by Richard Hoffman,
WNU Service
CHAPTER IX-Continued


81
"But at least I may take you to the
station-see you on the train" He
touched her arm to turn her toward
the car, and she got in.
SISTER" said Hal, after he had start
ed Rasputin into the traffic, Il have
been a very great fool, and / have
been near to being even greater one
Now I see things clearly. Sister,
know who her husband is: know ne
Is evil. It doesn't matter how much
[ hate him nor how much I am ready
to do to get her away from him. What
matters is that whatever I do, should
be stronger and happier-for her, sis
ter, and for myself-if you could tell
me, as her friend and, I so mucn
hope, mine too, that you also feel
must get her from him. 1t cannot be
wicked to take evil from her life, no
matter how it is done, can it? Even If
she will not love me now, for the fool
I've been and the wrong I've done, I
know about that evil and, loving her,
I cannot leave her with it, can II"
Her eyes were on his-full Of a
frightened seriousness, deeply fear
full solicitude for what he had told
her.
"Long ago." she said, when 1 was
z girl as young as she"
The sound of her own voice, saying
that, seemed gently to enforce her
silence. Looking at him-her eyes
large, inarticulate in hopefulness,
touched too with some longing sorrow
she barely nodded, once, and then
bravely said, "You should do some
thing"
Hal burst into the room without
knocking, hot for Kerrigan's word that
Barry was at her hotel, that he could
20 straight to her now and humble
himself irrevocably, before he went on
to whatever else must be done in final
swiftness Kerrigan looked at him as
If he didn't believe what he saw.
"She went by train," Hal told him
quickly. "You called Barry. She's all
wight. l can"
Il can't get her." Kerrigan said,
shut she's been here. That envelope
she left it. I've been trying to think
ought to open it,"
Hal snatched the envelope and tore
1t open, and fresh fear ran at his
heart as his eyes began to follow the
decisive lines.
II shouldn't write, my darling, but
I've got to. Being with you, loving
you as I shall forever, has shown me
my way out and given me strength to
take it. When you get back from
Santa Barbara, it will be done and
therell be no good in trying to stop
me. You mustn't try. 1 shall be all
right. I'm so tired of trying to decide
what's good, what's best can't have
you, but I can have myself-free of
badness, to remember you and beauty.
can't let you go away thinking I
don't love you.
HE will find out soon that you are
Frederick Irelands son. But there will
be nothing left to show any connection
between you and him. So when you
see tomorrow's papers, you must keep
quiet.
II love you. 1 didn't know it would
be so much. Darling, forgive me for
what I've done to you. Barry"
And in postscript: II don't mean
suicide. You'll know that If 1 couldn't
break my bargain for you, I couldn't
oil fn
Starting for the door, Hal yelled at
Kerrigan: "Shes going to kill him.
Almighty Cd, Kerrigan! She's killing
him now"
In his terror, Hal still had time to
be thankful for Kerrigan's agility in
pursuit: Kerrigan was behind him,
struggling into his coat as they hurried
down the hall.
Halls mind was frantic with: Snug,
criminal ass, to think 1 could do this
to her, that she'd wait for my rotten
apology. Oh Cd, If you're there and
you're good, stop her, stop her. stop
her.
Battle of Blenheim! drive like a
white man." Kerrigan was saying, as
second speed began to scream under
them. Get pinched or piled up and
you're useless to her-useless"
"Kerrigan, if she's not there you find
Crack and stick to him like thou
sand leeches," Hal said gently. "Tll
find her If CDR
A man, unheeding, darted from
among the parked cars at the right
Hal jumped on Rasputin's loyal brakes
and felt them drag CALAMITY at the
speed, in a desperate squeal of rub
Der. Then there was crumpling slam
of impact behind, and Rasputin lunge6
forward Slowing, drunkenly careened
by savage force at the rear. AS the
rigid sedan tipped past the point OF
recovery, tearing and splintering a,
the body of a parked car alongside
Hal flung himself upon Kerrigan anG
fought to make him duck. Then Ras
putin's solid side smashed upon solo
pavement with an abrupt explosion Of
showering glass. And that was ALL ex
cept for small, single tinkling, like
a distant key-ring, that diminished II
whirls of darkness.