FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  
by me, then. It's a queer throne for such a queen; but it's the best your poor lover can find. He'll do better for you some of these days, I'm thinking. Now your mind is easy once again, is it not?" "How can it ever be at ease, Jack, when I know that you are a criminal among criminals, when I never know the day that I may hear you are in court for murder? 'McMurdo the Scowrer,' that's what one of our boarders called you yesterday. It went through my heart like a knife." "Sure, hard words break no bones." "But they were true." "Well, dear, it's not so bad as you think. We are but poor men that are trying in our own way to get our rights." Ettie threw her arms round her lover's neck. "Give it up, Jack! For my sake, for God's sake, give it up! It was to ask you that I came here to-day. Oh, Jack, see--I beg it of you on my bended knees! Kneeling here before you I implore you to give it up!" He raised her and soothed her with her head against his breast. "Sure, my darlin', you don't know what it is you are asking. How could I give it up when it would be to break my oath and to desert my comrades? If you could see how things stand with me you could never ask it of me. Besides, if I wanted to, how could I do it? You don't suppose that the lodge would let a man go free with all its secrets?" "I've thought of that, Jack. I've planned it all. Father has saved some money. He is weary of this place where the fear of these people darkens our lives. He is ready to go. We would fly together to Philadelphia or New York, where we would be safe from them." McMurdo laughed. "The lodge has a long arm. Do you think it could not stretch from here to Philadelphia or New York?" "Well, then, to the West, or to England, or to Germany, where father came from--anywhere to get away from this Valley of Fear!" McMurdo thought of old Brother Morris. "Sure, it is the second time I have heard the valley so named," said he. "The shadow does indeed seem to lie heavy on some of you." "It darkens every moment of our lives. Do you suppose that Ted Baldwin has ever forgiven us? If it were not that he fears you, what do you suppose our chances would be? If you saw the look in those dark, hungry eyes of his when they fall on me!" "By Gar! I'd teach him better manners if I caught him at it! But see here, little girl. I can't leave here. I can't--take that from me once and for all. But if you will leave me to find my own way, I will tr
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  



Top keywords:
suppose
 

McMurdo

 

darkens

 
Philadelphia
 

thought

 

stretch

 

people

 

laughed

 

hungry


chances

 

Baldwin

 
forgiven
 

caught

 
manners
 
moment
 

Brother

 

Morris

 

Valley


Germany

 

father

 

valley

 

shadow

 

England

 

Kneeling

 

called

 
yesterday
 

boarders


murder

 

Scowrer

 

throne

 

thinking

 

criminal

 
criminals
 

desert

 

comrades

 

things


darlin

 

breast

 

Besides

 

secrets

 
planned
 
wanted
 

soothed

 

raised

 

rights


implore
 

bended

 
Father