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"A rope!"

"Yes, I irl?"

"Bad! Bad to the core of her black heart--bad as I am!" he

exclaimed, with fierce, low passion

Joan trembled The man, in an instant, seemed transformed, somber as

death She could not look at hi

"Bad? You don't seem bad to me--only violent, perhaps, or wild

Tell lected pipe fell froloohosts of his

past

"Why not?" he queried, strangely "Why not do what's been iirl who can never

tell!Have I forgotten? God!--I have not! Listen, so that you'll

KNOW I'm bad My name's not Kells I was born in the East, and went

to school there till I ran away I was young, ambitious, wild I

stole I ran away--caold-fields in

California There I becaent I had evil in ht it out I had no chance Evil and gold and blood--they are

one and the sa I coht be, was safe for ed!And now I'ion!' Every black cri ht"

"Oh, you speak so--so dreadfully!" cried Joan "What can I say? I'm

sorry for you I don't believe it all What--what black criht--here in this lonely canon--

with only me?"