The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-05-03

lpOn HIM. Exposure seemed lnevlta-
BE. With exposure would come abso-
ute ruin. He dared not again ask
MS uncle for large sum, withontIre
yealing to him the secrets OF his inner
life. A thought came to him, II
startled him at first. His cheek paled I
when he contemplated it. His hands
twitched, and his whole body became
nervous,
81 dare not to do it," he murmured.
'If it should be found out? My God,
if it should? And yetif dared and
won--why should mot? Icould take
it up and no one would be the wiser
no one" aG
But he did not attemptwhat he con-
tcmplated at that time. Several days
elapsed, during which he pondercd
his dark thought. /
Finally while his heart throbbod
wildly, he cut numbered check from
his unclc's book, filed it, drawing up
on the bank for two thousand dollars
in favor Of Edward Glaccy, Jr.y and
then signed it with the name OF Ed
ward Glacey, Sr.
His lips no longer quivered, nor
did his hands ialter, 1t was now life.
or death with him. With two thou
sand dollars as capital and a bold play
he would soon be master OF thousands!
He handed the forged check to the
teller OF the bank in which the elder
Glacey deposited his money. 1t was
scarcely looked at by that officer. He
saw that it was correctly numbered,
and as it was imdorscd on the back by
the senior and Junior Haceys--thc
first careless, cramped hand, and the
second name written boldly and coarse
ly, he accepted and paid the demand,
presuming he was dealing with the
son of the dopositor.
Straight from the bank the forger
went with the money he criminally
possessed to a gambling den. There
he risked large sums, winning and los
ing heavily. For twcnty-four hours
he held his seat; when he vacated il
he was without penny. At one time
he had realized ten thousand dollars
but the demon Of play urged him tC
yet greater attainmcnt--to the recov
cry Of all he had lost. Full of despair
he passed out of the eden" resolved OF
suicide. As he walked. haggard il
appearance and aimlessly through the
streets of the great city, the thought
of forgery again came to him! This
time he would draw heavily and flee
to Europe, where he could hide from
pursuit Yes; and he would temp
his fate once more! 2
A second sheet belonging to his un
, Gle fell into his hands, He filled i
for twenty thousand dollars. 1t wa
again drawn to the order Of Edwar'
Glacey, Jr. The elder Glacey's sigma
tme could not be better initiated. |
was a heavy draft, it was true, but tn
teller he was sure, would honor il
Why should he not? His uncle ha,
, twice that amount on deposit, he knew
= Besides, was he not heavy stock
holder and director? His balanc
= would not be inquired into, perhaps
8 for weeks. He entered the bank, an
advanced to the paying-teller's windoN
with confident air. He was abou
to present this second forgery, whe
! he heard u voice behind the scroe
" that made him tremble. He turne
. to retire noiselessly, thinking the off
" Ger OF the bank had not seen him.
4 "Stop, STRIP cried the official, con
moment. Are you not Edward Gil
. cey, Jr.?7 The forger stopped to al
- swer afiirmatively the question thu
put to him. Instead, however, Of 6nt
= ing the face of the man who had cal
y cd him at the window, he beheld tn;
Of his unclel Ii was with thegreate
!, effort he could control himself, to'kee
" from sinking to the floor.
Il George" he said, in low Jones,
i want to see you very much. l ha'
y y been seeking for you since yesterda
i, evening. Meet me in my library
> four o'clock this afternoon. | ha'
10 something to say to you-it is of son
- importance to you"
~ Promptly at the appointed hour !
" entered the library OF the mansio
70 "Be seated, George" he said in {
70 even voice. 81 will have this no
=, :, closed in a moment There" he a
- ded, II have signed it. 1t is nc
- ready for the mail" With this
~ ~ turned quickly in his chair, and, ia
10 ing from recess narrow slip oil p
20 20 per, opened it, and said: I
~ George, | have ever treated you
' il you were my son. In fact, youha
=" had more money from me than E
90 ward over required But You we
al not satisfied. In order to obtain mo
~ from mo, you have degraded yourse
~ Were | vindictively inclined, won
" have you arrested, and sent to Sta
80 Prison as forger But | now forgi
you. | will recognize this draft up
= my means, but, in 50 doing, | wit
w draw my confidence from you. Y
~ are at liberty to remain here q fl
days, but it is on the condition y
10 speak to no member Of the family i
,r less spoken to, and that. you viii
ho tire forever from it within six day
i0 Dayville drew long breath, as ii
- relieved of a heavy burden, and sal
' r., II was insane. sir, when / forged t
~ s check. You have forgiven me-
49, No. again feel free But will you not |
~ i me in possession Of the draft, that
~ may destroy it."
'"' "No, George, | will not concede
49, much to you. But this / will give y
- assurance of-that no human bel
H. shall ever know Of the fact save n
Dc self. The teller'o OF the bank is l
90 aware of it, neither is my son"
W. "o George Dayville retired from the
nn brary, but there was . sinister expr
' vd sion in bis face that for a NOM,
.r; w changed his entire aspect. Edws
Ia Glacey the elder, remainedsin the.
.n i brary. Alta late hour IN the evelR
'0' his wife entered it, wonderinga-ptc
or,,lnn0o1a aheotpa' EsSlfn@ fAt, nd n