Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-06-25


than giving up the worthless lucre which
she did not need
Love is never happier than when max
ing sacrifices,
Yes, she would risk it,
A firm resolution established itself in
her mind A quiet calm came over her
/ after the intense excitement. She would
need all her GOODNESS and seif-eOmmand.
Hattie Beckford went back TO the
| hotel and inquired whether her brother
was in. No he was gone out. Then
she asked for the key 10 his room. She
would there wait for him. The clerk
| knew her and readily complied.
She was in her brothers room Where
/ could he keep what she wanted? There
was no desk in the room In one Of
| those bureau drawers, no doubt. But
they were locked. All. this hotel furni-
ture is so poorly made, almost any key
will fit.
She fumbled in her pocket for a bunch
/ Of keys This one must fit All, yes,
| admirably
Her hand trembled little as she
| turned the key and opened the drawer.
| Hattie BeckfOrd opening anOther's draw
er in order TO abstract something from
it.
But this was no time for hesitation or
! conscientious scruplesi With an effort Of
/ her will she steadied her hand.
Here lay what she was looking for
/ Walters checkbO1k. Hastily she tore
/ of few of the blanks and put them in
/ her pocket. Then she locked the drawer
and left the room
In her own room she found a letter Of
| Walters. She looked at the signature.
She had always been good at copying
drawings That would serve her in good
stead now.
The first attempt did not succeed very
well. But she tried again and again,
| and, after having practiced for five min
| utes, she could write the name Of oval
| ter II Warringham" so that nobody
would distinguish it from the original
Then she filed out one Of the blank
checks:
~Pay to Miss Hattie Beckford or order
$50, OOO."
Now came the most hazardous part of
| her undertaking.
Providing herself with a strong leath-
ern hand sachel, she went boldly into
the bank Office. 1t was nearly the hour
of closing.
With tremendous effort of will she
restrained her excitement when she
handed the check TO the paying teller.
The teller knew her we'll He also
knew that Walter had deposited so large
a sum only Professionally, in order TO
presently employ it otherwise. He was
therefore not particularly surprised at
seeing the young lady call with check
for so great an amount He counted
out the money in bank-nOtes and green
backs OF high denominations, arranged
it for her in the sachel, and Hattie was
gone.
Half an hour later she was on the
train en- route TO New York, where she
meant to take passage for Germany, in
order to personally deliver the money To
him whom she thought TO be its rightful
owner.
Her plan had succeeded admirably SO
far. But when the pressing necessity
of appearing unconcerned relaxed, hel
nervous system broke down. AS she SAT
, III the railway carriage she could nc
longer prevent an outbreak of neFv
, Gus weeping. much as she tried
to conceal her tears from the
other passengers. Fortunately there
were but few passengers in the car, and
they seemed too preOccupied with their
, own affairs to pay attention TO the
young lady, who was burying her face
in her pOcket-handkerchief. Besides
she was still in deep mourning the
? best apparent reason for her evident
distress, and the best protection against
obtrusiYe curiosity.
Hattie thought over what she haC
J done! Forged her cousins name to {
check! She was a criminal then, anC
, would be sent to the penitentiary!
The young girl shuddered.
\ But no. 1t was not sol She had only
taken what belonged to her, and shi
, was going to do with it what duty de
l manded- Besides, she had little to fear
| The forgery could not possibly be de
tected until tomorrow, perhaps no
. then, net even for several days. b.
: that time she would be on the high sea-
| And would Walter prosecute his owl
( cousin? Surely not.
] 81 ,
4 had done quite right
= Then she began thinking of Ralph
and how thankful he must be 10 her
/, | All, how sweet to think that if he die
not love her with the love she felt TO
him, he must at least be thankful TO her
p And she felt proud Of what she haC
! donei
4 The train sped onward through TIT
> night toward the sea-bOard, where tn
steamer was awaiting her.
3, Soon she would see Ralph.
Walter Warringham was in fine rag
! when he learned what his cousin ha'
! done.
i Ninety thousand dollars gonel VIII
would have thought that the silly CIR
: would be capable Of such rascally Diee
of business?
! At the same time, he could not he'll
: admiring the bOldness of the scheme.
: Ninety thousand dOllarsl There wa
= nothing small about that girl
Mr.. Warringham was probably vague
: | ly conscious that he would take such
sum wherever he could get it, and n,
questions asked But he would prob
/, ably lack the nerve to get it in this man
q ner.
4. His first impulse was, naturally, I
have the fOrger pursued and prosecuted
Y but he thought better of it.
I Having pledged the bank officials I
4 strict silence, ne resolved to drop not
: word about it.
D In the first place, such a course woul
r prevent a public scandal And Waite
o did not like scandals; they interfere
! with his comfort.
4 Secondly, Hattie was n very silly CIR
a after AL. She had ninety thousand do
lars, to be sure But by far the larges
part OF her fortune was still in hi
hands, and he was determined that
should remain there. not for three year
only but forever.
= What could Hattie do aboutit If sh
came forward to claim it, she would
I liable to be arrested and sent TO prison
She would surely be careful to keep on
. of the way.
: So he was the winner in that game
4 after all
Mr.. Walter Warringham's rage wa
gone. On the contrary, he was in a NOR
contented mood than for a long tim
I past
y The waiter at the club stared when h
received q whole dollar as fee from Nj
:, Warringham that night. That gentle
, man had never yet been known to Civ
more than a quarter.
The waiter took the dollar, an
Q brushed Walters coat with especial dt
; votion- But he could not explain it