San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-11-03

ly learned, but after all he was much
better hearted old fellow than gave him
credit for being, as events soon showed.
When he left me. | was not only sorely
troubled about my financial position.
but very angry with him and deter
mined that at all costs would be quit Of
him forever, and that in way which
would leave him no excuse for saying
anything disagreeable about me. So |
went to my lawyer, Mr.. McQuillop, and
directed him to procure for me by mort
gaging my homestead, fine farm near
the town, a sum which would enable Inc
to wipe out Mr.. Bunker's by no means
silent" interest in my affairs and enable
me to continue the business alone.
Imagine if You can my surprise when
on returning to the store found a note
from Mr.. Bunker:
MY DEAR BoY-Don't be riled over hasty
words spoken in anger You are all right,
know, and worse sufferer than l shall be by
the fellows - rascality, but l was ratified
when you spru:g it on me. inclose check TO
meet draft. Call on me if you want any more.
And in the note was his check for
S7S5.
My i'll feeling melted away like fog in
the sunshine. Still did not send word
to the lawyer TO stop on the task had
given him.
That evening when the store was
closed | set myself to examining the
books, which Harold had kept. OF course
] did not expect 10 find anything wrong
in them, but it always seems to be the
correct thing when anything unexpected
occurs in commercial life to examine the.
books. AS ! expected, they We're all
right-not cent out of the way. While
| was Just nearing that comforting con-
clusion there came gentle tapping at
the door, and when l opened it there, to
my surprise. stood Annie Bunker. She
was flushed and almost breathlesS from
the haste she made in coming, no doubt.
but thought she never looked prettieI
than then. and Annie always was a pref
ty girl. AS opened the door she glided
in quickly and laid on the counter lit
tie bund, :. she had been carrying.
ooh, III Merrivale" she exclaimed
What is the truth about it? Papa has
been saying such dreadful things, you've
no idea! And I'm sure poor Harold never
did anything of the sort, but he won't
listen to reason at all and says he will
hunt him down and put him in states
prison if it costs him $1,000, and surely
something must have happened to him,
don't you think SOP
e;,,,,,l,, rarIia1 GSVaS
Long, intimate and happy association
with my dear Celia had familiarized me
with the way excited young women talk,
and taught me what is sufficient in re-
spending to them at such times. All one
needs to do is to agree with them, or at
least seem to do so, in order to get along
admirably. That affirmative word was
all Annie wanted, for to her it seemed
perfect assent to all that was affirmation
in her mind, and, as she imagined, com
mitted me to looking with her eyes upon
her lovers delinquency.
Il want YOU" she went on, unwrap-
ping the bundle and exposing an old
fashioned jewel box, Ito do something
for me. don't know enough about bust
ness to say how it is to be done, but you
can fix all that if | provide the means,
as | will Papa is furious; says he is go
ing to lose whole lot of money by Har-
Odds going away, and it is for that, | I'M
derstand, he is going to have him put in
prison Now, rely on you to stop that
| don't care how appearances may be
against him, I'm sure Harold has never
done anything wrong. He never intend
ed TO rob anybody, did he?"
OF course | said No" Catch me argu-
ing with her!
II have here the diamonds my mother
left me- They have been handed down
from mother to daughter in our family
for hundreds of years, and no doubt
Providence intended them to be pre-
served until now to save an innocent
man from undeserved shame. Papa said
he was going to the city to 'catch'-that
was his very word, Mr.. Merrivale, to
'catCh'-Harold and would take you with
him. ! want you to carry these dla-
monds along, sell them and have imita-
ton stones put in the settings. lnever
wear them, you know, and papa will
never stop to see whether the real ones
are there if he just sees something in the
case when he looks, as he sometimes does.
And ! want you to use the money they
bring to somehow deprive my father OF
an excuse for sending Harold Linden to
prison"
From the jewels when she opened the
case flashed such food of scintillant
light as almost dazzled me. do notpro-
fess to be an expert on diamonds, but
something of their value is known to me,
and am sure those little white stones
Annie was so willing to give to save her