The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-11-22
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
ABSOLUTELY PURE

Kingsley, with look of distress Il am
not asking why you are here God knows
| am glad to see you What | want to
know is what has brought you to this
this-condtion? | cannot believe that YOU
have voluntarily adopted the life of a.
"Of tramp?' he said, finishing her SEN
tence with bitter smile
Pardon me-" she added hastily; Il
have no right to question you. Pray, don't
misjudge my motive. l know that you
are not to blame for the change in your
of wrong act"
He gave her sharp look, as if he would
read her thoughts
THAT is a remarkable statement" he
said, slowly. "Can it be that you have for
gotten why ran away from home five
years ago?'
'Ihave not forgotten the miserable story
that was told at that time," she replied,
since. Mr.. CRANKY, my unhappy brother
has told me everything.
The man started.
HE has told me-" continued the woman,
her face white with suppressed excitement,
that it was he and not you who forged
the check for $l5,0OO"'
"He told YOU that" Good heavens.
does your father know"
My father and mother have both gone
to another world, Mr. CRANKY Robert
and have been orphans for three years.
1t was not until after their death that he
made his confession to me. He told me
of his youthful infatuation for gambling
and horse races: how he became so deep
ly involved that in moment of deSpera-
ton, to avert the disgrace he saw staring
him in the face, he forged the signature of
a depositOr in fathers bank, hoping thus
to retrieve his losses and replace the money
before its withdrawal was discovered
You, as teller of the bank, cashed the check
without suspicion. Afterward, when the
money was squandered and Robert real
lied that he could not hope to conceal his
crime, he contided in you and begged You
to help him out of his trouble. He said
that his exposure would kill his mother,
bring disgrace upon his family, and cause
his father to forever disown him. Then it
was that you sacrificed yourself to save
him and his family. You told him you
would divert suspicion from him if he
would keep his own counsel and promise
on his oath to never gamble again You
kept your word by suddenly disappearing,
tnuS bringing suspicion upon yourself, so
that when the forgery was discovered no
body could doubt that you We're the crimi-
nal, and that YOU had fled to escape the
consequences of your crime Oh, it was
noble thing to do. Not one man in
million could have made such a sacrifice"
Miss kingsley's voice betrayed her agita-
ton now and there were tears in her eyes.
But YOU do not know what a shock it was
to-to-father and the rest of us to be
forced to believe you guilty. We had such
faith in you. Thank heaven. the story
never got into the papers. Robert and l
have tried hard for two years to find some
trace of you, that we might make such
reparation as lay in our power. And Rob
ert says that in some mysterious way the
bank has recovered the amount that was
lost on the forged check including the in
terest'
Maurice CRANKY, by this time, was smil-
ing with the air of a man who has had a
great burden lifted from his mind.
IL am glad you know the truth, " he said,
with an expression of profund relief.
when left New York | went west and
enlisted in the regular army under an
assumed name. served five years. But
friend--a young lawver-and when my
aunt in Virginia died last spring, making
me her sole heir, had my friend convert
the property into cash and turn it over to
| the bank There was just enough, with
what | had been able to save from my pay
as soldier, to replace the $4,000 with the
accrued interest | had assumed the debt. .
YOU know, and thought ought to pay it.
! On leaving the army started back to New
/ York. where | still had Il few friends. |
through, so | concluded that tramp of a
hundred miles or so would do me no harm,
| am accustomed to marching.
You have outdone Don OuiXote him
self" exclaimed Miss Kingsley. "Ofcourse
every dollar of that money will be return
ed to YOU, and my fortune and Robert 5
are at your disposal"
But, after all said CRANKY, seriously,
''vou must not give me too much credit
for what | have done. Perhaps | would
have heSitated if your ans yer to that au-
daciouS note of mine had not made me
wretchcd. Do you remember it | felt
that | had nothing to live for after that.
OF course, don't blame you; it was the
worst kind of presumption on my part, a
poor man to offer myself"
Don't say that :" she interrupted, with
a note of entreaty in her voice. Il could
90 down upon my knees to you now, in
your rags, and beg your forgiveness for
wounuing YOU was young then and
scarcely knew my own mind, but Il
found out-afterward-
"Nictoria ',
But we are wasting precious time she
said hastily, glancing at her watch. "Do
YOU know this is Thanks giving day 2
| am to have some guests for dinner. You
are to stay and dine with us.
..I1 In these clothpS >"
My brother has a room and 4 ward
robe here, and am sure his clothes will
just fit you. You will find everything you