The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-24

me- she said Mt last. "You have done
too much for me to let me doubt your
sentiments. Will you not let me prove
nv affection in my turn? MAY | not
lend you money? You may return it
when you please"
She had put n roll of bills in ms hand
before knew what she was about.
at cannot accept your proposition"
7 answered. putting the money away
from me.
For the first time she seemed TO lose
self command.
"You will not let me do you a serv-
ice?"
mot Of that nature" was my reply.
"Does that mean that you really do
not care for me?"
/ cast down my eyes without reply
ing. In another r,oment ! was encir-
'cled by her left arm, and her right hand
had plunged n dagger into my breast.
l knew that my only safety lay in
utter non-resistance. Lombroso, in
his wonderful pathological studies, has
revealed the effect upon murderesses
of this course. Ny intuition did not
~betrayAme. In n moment she had
withdrawn her weapon, and was kiss
ing me tenderly. Ny blood iaved us
both.
"Why do you madden meP" she said,
when / had arisen and was dressing my
wound. more painful than serious. J
was forced to remain In a hospital bed
that night, but when ! reached home on
the following evening I noticed, for the
first time, a change In Margaret. II
was SO marked that I felt certain she
had In some way been made aware OF
my double life. The question TINT sug-
gested itself was this; Did she know of
Gladys, or had her discovery to do
with my defalcation? I could not de-
termine.
So a new element of pain came into
my life. My old sweet communion WITH
N~--r~c' ,vn" '~- - ~ o1d.
I finally resolved to abandon the
whole imbroglio. Discovery and de-
lection were better than this. / could
only get ten years at most. AS for
killing Margaret, the deed was l
could not bring myself to. Suicide I
bad not courage for.
OF course, Meldon was furious. He
raved and swore madly when ! definite
ly refused to implicate myself in any
more Of the defaulters' leagues enter
prises.
"Do you mean TO turn informcr?"
he asked.
mo, but / intend TO let discovery
overtake me. 1 will confess my own
crime, but will implicate on one else"
Meldon left me after making threats
20 which | paid no attention.
Well, detection came. There were
irregularities in my accounts which I
refused to explain, simply because I
could not. Imereiy told the president
OF the bank hat / was s200,000 short.
Then ensusd a sensation, but not quite
Of the nature i had expected. i was
placed under arrest.
The next morning i found, by the
newspapers, that 1 had been adjudged
u ~lunatic. a very circumstnntial
story was printed to the effect that
constant brooding over the eases of de.
faulters had made q young bank clerk
-myself-crazy. l had then told the
president of the institution that / was
n defaulter in a heavy sum. An imme-
date investigation followed, and the
funds were found intact. Mr.. Meldon
was particularly prominent In the af.
fair. lie vas quoted. rs my friend, TO
the effect hat l had talked wildly
about defaulters at various times.
instantly OWNED what Meldon had
done. The league had made good my
shortage without taking me into their
plan. When my confession came ] was
adjudged mad, for the banks funds
were intact