Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-16
CHAPTER Nv.

The d~ictation and copy finished together,
Demorest laid the freshly written sheet be
side the letter Stacy had produced. They
were very much alike. and yet quite distinct
from each other. Only the signature seemed
identical.
That's the invariable mistake with the
forger,'' said Demorest; "he always forgets
that signatures ought to be identical with the
text rather than with each other"
But Stacy did not seem to hear this or
require further nroof. His face was quite
gray and his lips compressed until lost in his
closely set beard as he gazed fxedly out of
the window. For the first time really con-
cerned and touched, Demorest laid his hand
gently on his shoulder,
Tell me, Jim, how much does this mean
to yoi-apart from me? Don't think of me-
Il don't know yet" said Stacy slowly.
That's the trouble. And l won't know until
l know who's at the bottom of it. Does any
body know Of your affairs with me?'
mo one"
"Nd confidential friend, eh?'
None"
"No one who has access to your secrets?
No-no-woman? Excuse me, Phil he said,
as a peculiar look passed over Gemorests
face, but this is business .
NO." he returned, with that gentleness
that used to ~frighten them in the old days.
It's ignorance. You fellows always say
Cherchez la femme when you can't say any
thing else. Come now" he went on moro
brightly, look at the letter. Here's a man
commercially educated, for he has used the
usual business formulas, on receipt of this
and 'advices received which I wont merely
say | don't use, but which few but CONNER
cial men use. Next, here's a man who uGes
| slang, not only inaptly, but artificially. to
| give the letter the easy, familiar turn it
hasn't from beginning to end. ! need only
say, my dear Stacy, that l don't write slang
to you, but that nobody who understands
slang ever writes 1t In that way. And then
the knowledge of my opinion of Barker is
| such as might be gained from the reading OF
my letters by a person who couldn't compre-
bend my feelings. Now, let me play in
quisitor for a few moments. Has anybody
| access to my letters to your
mo one. l keep them locked up in 2
cabinet. l only make memorandum of your
instructions, which l give to my clerks, but
never your letters"
But your clerks sometimes see you make
memorandums from them?"
"Yes; but none of them have the ability tc
do this sort of thing, nor the opportunity OF
%proiting by it,
Has any woman-now this is not %retalla-
ton, my dear Jim, for l fancy | detect a
woman's cleverness and a woman's stupidity
in this forgery-any access to your secrets OF
my letters? A woman's villainy is always
! effective for the moment, but always defective
when probed."
Thu look of scorn which passed over
StRcy's face was quite as distinct as Dem
orest's previous protest, as he said contempt-
uously: Tn not such a fool as to mix "
petticoats with my business, whatever | do
We'll, enc thing more. l have told yot
that in my opinion the forger has a com
mercial education or style, that he doesn''
know me nor Barker, and doesn't understant
slang. Now, / have to add what must have
occurred to you, Jim, that the forger j!
either a coward or his object is not altogether
mercenaly, for the same ability displayed II
this letter would on the signature alone
had it been on a check or draft-drawn from
your bank twenty times the amount con
cerned. Now, what is the actual loss by thi!
forgery?"
Very little, for you've got a good price fo
your stocks, considering the depreciation il
realizing suddenly on so large an amount.
told my broker to sell slowly and in small
quantities to avoid a panic. But the real los
Is the control of the stock
But the amount | had was not enough t.
affect that said Demorest.
mo, but l was carrying myself a large
amount, and together we controlled the mar
ket, and now / have unloaded, too"
You sold out! and with your doubts?
said Demorest.
That's just it," said Stacy. locking stead
lily at his companions face, because 1 had
doubts, and it won't do for me to have them.
l ought either to have disobeyed your letter
and kept your stock and nv own or have