The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-06-26

after this day you will never E me
again"
stared at him, and he held out his
hand to me.
Swear what 1 have asked you; by
all that you hold sacred, swear"
1 TOOK his hand and complied with
his wish.
why shall we not see you sgain?"
| asked, when he had resumed his seat.
He laughed; then, selecting a pen
from a small collection on a writing
table, he wrote on the back of an en-
velope and tossed the paper over to
me.
What is that?" he asked; and I
looked upon it with amazement.
1T is my signature" 1 faltered. "An
imitation of my signature"
ut is a forgery. is it not?"
Eyes, but l don't quite see the drift
of the business"
'The business speaks for itself, my
dear fellow" and he tossed his cigar
end into the CRATE. at is my business
i am a forger!" There was a pause.
Sharp was smiling, while 1 felt as if
some one was pouring ice water down
the small of my back. I could only
murmur: You are a forger!"
listen. You know, of course, that
Gracie's mother was my sister. The
Sharps were poor as church mice, and
my father, a strict old parson, got me
into a London Office when l was a mere
boy. / shall not drivel about tempta-
tion and so on: be it enough to say that
my talent for drawing and penman-
ship made me friendless for life before
l was II years of age. To be quite plain
with you, l spent the halcyon days of
dawning manhood in Portland prison.
Oracle knows nothing of this, and no
member of my family heard of me for
years, until / came to the rescue of nv
sister when old Farleigh died, for T
was well off then. Farleigh was not in
sured, and left my sister badly off, and
so l helped her out and paid for Gracie's
education.
THE story goes that I made my
money in America, but I am able to
correct that statement for your benefit.
On my release from prison I threw in
my lot with two of the most daring
criminals of the high grade and, al
though we had some narrow shaves in
our time, we were never captured.
"Since Oracle came to live with me
Cher mother as you know. died a year
ago. l have often feared that by some
odd chance l might be to earth, and
| set to work to get her settled in time
in a position that she has always en-
joyed. I would rather die than that she
should know me for the villain I have
been.
Thanks to you, this will never hap
pen now. In a few days you will hear
that l have gone abroad. l shall die
there (offfcially), and you will hear
of me no more. It will be your part
to assist me in deceiving Grace in this
one matter. You have married a lady,
and n who will do you credit"
A tap came at the door and my lovely
young wife walked into the room. l
was looking and feeling confused.
81 have been giving Jack some whole
some advice, my dear" said Sharp, COM
ing to my rescue. Then, in a sterner
voice and looking very hard at me: "He
will love and cherish you. dear. as I
have done. He has sworn to do So"
Grace threw her arms about his neck.
This man had taught her to love him
very dearly. The carriage was at the
door, and Sharp would give me no
chance of speaking to him again. Tears
were glistening in his eyes as he
watched his niece getting into the cab,
but he did not offer his hand to me;
he only laid it on my shoulder and
whispered: Remember"
MANY wears have DaSSpd AWAY and T