Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-12

IN q position 10 repay all my dCbts, amonh
which this will necessarily stand foremost,
The old gentleman looked startled and
neryously fingered the paper he had let
fall, why do you say you will soon be in
a position to repay me? What do you mean
by that?"
The flush which had not yet subsidized
from the young mans face cbbed slowly
away as he encountered his fathers eye.
Il mean to work" he murmured. Il mean
to make a man of myself as soon as pos
sible."
The look which Mr.. Sutherland gave him
was more inquiring than sympathetic.
and you need this money for a star"
said he.
Frederick bowed; he seemed to be losing
the faculty Of speech. The clock over the
mantel had told of five of the precious
moments.
Il will give it to you" said his father,
and he drew out his check book. But he did
not hasten to open it, his eyes still rested
on his son.
Now" murmured the young man. There
is a train leaving soon. l wish to get it
away on that train"
His father frowned with natural distrust.
81 wish you would confde in me-" said
he,
Frederick did not answer. The hands of
the clock were moving on.
Il will give 1t, but | should like to know
what for"
Impossible" groaned the young man,
starting as he heard a step on the walk
without.
Your need has become strangely impera-
tive proceeded the other. Has Miss
Page"
Frederick took a step forward and laid
his hand on his fathers arm.
ara L., sol. "a. l-, - Ia, yrIfg,,,r,l 1T rnag
into. other hands"
Mr.. Sutherland, who had turned over the
document as his son approached, breathed
easier. Taking up his pen he dipped 1t in
the ink. Frederick watched him with ever
whitening cheek. The step on the walk had
mounted to the front door.
Min hundred and fifty? ?" inquired the
father.
Nine hundred and fifty" answered the
son.
The judge, with a last look, stopped over
the book. The hands of the clock pointed
to a quarter to 10.
Father, | have my whole future in which
to thank you" cried Frederick, Selling the
check his father held out to him and making
rapidly for the door. Il will be back before
midnight" And he flung himself down
stairs just as the front door opened and Wat
ties stepped in.
"Ah," exclaimed the latter, as his eye fell
on the paper futtering in the others hand,
II expected money; not paper"
THE paper is good" swered Frederick,
drawing him swiftly out of the house. ut
has my fathers signature upon it,"
Your fathers signature?'
yes"
Wattles gave it a look. then slowly shook
his head at Frederick.
as it as well DONE" said he, "as the one
you tried to pass off on Brady?"
Frederick cringed, and for a moment
looked as If the struggle was too much for
him. Then he rallied and cycling Wattles
firmly, said:
you have a right to your d%istrust, but
you are on the wroug track, Wattles. What
I did once it would be impossible for me to
do again; and l hope I may live to prove it.
AS for that check, l will soon prove it's value
in your eyes. Follow me upstairs to my
father"
His energy-the energy of despair, no
doubt-seemed to make an impression on
the other.
You might as well proclaim yourself a
forger outright, as to force your father to
declare this to be his signature" he OBJ
served.
81 Know it," said Frederick.
yet you will run that risk"
"If you oblige me-"
Wattles shrugged his shoulders. He YVES
a magnificent looking man and lowered in
that old colonial hall like a youthful giant.
81 bear you no i'll will" said he. "If
this represents money l am satisfied, and
began to think it does. But listen, Suther-
land. Something has happened to you. A
week ago you would have put a bullet
through my head before you would have
been willing to have so compromised your
self. think I know what that something
is. To save yourself from being thought
guilty of a big crime you are willing to
incur suspicion of a small one. It's a wise
move, my boy, but look out! No tricks
with me or my friendship may not hold.
Meantime, I cash this check tomorrow"
And he swung away through the night with
a grand opera selection on his lips.
Frederick looked like a man thoroughly
exhausted when the final echo of this hate
full voice died away on the hillside. For
the last twenty hours he had been the prey
of one narrowing emotion after another, and
human nature could endure no more, but
demanded rest.
But rest would not come. The position
in which he found himself between Amabel
and the man who had just left was Of too
threatening a nature for him to dwell upon
any thought, save how to avoid the doom
menacing him. Hiding himself in his room
he sought a way of escape. But one pre-
scented itself. 1t was a cowardly one, but
anything was better than to stand his
ground against two such merciless antagon-
lists as had arisen in his path. So he re-
solved upon flight.
Packing up a few necessarles and writing
a letter, which he left on the table to be
given to his father in the morning, he made
his way dow the stairs of the new dark
ened house to a door opening upon the gar
den. To his establishment, he found it I'M
locked, but, giving little heed to this in
his excitement, he opened it witt caution,
and, with a parting sigh for the sheltering
home he was about to leave forever, stepped
from the house he no longer felt worthy
to inhabit.
His intention was to take the train at
POrtcheste:, and that he might reach that
place without inconvanient encounters, he
had decided TO make use, as far as possible,
of the path through the fields. This led
him north and along the ridge that over
looks the road running around tue base Of
the hills.
But he did not think of this. or. indeed.