The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-12
The Carroll Forg cry.


no way to prove you were right? That
was my case exactly the first time
set eyes on Genevieve Carroll, the love
~. petted daughter OF Major Carroll
She came il the office with her father
one morning and stood near the
radiator Just then Chief Dens-
low and the Major came out OF the inae-
room and Carroll. grasping me by the
hand, presented ME to his daughter
'sIr. Hamilton /. the new man Dens-
low has just put on this forgery case o.
mine he said.
Miss Carroll showed a row of whita
teeth between her full red lips ''Then
We, shall meet often, dare say, Ar.
Hamilton" Sac said
Her manner was easy and gracious,
and what any stranger would expect on
meeting. woman for the Srst time. Yet
I told myself we surely should meet Of
ten, for I was confident that this woman
with the alluring dark eyes and tangled
mass Of brilliant red hair. knew more
concerning the forged notes FOR $4,000
than she cared to have her father know.
The notes had come due two weeks be-
fore. and suspicion had conferred on
Dick" Carroll, the Majors nephew, q
reckless young blood. always in deb
and, also, on a seemingly prosperous
OEOkSEs arthur w inter DOkAdiAis &NOAlAtla-
could be proven. and the case seemed
doomed to remain mystery.
"a mighty fine, smart woman, Miss
Carroll" Denslow remarked. as the Ma
jor and his daughter drove away.
Yes / said, $50 fine and smart that
Pr going to keep my eye on her."
what do you nean?"
''Nean? That I never saw woman
vet with her eyes and haid who was not
as tricky as the devil"
She's CAROLS own daughter"
"All the more reason to watch her, old
man" I said
Saying and thinking are not-proving.
Although I had Miss Carroll watched
Wight and day, I learned nothing to aid
me in ry case. She was an extrava-
CANT woman, yet all the money she
used was accounted for and noted in
her father. bank book Her father had
spent a year in Cuba three months pre-
vious to the notes becoming due, and in
that time Miss Carroll wss not allowed
to overdraw her generous allowance.
And in no instance had she expended
any amount which savored Of the forged
$4,000. I sought for an object TO induce
the forgery and my mind turned to
her cousin and Winterbotham. The lat
ter was not even on calling terms at the
Carroll home, when ten years previous,
when Genevieve was Is, he had foolish
ly been a sutton for her Hand.
Between Miss Carroll and myself there
was an unspoken understanding. I was
convinced Of her guilt, and she knew it.
Yet Withal she was charming to me, in
viting ne to her home so oftes that
soon I became a fixture. I laughed TO
myself as 1 figured on ser motive. Sac
course through love OF her. AS I had
never cared much for any woman. CON
sidered myself proof against them all,
and rushed headlong into her net I adj
mired her beauty. her wit, her amiability
and devotion 10 her father, but
thought that was all, until
We were alone in the small drawing
room one evening, she and 7. talking
those bright nothings young people en-
Joy. The conversation drifted to love and
marriage, and almost before I knew it
I had her hand In mine and had told her
I loved her. AS she turned her large
eyes to mine in answer a horror struck
my heart, and springing TO my feet I
grasped her by the shoulders and asked,
fercely:
'"Why did you forge those notes?"
She did not speak. but gazed at me in
silent appeal.
sneak! You got the money for them?"
1 cried.
yes, I got the money" Genevieve
said, so low I scarcely heard.
stepped back and looked at her. She
did not look like a guilty woman sitting
there on the couch with the light on her
wonderous hair and the love I had pro-
voked stiI lingering in her eyes. I felt
Ike a brute a cur, a something never
to be honored or respected again. At
that moment I would have siver my
soul to have believed her isnocent.
Guilty. why had she not denied it?
"Genevieve. Genevieve! You a crimi-
nall" I cried
AS the hard word fell from my lips
she started as though I had struck her,
and covering her face with her hands
she threw herself on the couch. while
heavy sobs shook her from head 70 foot.
Ia vain I tried to comfort her I told
her her secret was safe. I would give
IN the case and quit the service I
would 20 away. I should always love
her. but I would never see her again.
At length she begged me 10 leave her
alone, so 7 kissed her rudy hair and
went. leaving her still sobbing with her
hands over ser face.
Denslow Was furious when I left.
Called me a fool and hurled every other
epithet or ike nature at me that h
could think Of. But I was firm and
went back home 10 Boston and began
the study OF law.
A month later I picked UP a paper
one morning and read OF the ruin u
Major Carroll Even his home was
swept away. All OF sis property rad
been r1ortgaged for years. and now had
l. -
The private fortune OF Miss Genevieve
carroll. estimated at $4,000. and left her
bv her mother. Major Carroll. estimated
at 800 .0GO, and left her 5y her mother,
Major Carroll would be reduced to b, g
gary" the article ras. This. then vas
the reason The property had been
nortsa zed FOR years. A woman o. her
ewes and aair is a. tricky AZ the devil,
ran through my head.
I plunged into my studies with renew
ed energy. A year later I met Deuslow
On the street. and took MIN home tn
NE for dinner.
'.Bv the way" RE said. Major Car
roll Ci.d last week"
I was shocked.
"Queerest taiag about that forgery
case: never could place the guilt -
went on 'Rut right after the Major
death Miss Carroll made cord tse
amount Of those notes 70 the last per
az. 5000 In all you see. ny b1y, You
wsre mistaken IN her after al"
Efter se sad sose ] sat down. late g.
L was. and wrote Gensvieve letter
her tor the re2arat!1n sBe
,as made, aad ending BY telling her
still loved Der. ard II she wouif MARI
ne 7 would BE the hsPpiest man =
Earth. Neitser ore ~ - was wealthy
aoz but I VI. very comfortably hzf5,
ard w-ul4 soon graduate e. prf--
sfo. rustei out zse mailed f. - =
any overwhelming sense % sczor -o1'8
-seIse me - repert. A; tns same the
,<aaevisve yas whiting 20 re E5t re-
-ota win ;se rext morning in ire ssyy