The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-10-11

All this while had he been thinking
only Of himself? All this while, why
had he not written to Flora? IT peni-
tential tenderness he took her hand,
and, to his awe and trouble, 1t 4 re-
manned In his, compliant. A voice
told him this was Flora, after all-told
him so quietly, yet with thrill Of
singing NJ. 0
And you never married2'' said he.
No, John; n never married. che
replied.
The hall clock striking two recalled
them to the sense of time. s 5s
"And now" said she. you have been
fed and warmed, and have heard your
story, now it's high time to call your
brother"
"Ohr cried John, chap-fallena do
you think that absolutely necessary.
Il can't keep you here; am a stran-.
ger" said she. Do you want to run
away again !? Thought you had
enough Of that" Il Il q
He bowed his head under the fe-
proof. She de5pised him, be reflected,
as he sat once more alone; monstrous
thing for a woman to, despise a man;
and strangest of all, she seemed to like
him. Would his brother despise him,
too? And would his brother like him?
And presently the brother appeared,
under Flora's escort; and, standing
afar off beside the doorway, eyed the
hero of this tale
So this is you? he said, .at length.
Yes, Aiiek,S It's meit,s john re-
Piled the elder brother, feebly. 4.
and how did you get in here?y
inquired the younger
oh, / had ny pass-keys,' says John.
The, deuce you had::'f said Alexan-
der All, you lived in a better world!
There are. no pass keys going now.
Well. father was always averse to
them, " sighed John And the CONVEX
sation then broke down, and the broth
ers looked askance at one another In
silence.
Well, and what the devil are we to
do said Alexander. Il suppose IL the
authorities got wind Of you, you would
be taken up"
1t depends on whether they'v found
the body or not" returned John. And
then there's that cabman, to be surep,
'.oh, bother the body" said Alexan-
der. Il mean about the other thing.
That's serious
Ie hot xr,ta fafl L
about?" asked John. II don't even
know what 1t Is.
About your robbing your bank in
California. Of course, replied Alexan-
der
1t was plain, from Flora's face, that
this was the FIRST she had heard Of it;
1t was palmer still, from Johns, that
lie was innocent.
'In' he exclaimed. Il rob my bank!
My God! Flora, this is too much; even
you must allow that
Meaning you didn't" asked Alex
ander.
Il never robbed soul in all my
days" cried John; except my father,
il you call that robbery; and brought
him back the money in this room, and
he wouldn't even take itr
Look here, John, said his brother.
tlet us have no misunderstanding up
on this. Macewen saw my father; he
told him bank you had worked for in
San Francisco was wiring over the
habitable globe to have you collared---
that 1t was supposed you had nailed
thousands; and ii was dead certain you
had nailed three hundred. So Macewen
said, and wish you would be careful
how you answer. / may tel you, also,
that your father paid the three hun
dred on the spot.
Three hundred?'1 repeated John.
Three hundred pounds, you mean ?
That's fifteen hundred dollars. Why,
then, it's Kirkman!'' he broke out.
Thank heaven! can explain all that.
gave them to Kirkman to pay 1t for
nue. the night before left fifteen hum
dred dollars, and letter to the man
ager. What do they suppose | would
steal fifteen hundred dollars for? I'm
rich; / struck it rich in stocks. It's the
.silliest stuff ever heard of. All that's
needed is to cable TO the manager:
Kirkman has the fifteen hundred find
kirkman. He was a fellow-clerk Of
mine, and hard case; but to do him
justice, didn't think he was as hard
as this"
And what do you say to that,
Alick?" asked Flora.
Il say the cablegram shall go to-
.night!'' cried Alexander, with energy.
Answer prepaid, too. If this can be
cleared away and upon my word | do
believe it can we shall all be able to
hold up our heads again. Here, you
John, you stick down the address of
your bank MANAGE. You. Flora, you