The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-16
The Globes Daily Short Story

Farley, l have q strange commnis-
sion from woman in Iowa-a Mrs Rose
| Fleming CFarley maintained his COM
| posture with terrific EFFORT. She is an
| old customer of mine and wants to get
trace of one John Fleming, her hus-
band, who deserted her and their child
twelve years ago. ] think l have found
him. He came East under an assumed
name and married an heiress with whom
he is living happily and by whom he has
son. He has gained an honorable
place in the business world and has
great ambition. l feel sorry for him,
don't your
Milton Farley's face was as white as q
sheet, but his hand was steady as he
lighted a cigar and his voice had not a,
tremor as he asked:
when do you propose to make this in
teresting discovery known?"
GAS soon as I have prepared his family
Qn which I am Interested and have ar
ranged some business affairs
Are you going to simply expose him
and give him chance to escape OF do
you propose to hunt him to the peniten-
tiary?'
Il have not determined. 1t depends
somewhat on his attitude regarding GER
tain property Of his second wife's which
he is now in control"
There was a long silence and Kirton
arose 20 go.
by the way, can you come around to
the house tonight? have some matters
1 would like to talk with you about re-
marked Farley
mot tonight" replied the old man, tri-
umphantly. II will have to remain at
the Office and complete my work on this
interesting case spoke of just now"
For hours Farley sat with white. drawn
e., a..
Precipitation standing out on his face. FL
nally an expression of determination over
spread his eountenance. He glanced at
his clock. 1t was just 3. He called his
Stenographer.
81 have a few important letters to write,
but 1 have a short errand first. You Will
wait until l return"
He was back before and dictated
some business letters in cold, method
ical manner, and then hurried home. That
evening he went to the theater and oc-
cupied prominent box with his wife.
The next morning the city was startled
by the discovery of the dead body OF
Joel Kirton found in his private office
with the skull crushed in and the blood
and brain-covered poker on the floor
showed the manner of his death. In the
crate were the charred embers of pa
pers and books. At the inquest the clerk
leSlLieu tudt he leil the ONCE dL a.
o'clock, Kirton being. at that time in his
private Office, working over some books
and papers. Nobody was seen to enter
the Office after that time. The letter
copy books for some years back were
missing, as were the contents of tin
box marked private" which had been
the depository of papers which he never
allowed his clerk to see. Despite the
large reward offered by the authorities
and the still larger one offered by Milton
Farley on behalf of the Murray estate,
the murderer was uot discovered.
Milton Farley aged rapidly after the
death of Joel Kirton and he grew more
reserved and silent as his hair whitened
and the lines in his face deepened-as
they did rapidly. his business grew ana
he maintained his place as the leading
business man of the city, but he gave
up his ambition for public life and is
seldom seen excepting at his office or his
home.