Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-08-30

ened like the others and worked for
his salary, and not for glory, and took
as little responsibility as possible and
did as little work as was compati-
bic with the holding of his job. And
he became blase and lost most of his
cid-time enthusiasm and interest. He
never lost his pride in getting a scoop
nor in turning in a good story-no
Torn reporter does that, but he be-
came as the others, stolid, Indifferent
and more or less hopeless.
This was the frame of mind in
which he found himself one fine after.
noon when, as he sat chewing cigar
and fuming inwardly over his lost
hopes, he was sent out to ''do" SEN
sational embezzlement story. 1t
proved considerable of puzzler and
the assignment lasted several days.
Finally all his fighting blood became
aroused and he buclkled down to the
mystery with his old-time enthusiasm
and fidelity. While roofing around
night and day picking up loose ends
of the story and running down i'm
possible clues, he accidentally stun
bled upon a most peculiar fact which
set him off upon a scent wholly out
and beyond the lines being pursued
by the other reporters and the police.
The clue led him straight into a de-
nouement so startling as nearly to
floor him. Before he knew whittier
his Investigations were leading him
he stumbled full into the fact that
Herbert Knox, the son of "the old
man. as the city editor was called,
was beyond peradventure the embez-
zler and that he had covered his
crime so carefully by forgery that sus-
s-s- L. Il
several others, but had been wholly
diverted from him. Indeed, in the or
binary course of events he would have
been the last person toward whom it
could have been directed.
The discovery not oply surprised
him, but it unnerved him. Herbert
was the pet and idol of his father and
his appearance and record warrant
ed all the pride and affection be-
slowed upon him. He was a hand
some and apparently frank youth,
filed with good nature and gifted
with high ability He had gone
through the schools and university
with high honors and was of such ex-
emplary character that he had never
given his parents a moments uneasi-
ness He had no bad habits that any
one had ever heard of and was in very
fact a model young man. After his
graduation his father, brushing aside
with indignation the suggestion that
the lad should follow in his footsteps,
had secured him a position in a great
financial establishment.
dub about in a cheap newspaper
job and get worse off the older he
grows? l think not!" exclaimed
Knox, ST., with spirit. "Aint one in
a family enough to get on dead one?
No. stree. that boy is going to have
the benefit of my hard experience.
But he did much more and landed
Herbert in a very good position In
big institution where there was plenty
of chance to be pushed ahead And
Herbert had made good with his en-
ployers and had been rapidly ad-
vanced until he was entrusted with
grave responsibilities and drew a larg-
er salary than his sire. And it was
the one enthusiasm of s.the old mans"
life Herb was forever on his
tongue and forever in his mind
1t was to this fact that Dicks mind
reverted the moment he realized the
significance of his discovery. His
first impulse was to save the ''old
man" from this awful pit that was
opening under his feet.
But he had not spared him, Dick
thought grfmly, and had given him
cold notice that the very next time
he failed to turn in his story as he
found it he would be discharged
Let him take his medicine" said
Dick. setting his lips, ominously- Il
will follow the letter of the law"
So he went to the office, sat down
and wrote his story 1t was pass
ing good one, forsooth, there being
plenty of inspiration both in the nov
city of the facts, the sensational quail
ity and best of all. in the fact that
Dick knew well enough that the story
was clean scoop- When 1t was nr-