Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-18

| We'll discover 1t, no doubt
Mortimer felt like one dead. indeed, as
| dishonored man he were better dead. Tn
bank was like mausoleum, and he a los
| spirit haunting its precincts in quest of tn
| undeffled body that had been his but yes
| terday.
Cass. the teller, certainly Stunned him a.
he would leper. Lane. vindictively pleased
| that he had unearthed the villain, drew hi
| small soul into she'll of cold, studious pc
| likeness, much sea-cuckoo might hous'
his unpleasant body in a discarded castl'
| of pink and white.
Alan Porter was late. he had not com,
| yet Mortimer waited in suffering suspens,
| for his appearance. What would come o
| 1t all? Now that the money was replaced
| If the boy admitted his guilt to Crane
| probably no further action would be taken
| but he would be dishonored in the sight OF
| his employers. Mortimer had sought to
| avert this, had not denounced Alan in tht
| first instance. BY good fortune had beer
| able to replace the money; even now hat
! refused to divulge the name of the thief.
He was well aware OF the mass of CIR.
| cumstantial evidence, the outcome of his
| own hurried actions that pointed to him.
| self as the guilty one. Better this thar
| that he should denounce the boy. Dishonol
| to the lad might kill his father. for Morti.
| mer well aware of the doctors edict.
And Allis, the girl he loved as his life
| would hang her head in shame forevermore
He anxious to Alan before the
| cashier did He did not want the boy tc
| do If he were unaware of the circumstances
| 1t would place him in wrong light.
| Just before II Alan Porter came hurredly
| in. He had missed his train the night be
fore, he explained in general way to all.
Mortimer stepped I'D to him almost al
| once, speaking with low. earnest rapidly
The cashier was in mis- own office, and Mr.
Cass was not within earshot.
Il put the money back but it's loss had
been discovered yesterday l have been
accused of taking 1t, but have denied it.
accusing no one. / want you to say that
you borrowed it. thinking il no great harm
as it was your fathers money"
!, Alan would have interrupted him, but
Mortimer said: Wait till | finish" and
then continued There will be nothing done
to you, / feel sure. If you take this stand
because of your fathers connection with
Crane. 1t will save ME from dshonor-'
Mr.. Porter 1t was the cashiers voice
of Damascus steel cutting in on Mortimer s
low, pleading tones.
Alan turned his head and Mr. Lane beck
oning, said: viii you step into nv office
for a minute?'
The cashiers one minute grew its weary
length into thirty. and when Alan Porter
sought to avoid him. Had he denied taking
the money? My God, The full horror of
Mortmer's hopeless position flashed upon
him like the lurid light of a destroying
question Of Alan's dishonor. Now that the
isnominy was being thrust upon him the
bravery that he possessed in great part
made him hero. If, through his endeavor
to save the boy, he was to shoulder the
guilt. not of his own volition, but without
hope of escape, he would stand TO it like a
man. What would it profit him to denounce
the boy?
Harking back with rapidity over his own
actions and Alan's, he saw that everything
implicated him
Once he thought of his mother and wa
vered, but she would believe him if he said
ne mad not committed this dreadful crime.
But all the world of Brookfield would de-
spise the name of her son If it were thought
that he had sought to testify falsely against
his friend. And was not Alan the brother
of Allis?
Mentally his argument, his analysis of the
proper course to pursue. was tortuous not
deflnable, or to be explained in concise
phraseology. But the one thought that rose
paramount over all others was that he must
take his iniquitous punishment like a man
He had fought so strongly to shield the
brother of the girl he loved that the cause
in all its degradation had accrued to him.
AT ! O'Clock the president. Crane ar
rived from New York and in him was bit
terness because of his yesterdays defeat
He had sat nearly the whole night through
mentally submerged in the double happen
ing that had swept many men from his
chess board. Iauzanne the despised had
kept from his hand a small fortune. even
when his fingers seemed Tightening on the
coin: That was one happening
John Porter had gained more than $50 900
Ihls made him quite Independent of Cranes
financial bolsterlng. The bankers diplo-
macy of love had been weakened. That was
the other happening
Crane was closeted with the cashier not
more than ten minutes when Mortimer was
asked to join the two men who had so sud
aeniy become deeply interested in his af-
fairs.
The cashiers hand had been strenst hened
IN Cranes contribution of evidence. Morti-
IlST nad told the fa1Sahnod al, &c
mother being i'll to him the race course
from Alan the cashier had learned that
mortimer mad been betting heavily. He had
admitted to the boy that he had lust won
enough to replace the thousand dollars he
had stolen Mortimer's words had assumed
that reading in their journey through two
personalities. He had even begged young
Porter not to speak of his betting transac c.
tons. He had denied taking the money:
that was but natural He had been forced
to admit replacing it-that was conclusive
Indeed, 1t seemed a waste of time to inves-
tigate further: it was utterly impossible to
doubt his guilt Mesh by mesh. like an en-
thralling net, all the different threads of
conVlcting circumstances were drawn about
the accused man.
Let US question him." said Crane: and
in his heart was not sorrow, nor haste nor
compassion, nor anything but Just low
Greater than the influence Of money in his
love ambition would be this degradation
this reducing to a felon man he felt stood
between him and Allis Porter.
Yesterday they had won: today victory
almost had come to him. Yes, bring the de-
liverer in; he would feast his eyes, the mar
roW-ildded eyes, upon the man whose young
love might have conquered over all his
diplomacy. and who would go forth from
his hands branded a felon.
The probing of the already condemned
man ELECTED nothing beyond a repeated de-
NAL of theft. With the precision of Mann
selle Guillotine, Cashier Lane Topped off
everything that could possibly stand in
Mortimer's defense, grating into the cleaved
places individual facts which confirmed his
guilt.
Mortimer contended nothing. threw sus-
picion upon no one. Was t Alan Porter?
Was it Cass?-but that impossible
Was it the cashier himself? Still more i'm
possible. Mortimer answered nothing. He
had not taken the money. Yes, he had re-
placed it-because he was responsible for
its custody.
Cant you see,' cried Crane, impatiently
that this simple denial of yours 10 of no
value as against so much that points to