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

I
ana when he saw that l knew about it, ht
begged me to say nothing. practically ad.
m1tted that he had taken the money and
| was going to put it back"
Why should he tell you that, Alan?"
| , oon know unless he feared il Nigh;
De found out while he was away: or per-
maps ne was so excited over winning q
thousand dollars that he didn't know wha,
ne was saying. At any rate he took /,
| him. ~ ~''
Il shan't do that He's innocent.
Know ne Is. don't care what they say II
ne replaced the money, 1t was to Shield the
man who took it." She was looking search
lnsly into her brothers eyes not that she
was accusing him of the theft she was ms,
searching for the truth
10 you mean 1t was to shield me-that
took 1t? No one else could have taken the
money except Mortimer or myself
don't know" answered the girl, wear
lily; its all so terribly new 1 only know
that Mortimer did not steal it,
While she was still speaking the accused
man came from the cashiers office, hold
ing his head defiantly erect not at all a
half-convicted felon should have skunk
through the door. yet withal in his face was
look of hopeless gravity.
hen Mortimer saw Allis, his face flushed
lhen went pale in an instant. He felt that
she Knew. he had seen her talking earnestly
10 her brother. Probably she too would
think him a thief. He admitted to himself
that the evidence was sufficient to destroy
any ones faith in his innocence, and he was
helpless, quite helpless: he was limited to
a simple denial. unless he accused her
orother; even had he been so disposed. there
was nothing to back up the denunciatfon of
tie noy. he felt twinge of pain over
Alan S lnSratitude; the boy must know tina
ne mad put his neck ir a moose to save him
Now that one of them needs be dishonored
why DID not Alan prove himself a man a
forter-they were Of hero breed-and ac-
cept the gage of fate. Even worse. Alan
was shielding himself behind this terrible
pui"ark OF circumstantial evidence which
topped him, Mortimer, on every side.
as ne resumed his place at the desk close
TO the brother and sister Alan looked de
hantly at him. He could see in the boy's
eyes malignant detestation. a glimmer of
triumph, as though he felt that Mortimer
was irrevocably in the tolls
The lad was like a strinling Jud,s us
attitude filled Mortimer with loathing Ua
stole a look into the girls face Would she
100. say with her eyes. Behold, here is the
A thrill of ecstatic comfort warmed his
being. In Allis' gray eyes was the first
toucn or kindness he had known In this hour
OF trlal Faith, and sorrow and cheer ard
rove We're all there, striving for mastery;
~ lurtlNe weakening, no uncertain question
ing, no remonstrance of reproval, nothing
put Just unlimited faith and love
~ me BOY look had angered him, had
eausea MIN TO waver, had made the self
sacrlhce seem too great when repaid nv
ingratitude, all these thoughts vanished In
an instant, obliterated by that one look of
unaIterable love. In the hour of darkness
the girl stood to him. and he would also
stand firm. She would believe in him and
his sacrifice would be as nothing He had
undertaken to avert the sorrow of dishonor
from her, from her brother, from her par
ents, and he would do it. He would tell no
one on earth but his mother the full trI,t n
she must now. Then with the faith CT the
two women he loved still his, he could
brave the judgment of all others. Perhaps
not willingly in the first place would he
have taken upon himself the brand of Bar
rabas, but out of good motive he had in
Cured it.
Mortimer heard the brother say. Il think
you mad better not then the girls voice.
clear and decisive, answering, Il will, |
must"
In anger Alan left his sisters side, and
she, stepping up to the wicket said. ''Will
you please come out for q minute Mr. Mo-
timer? | want to speak to YOU
He passed around to her side Crane and
the cashier were still closeted i'll the latter's
office.
Let us go out into the sunshine" Anis
said. can you-will it make any differ
ence?"
Il don't think it matters" he answered
YEARLY; things are as bad as they can be,
l suppose
He took it for granted that she know ev-
erything, but he was possessed of no shame,
no difhdence, no reserve; he was innocent
and her eyes had assured him that she
knew it.
AS they passed through the door it creak-
ed again on its dry hinges Before She had
laughed at the weird complaining; now it
sounded like a moan of misery.
Outside the village street was deserted.
There was one to listen.
What is this dreadful thing ell about.
George?" He started. She had never called
him by his Christian name. He marveled
at her generous faith. All but dishonored
it was as though his mother might have
spoken, George"
"A thousand dollars was stolen from the
bank, and 1 am accused of taking it," he
answered bitterly.
You didn't did you? I know you didn't
but want to hear you say So
He looked full into the girls eye, and an
swered, with deliberate earnestness, Il did
not steal the money"
Some one took it?'
Yes"
land you know who it was?"
II do not
But you suspect some one?''
He did not answer.
Did you put the money back?'
He nodded his head.
ITO protect somebody's good name?"
Because it had been in my charge. I
can't talk about it, he broke in vehement
ly; "all I can say is that l am innocent If
you believe that 1 don't care what they do.
They'll be able to prove by circumstantial
evidence that 1 took it," he added bitterly,
'and nothing that l can say would make
any difference. My mother won't believe me
guilty. and, thank God. you don't. And l
I'M not. God knows l am not. Beyond that
l will say nothing; it is useless-worSe than
useless. it would be criminal-would only
cast suspicion on others perhaps innocent.
l don't know what they'll do about 1t; the
money has been repaid. They may arrest me
as a felon. At any rate, l shall be forced
to leave the bank and go away. 1t won't
make much difference. l am as l was be-
fore. an honest man, and l shall find other
openings. It's not half so bad as | thought
IL would be. l feared, perhaps, that you
would be-
She stopped him with an implorins gest-
ure.
Let me finish,'' he said; II must 80 back