The Washington times., 1902-12-05

my dear friend" cried the other.
you could not have treated me more
kindly or literally had / been your own
son"
Thank you. my boy. have looked
upon you as my son. But perhaps
should have told you something more
about your own father ere this. But
I had always believed him dead"
Believed him dead?" interrupted
Thorne, springing TO his feet Then
then
To-day I have heard news which leads
me to believe the opposite. said Charles
Underclin. quietly.
For heavens sake. sir. EXPLAIN.
gasped the young man. do you mean
that my father is alive?"
Something that has occurred on tho
opposite side OF the globe. news OF which
only reached us today. leads me to be-
lieve that he is But sit down. Howard.
Calm yourself Let me tell you the whole
story-and a sad. bitterly sad, zone IL is.
II you can. forgive me the mistake which
made in the past"
His voice broke little and he turned
his eyes away from the younger mans
face
My dear guardian" exclaimed
Thorne. I can forgive you anything"
Thank you. my boy. Now listen TO me.
Your father. Edgar Thorne, and 1 were
friends all through our boyhood. end
room mates at college. When my father
died and left me his shipping business
at once took your father into the Of
fee as confidential clerk Mouckton had
filled the same position with my father
and it was at the old mans request that
1 gave him a partnership In the busi-
ness. Your father married soon after
coming with US. and your mother, who
was one OF the finest women 7 ever saw.
died a few weeks after you we're born
I have always let you suppose that your
father died soon after your mother.
But he did not He was completely
broken down by your mothers death. He
had seemed almost to live for her and
cared for nothing when she was gone
O..
mustn't feel harsh toward him for that
He would have loved you as you grew
older
Edgar was an entirely different man
from me" continued Mr. Underclin retro
spectiveIy. When he was younger ne had
been a little wild at times. especially
during our college days. But ] think that
my influence was always a regular
sober-sides, you know think my in
iuence did much to keep him straight
Then when he was married he was so
much in love with your dea- mother that
he hadn't a thought for anything else
outside Of business.
Il think he began 20 drink a little at
frs; 20 drown the thoughts OF his loss.
Then he got to gambling. Re craved ex-
citement-anything TO deaden the re-
membrance OF his happiness.
Finally his mode Of life came 90 my
ears. demonstrated with him-at first
as a friend, afterward, as I saw # did
no good ! spoke to him as an en- oloyer.
God forgive me n I spoke harsalyi
meant it for the hest. He promised to
brace up. Only a few days after that
he changed the combination OF the firm s.
safe. We did that quarterly. was
away that day and he did not tell Monck-
ton the new combination. He wrote it
upon a slip Of paper and placed IL in
his own desk He was the only person
who knew IT,
when the safe was opened The next
day a package containing five. thousand
dollars. which had been drawn rom the
bank the day before for spec Il pur-
pose. was missing. We searched every
where The clerks swore they saw the
money placed IN the vault Your father
himself said he saw 50 there when he
locked up. But Il was gone
Il would not believe at FIRST that Ed
gar had taken f.. But I learned he had
got very deeply into debt through his
gambling and the very night before had
paid several debts OF honor Monckton
accused him Of the robbery. and 1 could
not but believe the evidence.
But I would not allow my partner 10
call in the police / talked with Edgar,