Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-26
Ccopvrlrht. 1poz. by Mcclure. PhnIps e 90
BY VI. A. FRASER
Author Of "1he O%uteast," "Moosvs." and other Stories.

When they had passed the edge OF the
village. Crane said, II doubt II you would
have shaken hands with Mr.. Mortimer II
you knew-I mean, he is under strong sus-
'~plcion-more than strong suspicion, for
he Is practically self-accused Of having
stolen a sum Of money from the bank. In
fact I'm not sure that 1t wasn't from your
father he really stole it."
IL do know OF this terrible thing" she
answered. II shook hands with him be-
cause / believe him innocent"
'You know more then than we do 1t
was not a sheer. 1t was too delicately
yelled for detection; the words were ut
tered in a tone of hopeful inquiry.
"Mr. Mortimer could not steal-it is i'm
possible"
Have you SUFFICIENT grounds for your
faith? Do you happen to know who took
the money? For It was stolen"
= The girl did not answer at once. AT hrst
her stand had simply been one OF implicit
faith in the man she had conjured into a
nero OF all that was good and noble.
Sir had not cast about for extenuating
evidence; she had not asked herself who
She guilty man was; her faith told her 1t
uas morally impossible for Mortimer to
become a thief. Now Cranes questions,
mora material than the first deadening
pfects OF Alan's accusation, started her
nrind on a train Of thought dealing with
motive and possibilities.
she knew that Alan had lost money on
IIucretia: that he had felt so sure OF
ECranois horse winning that he had sought a
noon from her TO recoup- his losses by back
Ding The Dutchman.
) Irnon the continued silence, Crane grew
.restless; the girl. almost oblivious OF MS
nresence, deep in the pathology OF the
crime. gave no signsof a desire TO pursue
the discussion.
"of course I am anxious to clear the
young man IL he is innocent" hazarded
crore N draw her gently back into the in
Auepce that he felt must be OF pront to
himself.
Allis answered his observation-he dis
,inctly felt the vibration of pain in her
.voice-with a startling depth OF analytical
ldiscernment:
"Wbile believe in Mortimer's inno-
cence and will always believe In It, l am
afraid that he has drawn such a wen OF
icircumstantial evidence about him trying
to shield some one else that-that-lt Is
TOO terrible!" she broke off passionately'
che is innocent. For Gods sake, MI
Crane" she took the reins- in her whip
hand and put her left on his arm pieadingiy
for Gods sake, for his mothers SAKE
save him, YOU can ~ IL yOA - 1870
that he is innocent, and stop everything
The money has been paid back"
ct isn't that. Miss Allis-" his voice was
no cuttingly even after the erratic jump OF
her own-"in a bank one must not have a
dishonest person. We must investigate to
the end. and II Mortimer can clear himself
nv fastening the crime upon the perpe-
trator0
'He will never dotthat; he cannot, II he
would"
'What can 1 do then, Miss Allis? But
why shouldn't he?"
Cant you see-don't you understand the
man? He commenced by shielding some
,one else, and he will carry 1t through to
the bitter end"
81 am afraid there was.no one to shield
but himself. Everything points to this
conclusion. The money was locked up, he
had the keys, no one touched them-except
your brother Alan, and that but for a min
ute-but II any suspicion could attach to
your brother 1t is all dissipated by Morti-
mer's subsequent actions. It's unpleasant
70 even hint at such a contingency, but II
Mortimer is innocent then your brother
must be the guilty one"
He expected the girl to- denounce indig-
nantly such a possibility; he was surprised
that she remained silent. Her non-refuta-
tion of this deduction told him as conclu-
sively as though she had uttered the &C
cusation that she thought Alan had taken
the money and Mortimer was shielding him.
II was but a phase of blind love; 1t was the
faith the women place in men they love Of
which he had read and scofed at.
Against all evidence, she was holding
this man honest, believing her brother the
thief.
Surely a love like that was worth win
ming; no price was too great to pay. Her
very faith in Mortimer-through which she
sought to save him by inspiring Crane, de-
termined the latter to crush utterly the
man who stood between him and this great
love.
Intensity OF hate, or love, or c%upidity.
never drew Crane out OF his inherent diplo-
macy; he took refuge behind'th brother of
Allis.
"You see." he said, and his voice modu-
lated soft with kindness. IT can't save Nor
timer except at the expense of Alan-you
would not have me do that. Besides 1t is
impossible. The evidence seems as clear
as MONDAY"
"If you bring this home to Mr.. Mortimer.
quo will punish him, arrest him2"
THAT would be the usual course"
~ She had taken her hand of his arm; now
she replaced IL. and he could feel the strong
fingers press as though she would hold him
80 her wishes.
You will not do this" she said; "for my
sake you will not!'
"You ask this of me, and it is for your
sAke?"
Eyes; II there Is no other way-it Mr.
Mortimer, Innocent. must take upon him
self this crime. then for my sake you will
not punish him."
The gray eyes were violet-black in thelI
intensity,
"If l PROMISE He had been going e
ask for reward, but she broke in. saying;
"You will keep your word, and l will
thank YOU"
Nothing more-is that all2"
The magnetism Of the intensified eyes
broke down his reserve; he slipped bael
twenty years In a second. Love touched
hin with a hre-wand and his soul ignited
Cold. passionless Philip Crane spoke in
tongue. unfamiliar as It was to him. tina
carried conviction TO the girl-just the con
yiction that he was In earnest. that he wa
possessed Of a humanizing love.
She listened patiently while he pleade'
his cause with mastery. 1t was beyon'
her understanding that, though Mortime