The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02

| He was not accustomed to doing things by
| halves IL Cass had stolen the money il
would never do 10 retain him in position
of trust
Then the devil of subtle diplomacy
familiar at all times 10 Crane. whispered in
his ear that he need not bazon to tho world
the result Of his further investigation; he
might satisfy himself, and If Mortimer
were found :, deeper in the tolls it might
be spoken Of, but If he were proved inno-
cent we'll. was Crane his brothers
keeper
He could adopt one Of the two plans to
get at the truth. He could trace out Billy
Cass and eItort from him the name of his
principal; but II startled. the latter might
refuse to dvulge anything Police pressure
meant publicity.
There was a better plan-Crane always
found a better plan in everything. II
David Cass had stolen the money, he must
have sent 1t TO his brother. II that fact
were established II would show a connection
between the two.
That afternoon Crane took a train to
Brookfield
A visit to the village post Office disclosed
a hidden jewel As far as Crane was con-
cerned the fate of the two men was con-
tanned in an innocent looking entry In the
portmasters records. II was easy for him
to obtain all the information he required;
the postmaster, with little hesitation. al
lowed him, sub rosa. to delve into official
secrets
He learned that David Cass had sent a
letter, with special delivery stamp on it
to William Cas- in New York. at $50 p. NJ,
on June ~
SO far as guilt or innocence was concerned
there was nothing left TO discover. BY
that simple entry the connection between
these two men was complete.
Farrell's misident ifcation, false in itself
established one truth. They were brothers
The letter. Fastening 10 its destination
with feverish intentness. had contained
the stolen money.
Mortimer would not give IL TO Cass to
send away; even If he had done so he would
not then have gone TO Gravesend Alan
Porter had also gone 10 Gravesend II
| he had stolen the money he would have
taken il with him.
David Cass, the unsupported. was the
thief Mortimer condemned. having re-
stored the money-having taken upon him
self with almost silent resignation the dis
| grace.-was innocent. And all this knowl-
edge was In Cranes possession alone. 10
Use as he wished
The fate Of his rival was given into his
hands and If he turned down his thumb
| so, better for Mortimer that he had been
| torn OF wild beasts In a Roman arena than
| 10 be cast good name and ALTO the wolves
| Of righteous humanity.
As dog carries home a bone too largr
| for immediate consumption, Crane took
back this new finding 10 his den Of solitude
| in New York.
At 3 o'clock he turned the KEY In his door.
and arm In arm with his now cons,an, com
panion walked ftfully up and down, up
| and down the floor Sometimes he sat In
a big chair that beckoned to him for God :
sake to rest; sometimes he raced with
| swift speed, once h. threw himself upon
his bei, and lay there, staring wide-eyed
at the ceiling for hours What mockery.
Hours' on the mantleplece clock told
| him that he had ceased his stride for a bare
| five minutes
He threw himself into a chair. and across
the table opposite sat Wrong huge, grinning
| with a devlish temptation, not gold, but
| a perfune of lilacs, and the music of soft
laughter like the tinkle Of silver bells, the
| bejewellcd light of sweet eyes tina, were
| gray. and all the temptation that Wrong
| held In itself-the possession Of Alis Porter
And he need commit no crime, unless
| inac,ion were a crime; just leave things
as they were. In the eyes Of the world
| MDT1tnHT was 4 ''ilel ne ~OllI never
| claim Ais 40 branded
Crane with a word could clear the ac-
cused man. he could go to David Cass and
force him 20 confess. But Why snould h.
DO it-sacrifice all he held dear in life
! Everything that he had valued before
became oBliterated by IN, blindness Of
his love for Allis.
And still the love seemed 70 soften him
| Into his life had come new. strange emo
tions. Amid all the perfume Of lilac the
| face OF Wrong, sitting opposite him, boz
came the face Of a crime, rapellant, abhor-
rent. How could he ruin her life and by a
criminal act?
Hour by hour the struggle went on,
until, exhausted, Crane flung himself upon
| his bed 10 rest a few minutes, and sleep,
unsought, came and hushed the turmoil
Of his heart.
Without decision he had flung himself
down; his mind. tortured in its perplexity
was unequal 10 The, task Of guiding him,
So, wearied he should have slept for hours,
but AS the first CLINT Of sunlight came
| through the uncurtaned window be
sprang from his couch with call Of an un-
completed something in his ears.
| But calmness had come to him II
seemed as though in his sleep the question
OF right or wrong had been actually settled
He tried to remember how he had come
10 the conclusion that was alone in his
rested mind. II must have been before he
slept, though his memory failed him, for
rs he slumbered Allis Porter had ccms,
with the big gray eyes full Of tears, and
asked him once again to spare Mortimer
| humiliation for her sake. And he had
answered He Is innocent
Godl He remembered 1t. even now It
seemed to thrill through his frame; she
had bent over and kissed him on the fore
head Yes. that was what had weakened
him.
What foolish things dreams were! In
his dream he had won just kiss and had
paid the price Of his love. and now waking
and in the calm Of conflict passed he
had won over the demon that had tempted
him with the perfume OF lilacs. He had
striven 10 the point where further strife
became a crime, he had lost But he would
prove himself good loser
CHAPTER XXXIIl.
That day he took once more journey &c
Brookfeld.
In spirit he was like man that had beer
cast into an angry sea and had battled his
way through hungry waves to shore. Saved
the utter wearness of fierce strive huns
heavy over his soul, and exhaustion dead
cncd his joy Of escape.
Just saved, bereft Of everything, he
| looked back over the angry waters and
shuddered And before him a dreary
waste of desert Shorthand stretched out
interminably. and he must wander alone
| nvar i, al a forpvpr