Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-03-20

long half-hOur for her at the hotel.
he drove her home and was no wiser
than he had been. She had had him
90 in with her to send her card to
Mr.. Andrew Galbraith, but beyond the
fact that she had been closeted for
a ha1f-hour with the white-haired
banker, the father knew nothing
nor did he seek to know, having per-
feet confidence in his daughter.
What took place in Andrew Gal
| braith's sitting-room at the summer
hotel was never known to any save
| the two who were the actors in the
little drama. But when Charlotte
| came out Andrew Galbraith accom-
panied her and put her into the
buggy with her father. And she was
| crying little, though not as those
who weep without hope.
The old banker watched the buggy
as it melted into the darkness of the
driveway, and shook his head.
"There goes a woman that any man
might be proud to give his name TILL"
he said. 'Now, if the young deevil
has half her courage
| "a gentleman to see you, Mr.. Gal
braith," said the voice of the night
clerk beside him. 81 thought you
were in your room, and l sent him
there"
Griswold was standing, hat in hand,
in the middle of the comfortable sit
ting room when the banker entered.
| 81 beg your pardon" he began.
1.-THE clerk told me you were here,
and found the door Open"
'Sit down. said the banker, not in
Hospitality, drawing up his own easy
chair. But Griswold remained stand
ing.
"No," he objected. "What I have
to say may be said standing. Mr..
| Galbraith, did you ever see me be-
fore you came to Wahaska?
The shrewd old face was unreada-
BILE by any, but if there was certain
CLINT of hardness in the eyes, it was
| tempered by the lines about the
mouth.
"You wore a beard when you were
| in New Orleans, Mr.. Griswold," he
said at length.
''Then you recognized me2"
Not at first, you may be sure"
81 suppose not; otherwise I should
| be awaiting my trial in the parish
prison"
els there any good reason why We
shouldn't be?" demanded the old
man, with rasp in his voice.
"None at all, though up to an hour
ago I should not have admitted it,"
"And what made We change your
mind, I'd like to ask?"
"a number of things, but chiefly
this: have come to know now that
what did that morning was wrong"
"Wrong!" shouted the banker.
| "Are we clean daft, man? Was there
ever any doubt about it's being
| wrong?"
"Not from your point OF view, per-
haps; but if it had seemed wrong to
me, 1 should not have done it."
you're crazy, man; clean daft, l
say
PUT it in the past tense, if you
right mind now.'
know?"
''The fact that found out an hour
! ago that I had made a good woman
my accomplice after the fact. There
can be no question about the sinful
ness of that, SO am here to do what
I may in the way of PREPARATION"
|
| "First about the money
1t was the canny soul of the old
Scotchman that groaned.
"Ye lost it. ye loon; [ know all
about that. Go on with your repara-
tions.''
How did you know l lost it?''
queried Griswold, no little mystified.
"Never you mind what 1 know or
how I know it. Go on, l say"
| But l didn't lose it; or rather.
lost it and found it again. Odd as it.
may seem to you, l have never re-
| garded the money as my own. l have
held it as a fund in trust for the good
of my kind. Ninety-five thousand
dollars are invested in the Wahaska
iron works, and there are some three
thousand dollars of undivided profits
due on this investment. Here is
check payable to your order for my
balance at the bank-$3, 94o.57. The
iron works stock can be sold at par
tomorrow, If you like, and that. with
the dividend and this balance, will
make you whole again, with a small
interest on the principal"
Andrew Galbraith heard him
through, with grim satisfaction de-
picting itself on the shrewd old face.
"Ye're not so bad fnancier," he
said. 'Now, what's to become of
yep
THAT remains for you to say.
You may go and ring for the police,
and I'll wait here till an officer
comes; or if you don't care to be
mixed up In it, I'll take the first train
south and surrender myself in New
Orleans"
sis that alp"
"An but one thing. If you put the