The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-04

ahcut it. But you've got to stay here
while pacify these bowling creditors
of yours. You've done one thing for
me, you've ruined my business reputa-
ton; but I'll fix that somehow just SO
long as I've got the cash to back it.
You stay here!"
He picked up bag after bag Of gold
and handed them out. to someone in
the hail. Then he shut the safe tight,
tried it carefully Then he left the
room.
Constitutional Smith had watched
O'Keefe unlock the safe. O'Keefe had
touched invisible buttons rapidly and
in such manner that an. ordinary man
could not have followed him. Smiths
business was to understand these
things. He had an idea that sometime
or other it would be good thing to be
able to open that safe. O'Keefe was
downstairs for about an hour. In that
time Smith had opened and shut the
big safe three times, but he had left
everything intact
Below O'Keefe's creditors opened
their eyes in amazement OKeefe
made no explanations Explanations
would be in order after his credit had
been restored; and he felt satisfied
that he was able to- make up yarn
that would suit the situation. On this
occasion he paid up every man whom
he owed-paid him in full, and in gol-
den coin. And even then, of the coin
that he had taken down, there was
much left. The next day Ellington
O'Keefe's credit was restored. His
business name. was redeemed. People
didn't require much explanation;
money talks, and Ellington O'Keefe
had money and everybody knew it.
z What was the cause of his previous
default no one ever knew. They do
lyv 10 ~ Ioxy u, &k,.s1, ,&~>J
it to temporary alteration of mind
to whim, freak of mind, eccentricity
anything. They didn't care, so long
as OKeefe was able to pay cash and
so long as he spent it freely.
There was one individual who did
care, however, and that was Patricia
Jelliffe Robson. When she heard the
news She could not believe her ears;
when it was confirmed, she thought she
OWNED in heF-heart of hearts the rea-
son for the strange conduct of Billing
ton O,Keefe. He had done 1t to try
her-her, Peggy's mother, his future
mother-in-l aw-and he had found her
wanting. She had cast him off because
he was poor; Peggy had cast him off
because he was poor. He had seen
through it, and he had deserted them.
She had put her foot in it, But he was
beyond recall-he had tried them and
found them wanting. Her self-re-
proach2 deepened finally into anger,
first at Peggy and then at Ellington
O'Keefe. She saw in his conduct mere
1y trick to get rid of Peggy-and Of
her.
TT was a trick, Peggy" she would
remark, IAN ungentlemanly trick To
think of it! If you were girl of any
spirit you would sue him for breach OF
promise of marriage
"Mother!" exclaimed Peggy, how
can your"
why not?" returned Mrs. Robson,
'one of the Jelliffes sued for breach of
promise and recovered very substan-
tial damages. Why not, should like
to know?
Peggy smiled. HE might sue us,
mother" she answered, unconsciously
using the plural, but we could hardly
sue him. We seem to have rejected
him.
All because of his own dastardly
trick" retorted Mrs. Robson. And yet
Mrs. Robson, when she was not en-
gagged in this great match making bust
ness, was one of the most gentle, most
genial, most lady-like women in the
world.
O'Keefe never again entered the
Robson house, chiefly, it may be as
sumed, because his attentions were alb
sorbed by that very attractive young
widow, Mrs. Hallowell. Mrs. Halo
well, it may be remarked, was one of
the creditors who was paid in full, al
though she did not attend upon the
night in question.
To return, however, to O'Keefe and
his counterfeit presentment, Smith.
O'Keefe, totally ignorant of the fact
that Smith had been opening and shut
ting up his safe merely to pass the
time away, finally entered the presence
of Smith.
Nov, Smith," he said, in business
like way, for his scheme was now about
to develop, we'll get down to facts.
I've been lucky since I've been away,
and I'm going to enter into compact
with you. I'm going to trust you. by
o.