The Press., 1905-10-04
IL looked as IL II might bel life lnaur-

ance policy. That was my insane mo-
| ton about it, and, thinking that he
stood much in need Of such paper at
that moment, I carefully thrust it into
the bosom of my dress. Then 1 called
to the carpenter, who got his wits at
last and helped me carry the man into
| Bert's room. We laid him on a couch,
and presently Aunt Maria looked in at
the door and said, is he dead? hope
fully, upon my word. He is uncon-
scious,' said 1. And at that Aunt Maria
came cautiously in and tried to get
through to her own room.
INSTANTLY Mr.. Ratty, who had been
shamming, sprang from the couch and
leaped toward Aunt Maria, who was
neatly trapped in a corner of the room.
Take thisv he cried and called out
some name. He thrust the big envelope
toward her and at that moment first
perceived that it was empty.
II never had seen such a dreadful
expression of disappointment on any
creature. The fact that he looked like
one Of the lower animals made it the
more pathetic. He put hand to ont Of
his pockets and then rushed out Of le
room, rightly guessing that he had
dropped the paper at the foot of the
garnet stairs.
"Aunt Maria Immediately locked the
doors, and when she turned to me
was holding the paper in my hand.
Oh, how wonderfully her eyes lighted
up! She took the paper from me and
dropped it upon particularly hot fire
in the crate. 1t famed up and was
burned. Aunt Maria distributed the
black residue with q poker. Then she
turned to me.
"'Forgive me, Mrs. Stevens she
said. 4 have done you a great injus.
tlce. You'll be Of use to Mr. Stevens
yet. He knew what he was doing when
he picked you OUT
"Well, of course was wholly mysti.
fed at the time, but the matter has
since been explained to me. OF course
the woman wasn't Aunt Maria at ALL
There isn't any Aunt Maria. Our guest
was the private secretary of Schuyler
Bodley, the great fnancier, who is the
brains Of our whole outfit as Bert
says. There Is a lawsuit for millions
I don't understand all the facts OF
know who is in the right, but it ap-
pears that Mr.. Bodley made a terrible
lot Of money by selling some stocks
which were not worth anything. And
there's another man who had the priv.
lege Of selling some, but he didn't do 1t
quickly enough. So he naturally wants
Mr.. Bodley to divide with him, but Mr..
Bodley won't do it. Is that clear2
anyhow, the second man wanted to
serve paper on the private secretary.
who knows all Mr.. Bodley's secrets.
And no wonder she takes a serious
view of life. The paper would have
compelled her to go to court to testify
80 she had to hide, and Bert brought
her here. The danger is over now, and
she has gone to work again and lives
at home. But Mr.. Bodley Is very
grateful to Bert and has promoted
him, and have received from a stock
broker whom never heard Of before a
certified check for $4,000, with let
ter saying that it is the profit on my
purchase Of something or other that !
never dreamed Of buying. Bert says
may honestly keep the money, because
we all ran a chance Of going to jail in
this affair, and that's why he didn't tell
me in the first place who the woman
really was. He wanted to keep me out
Of trouble If he could. That was very
sweet Of him, but it's all so strange. ]
don't think shall ever come to under"
stand anything about business"