Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-04-26
CHAPTER ~

A weok later Mabel Arthur was
handed package addressed to her
at tho post office. II contained
key, and a letter which she read,
and then. hurying home. read again
after supper. in her room. 1t ran
as foloWs:---
~. s. S. Minnesota. Sept. 1898.
Miss Mabe! Arthur: Here is the
key which your brother used to
open Mr.. Clark's desk that day you
asked me to look out for him. II was
because said 7 would that | did not
want to give him away SO | took
the money away from him. but lie
had the key, and late that night |
took the key away from him, all be-
cause | promised vol You know
how was caught putting the money
back next morning; but Won be-
lievcd stole f. the same as all the
others did. did not take it, but
wanted TO keep my promise TO you
loved Won. and YOU are not worth
powder to blow lOu w.
Yours truly
"Richard Halpin.
"P. S. I've shipped in the navy,
and you will never see me again"
Mabel folded the letter, and idly
tapping the window sill with the
key, watched the details of the gar
den without disappear in the gath
ering darkness, then she arose and
approached an Old fashioned writ
ing-desk, to put the letter away.
There was no key in the lock. and
almost involuntarily she inserted
the one in her hand; 1t turned the
holt easily. She lighted the gas. and
with eyes that were large with grow
ing terror. examined the key. II was
, old fashioned as the desk. but told
her nothing. She examined every
, keynote in the room. They all con
tanned keys. which, one by one, she
tried In the desk; but none would
turn the lock bat the first. She
opened the desk, and carefully blot
| ting out with ink the lines declar-
Ing Dick s sentiments and his esti-
mate of her value in powder. threw
herself face down on the bed.
! whoop on the street without told OF
| his arrival for the night, and when
! he entered the house she called him
| into her room. Fifteen minutes
later she called her father from the
! library, and five minutes after she
was In the street with the key and
letter in her hand speeding toward
| OF
ping her ears against a narrowing
sound sound which brought
neighbors ont OF doors and caused
many jocular comment over the
fence, a boys wailing screams pune
tuated by the sharp thwack of q
trunk strap.
Neither she nor her brother at
tended school again; but on the fol-
lowing morning Mr. Clark, with a
troubled face, addressed the schol-
ars, and announced the complete ex-
culpation OF Richard Halpin from
the offence with which he had been
charged, by the confession Of the
real culprit, whose name he saw nc
occasion to divulge. He added a
| rev moral TtHeClloHS concerning
the peril of too hasty conclusions
based upon the outward seeming OF
things, and warned them of the fol-
ly OF yielding under adverse pres
sure. as Richard Halpin from a ZACH
of moral stamina had yielded, e
the extent OF embracing, openly and
brazenly. disgraceful fghting.- he
had 7ttacked his schoolmstes, Il
seemed. and. as had become
known next morning. running ava,
from home. However, II any Of thu
scholars should happen to know
where he was, 1t would be advisable
to let him know of his generation
CHAPTER X.