The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-03-01

on the lawyer race, Wnen Tue dooI
closed. boded no good for the man
whose motives were so disinterested.
Five minutes later. Lucian Crme
carefully put the legal looking docu-
ment within the empty CRATE. and
he'd 4 lighted match to its lower edges.
The fame spread rapidly. till but few
o!acNened ashes remained.
"What 4 foolr' he soliloquized grim
ly. He never even saw that deed
lacked a seal::'
He walked back to his writing table
and sat down. An hour passed, and
he was once more immersed in work
when 4 hurried knock sounded on his
door. lie seemed to recognize it, and
rose hastily.
AT last..' he nuttered. "Well, it
mas bound to come Poor little girl!
I wish / could spare her.
He opened the door. \ white face
looked at him piteously from without,
and two trembling hands We're held
out TO him. He took them, and drew
her into the room. Then he led her
gently to Il chair. and she sank into
it with a little stifled sob.
ooh. you can't think what has hap
penedr she cried piteously. 1T is so
so dreadful. I never-never v:orGht
1t of him! r
Lucian Orme drew his chair a lit
tie nearer to her own.
"Dorothea.' he said gently. 1--WE have
been old friends for ever so long. All
that concerns your welfare is Of grave
Importance to me. Let us forget for
a little while that I am your lawyer,
and you my client. Let us remember
only that we are friends. Can you
do this?"
She looked at him tearfully. He had
never seemed so strong before. She
wondered how it came about that she
had never before realized what a no
bic man lie was. It seemed SO natu-
raj to run to him whencve'' che was
in trouble. She had done so from a
child. and was only now beginning to
realize what all this meant to her.
II can't tell your she sobbed. "Its
$3.50 humiliating to have to tell it to
any one-even to you"
He flushed.
"You need notj lie said gently. II
know it already"
She dropped her lace handkerchief
with a start.
"You kIow it? she gasped. "Oh, but
that is impo. sible!'
He smiled.
"Well," he admitted quietly. 81 may
not quite lay claim to positive knowl-
edge. But I can guess. Mr.. Ashley
Greet and Miss Margaret Swan have
decided to throw their lot together,
and have been quietly married this
morning. Am I not right?"
She nodded.
'How did you know it?' she asked
TREMENDOUSLY.
The lawyer glanced at the ashes in
the otherwise empty CRATE.
':He came to me little more than
an hour ago." he said dryly. II think
he was then on his way to the church.
He wanted to see the deed of gift"
Dorothea looked up.
But you hadn't one" she cried
II don't understand"
Tie lawEe: smiled again.
u had one ready for him." he said.
"Some instinct told me that he would
come. So I prepared one, and scrib-
bled a, few names at the foot. Some
people might call it forgery. But I
was ready to risk that. He saw it,
and was deceived. Then I burned it."
He pointed to the little heap Of
ashes. and was silent.
Gle has not written to me-" said the
girl. But that horrid old woman has.
They were married half an hour ago.
Oh. dear:-what a miserable, heart
breaking world this is"
The lawyer smiled.
"You should be thankful it is no
worse" he reminded her. "You have
had narrow escape, Dorothea. Ash
ley Creet's motives were mercenary,
after all, md always knew it. am
only too glad to remember that he was
discovered through your own plan. He
will be amply punished when he learns
the truth"
"And serve him right!'' she comment
ed. Il will never believe another man
as long as live"
Lucian laughed.
isn't that rather premature-not to
say rude:" he inquired.
She looked into his gray eyes, and
held out her hand.
Except you," she said shyly. q
know can trust YOU"
THANK YOU" he said simply. II
may put you to the test some day, Dor
othea."
She blushed prettily. He had let her
see his secret. Then sl. rose to 60.
"Good-by," she said timidly.
He held her hand for an instant.
"Good-by," he said.
Then he opened the door for her to
pass through.
MAY come and see you on Thurs
davV he asked