Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-21

am here. Oh! how good-how very good yor
have beenl Not creature in the house sus
poets, father kept his terrible secret amazingly
we'll Mother has not the faintest idea of any
trouble in the air. ] felt as if my heart would
break when / saw her smiling this evening, and
thought what was hanging over us. Why did
father have anything to do with the business
We had money enough for happiness and peace
but now we are on the brink Of ruin
at seemed cruel on my part" said the man,
"to warn you. mere girl, of the evil fate over
shadowing your father, but ! knew you were re-
liable and strong, and Heaven knows ] would do
anything to save you and yours from sorrow"
Even now" she murmured, sitting a sob, 81
cannot understand it all.
"Let me try to explain, for by acting promptly
you may be able to save him got wind of the
matter, and have been doing some detective
work on my own amateur lines Your father is,
discovered, the dupe of clever scoundrel
named Fleming in whom he has unfortunately,
complete confidence For his personal ends, this
vlianous Fleming has made your poor father be-.
leve that he has nwittingly defrauded the pub
lie, while transacting an unfortunate business af-
fair, and is liable to be arrested at any moment.
The double dealing really lies at Fleming's door.
BY desperate plan he intends to throw his
guilt Mr.. Embury's shoulders. Your
fathers feelings have been so preyed upon that
he has consented at Fleming's earnest advice, to
the same The latter, l happen to know, has
elected to stay at home, and use your fathers
disappearance as evidence of guilt"
''Do you know at all, asked Mabel falntly
"when my father intends to leave?
This very morning by five o'clock train, 9th
erwise / would never have asked you to meet
me here at such an hour. He must be prevent
ed going, even if force is used. BY many
strange coincidence l have gained my informa-
ton; it came to me direct to prayer
when first j guessed there was trouble brewing.
/ have always hoped for an opportunity of serv-
ing you this information, and your womans di-
plomacy must do the rest"
Mabel looked staggered. she could only find
voice enough to reply family:
"If my father firmly believes the man, he
will not listen to anything | say. Surely you as
an old friend might lay so serious matter be-
fore him"
"Alas!-the days of our friendship are over"
the speaker sadly shook his head. "He was
never the same to me when he discovered my
love for you. | was so many years your senior,
and he had always a horror of marriages between
people of unsuitable age, not that he need have
feared since you never cared for me in that
way | merely came back into your life to
speak the word of warning, to urge you, either
alone, or with the help of your mother. to pre-
vent Mr.. Emburys departure. | leave it to your
rleverness few hours are left to you in which
to act God grant you may be given strength,
courage and success
He bent and kissed her hand she saw he was
anxious to be gone.
81 will do my BEST she faltered. t'How can
ever thank you enough?"
Thank me by sometimes giving me kind
thought, and remembering my name in your
prayers.
He turned and hurried away She watched
nim with tear-dmmed eyes. Her brain was in
whirl. She tried to think what she could do
ret her mind seemed a blank, she felt dazed and
stunned. Suddenly, as if in answer to her in
ense desire for help, she heard her lovers voice
speaking softly
Dearest" it whispered, "I am here
ooh, why-why," he asked fervently, "did my
DOOR little Mabel try to bear this all alone? |
aw you from my window. 4 followed you fear
ng you walking in your sleep, and then l