The Democratic advocate., 1907-06-28

expected but [ did not look for so COM
plete a transformation in a mans makeup
as it made in him.
II came into the hotel Office bit dis
appointed at not having come across my
man more readily, and sat down in one of
the big cushioned chairs where perhaps a
dozen or more men were seated, singly and
in groups, talking. The man beside me
had his face half buried in one hand and
the other half was turned from me. A
paper lay upon his knee. Presently he
threw this from him and took book from
his side coat pocket As he did so he
looked up and l caught full view of his
face. was not mistaken, it was the man
| had trailed.
II spoke to him in French by way of
opening conversation, but he only nodded
his head and muttered something about
Knee comprahnee' and | then addressed
him in English.
g MIR Rogers, I believe, and look
of terror came into his eyes. [ could see
he was trying to master himself to brazen
out case of mistaken identity, but | fol-
lowed it up saying that he night consider
himself under arrest, and that of course as
to there being scene over it, the matter
was entirely in his hands.
II laid my hand upon his arm to make
sure that there was to be no breaking
away or other action, and | could feel his
muscles quivering under my touch.
C Let us 90 to your room, | said, I'VE
can't speak here, and your face betrays
you
''Unnoticed by any one we walked
quietly up to his room. I closed the door
behind me and locked it. He made
clean breast of it at once. He had en-
bezzled to pay his losses on the Stock ex-
change. The annual balance was due in
week or two, and he knew his fraud
would be discovered. He had no chance
to right himself His only hope seemed
to him to plunge deeper and try and clear
out forever, as many another poor wretch
has thought. He induced the chairman
to countersign blank check before he left
the office, saying that it was only for
small sum, which was being determined by
the bookkeeper When he got the check
he filled it in for every cent that was lying
in the bank. He had not expected to be
found out for week or two, and he had
intended to bury himself quietly in some
little French town for few years, until it
had all blown over.
1.-The funny part of it all was that to
wind up he offered to go halves with me,
Quentin Vavasour, if | would let him go
free.
q The money is practically untouched,
I have turned the large notes into bonds,
they are negotiable everywhere ! Truly
he had not misspent his time.
Il was very stern with him; | am
afraid | moralized with him on the iniquity
of his acts.
sWe return to New York tonight, I
said.
''Imploringly he held out black bag
with both hands. Take it, he cried, 'it
is all there; only let me 60, and he wept
like child. Suddenly he leaped to his
feet and seized a razor that lay upon the
bureau, but before he could use it | was
upon him. Grasping him firmly by both
arms from behind, 1 pressed my fingers
upon the nerve, COMPRISING it upon the
bone. My grasp is strong, and the glitter
inc blade fell from his hands. Another
second and would have been too late.
" You need not add cowardice to your
other crimes, I said.
1.-The words unnerved him; he threw
himself upon the bed.
@ 1T is no cowardice to fly from dis
grace, he said, between sobs.
s'There l agreed with him. sat down
by his side.
'sDid you have any money invested in
the company yourself?' 2 l asked.
il" Yes, twenty five thousand dollars, he
said
g Then that makes four hundred and
seventy-fve thousand you have stolen.
We will not mention what you took before.
Now, [ have no desire to be hard on you
as you seem penitent. IF give you ten
thousand dollars of your money will you
endeavor to live honestly in the future?
"He sat up eagerly, the warm blood
rushing to his face.
@ You mock me, he whispered
{" Il make you an offer. Can you go
straight in the future with the aim [
name?
=" Tll do my best, he answered
% THAT is settled then,' and opening
the bag 1 counted out fifteen thousand
dollars.
" This is more than you promised, he
gasped.
&c In that case, it may be easier for
you to keep your promise, and placing my
hand upon the door l was about to leave
him. He did not answer, and looking
back l saw that he had fallen on his knees,
and his figure shook convulsively. 1 turned
and laid my hand upon his shoulder.
g Shake hands, I said; you mean to
to be an honest man. IF you ever need
help to keep you from falling, letter ad-
dressed to the Knickerbocker Club, Quentin
Vavasour, will find me.
''That night I left for Boston from
which point 1 sent the bag back to New
York after leaving instructions for it to be
held for two days before dispatching it. I
enclosed letter which ran