Alaska sentinel., 1907-09-19

Five hundred." he said. scornfully, T want five thousand"
 Impossible
 "Oh, is it? Just think It over, Bob, 1y friend. What about your daugh- ter?"
 An" burst from behind Robert Harrlson's hands, in a sudden groan.
 "Ah l thought that would rouse you. Here's Miss Molly, you see, en- gagged to the son of Sir John Brandon. What about that engagement If I go and tell Sir John who Robert Harrison is:"
 Enough" cried the millionaire. Enough! I give h. But I can't give you the money now. Come tomorrow night. or, stay-Iye dinner party to- morrow-say the night after"
 No, won't, I'll say tomorrow It suits me better"
 H.
 People were always willing to come to one of Robert Harrison's dinners This evenings party had been no ex- ception to the rule. No one was anx- ious to shorten the evening, but at last one or two prepared to say goodbye.
 "I want to beg you all to stay little longer" said the host. "I have little surprise, a-a-kind of entertainment Will you all follow me-"
 They all trooped after him to the millionalre's study. Folding doors, covered on the shady side by thick cur tains, separated the room from another. These doors had been opened tonight, but the curtains still draped the open ing. and opposite ao them chairs had | been placed.
 Smiling rather oddly. the host disap- | peared Into the study. and carefully drew the curtains together behind him.
 Then the door into the study from the outside was heard to open, and a mans voice said jauntily. Well, Bob {. Here I am, you see. Now then, where's the tin:''
 Was that Robert Harrison's voice that answered In cringing, wheedlng manner, Certainly, MT. Gregson-of course-only, won't you reconsider It Do-do let me off" whlned the rich mans voice. and the other took up the strain mockingly. Let you of? Oh. yes, I'll let you off-wben I've done with you Pay up or take the conse- quences"
 'Is your mind quite made up?" MT. Harrison seemed to be walking about the room as he said this
 Quite. you thief, you miserable rob Der. Pay me my f5,OO0, or I'll tell the whole nelgh5orhood that you are the man who robbed the Carberton bank thirty years ago."
 Then tell them now." rang out in | the mlll!onalre's deepest tones as he dashed the curtains back, revealing all the neighborhood" In various atti- tudes of astonishment- The black1nailer stood holding to the back of his chair, the picture of be- wIldered rage. .
 Its just this." panted the black mailer. He's thief. He left Carber- | ton thirty years ago.
 Quite true" said MT. Harrison smoothly, taking up the tale. "I left Carberton thirty years ago-ran away, In fact. At the same time 1900 of the bank money disappeared. I did not know It at the time I heard of It more than a year afterward. The fel- | low clerk who was the thief knew him. self to be dying of consumption, and he wrote to me and confessed what he had done and how he had always al- | lowed me to be blamed for the theft. The money had been gambled away al most at once He told me to show the letter. If must, after he was dead, but begged me. If could, to be gener- ous for the sake of the young wife he was leaving. I destroyed the letter and simply adopted the name of liar rison. I had run away simply because I was tired of my life in the bank and longed for wider fields. This is my story. I can ask you to believe 1t; I cannot prove it."
 I l | background.
 | All turned In astonIshment. It was Mrs. Cartwright Deadly pale, and trembling very much, she stood facing them all The thief" she said slowly, twas my first husband, James Trevor :"
 Mrs Trevor. Is it possible? And I did not recognize you."
 "I did not recognize you, Robert, you have changed So much, or would not have kept the secret as have done It has weighed on my mind all these years: but you had disappeared, and thought 1t could not matter. Before James died he wrote out a full confes- sion and signed It before witnesses. If ever Robert is in trouble for want of 1t you can produce it then he told me. I have kept 1t ever since. Forgive me -I@"
 l Every me hogan shaking hands at