The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-21

care to prosecute" the lawyer concluded, lit is no
affair of mine but there can be no doubt d ~,
She didn't steal anything"
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
MY dear sir" he said, the innocent don't make
such silly sacrid in these days The mystery Of
the lost jswelry is cleared up
Fem pondered that declaration when he was alone
n h.s cEi-e again.
rs il ~,ea:eI I ," he c-2el himself doua:fully
almost co2yt42G. lie lo-Eei the door OF his once
and then rn,co!e drawer Of his desk is it?" he
asked again Her confession in the presence OF wit
uesaes would send her to the pententiary: the
is conclusive; jury wouldn't take five minutes over
it. DiI she steal these things CT are they here?"
He took the missing articles from the drawer and
laid them on the desk. They're here he went
"She confesses stealing articles that have not been
out CT my possession. and she makes strong case
OF it, too: almost believed her myself" He put the
things away and locked the drawer again; after
whleh he leaned back and scowled the ceiling for
several minutes Il suppose he commented at last,
Il suppose the situation is comic but don't seem
to be able to laugh. Desson goes scotfree, and I'm
busy trying dodge the necessity OF arreSting the
gil! did it for Oh, it must be very funny
exnectat:cn Of arrest, or, at least discharge but
nothing happened Then, the suspense being I'M
bearabe, she sought an interview with Fem in his
Ann to be arrested, Mr. Fenn?" she asked.
'Discharged?"
Then | shall resign" she announced.
Il dent think can permit that, Miss Walters,
"But-but something must happen!" she cried.
tried to leave, l might feel obliged to act"
Slowly this situation dawned upon her; she
had put herself quite his mercy, and he taking
advantage of it in an unexpected way; it might vet
happen that she would have to choose between him
and Jail This another contingency that she had
not contemplated. 1t had not been difficult to face
arrest when she made her confession, but to live with
the threat of it hanging over her was quite another
matter.
why did you do it?" he asked, after moment of
uncomfortable silence.
'BecauSe-beCause it easy, and wanted
khe money she answered
His question had referred to the confession. and
not to the theft, but he followed this lead.
You still insist that you actually took the thngs?"
he inquired. and there was almost plea for denial
in his tone.
"Of course" she replied
His glance strayed invountarily to the locked
drawer in which the articles rested, and his face
Taxed into grim, mirthless smile.
Well" he said, significantly. q don't feel that
spare you just now and the future will depend
upon-yourself. There is real reason why
thing more should be heard of this unfortunate af-
fair
She went back to her work, troubled than be-
fore, fer she knew that she had lost her indie
pendence How could she discourage the attentions
r. a who could send her to Jail, to whose
generosity she owed her liberty, employer from
whose service she could not resign? And the pros
pect of jail is not pleasing to even the martyr.
Fem asked hog to go to lunch with him, and she
went He limited that he would appreciate invi-
tation to call, and she extern led it. He wise,
he was prudent; he wanted her to be grateful for
his forbearance but he did not lose sight OF his ad
vantage And neither did She for she knew to what
all this tended, and it not pleasant to be wooed
by she could not safely refuse.
Consideration Of all the circumstances made him
almost as contented now as he had been with the
original loss The developments had been along un-
expected lines, but the situation fully salts
factory the he had sought to create
This was the way it looked to him before Miss
Walters came to his private Office, unsummoned, the
in appreciating the comedy features that he knew
existed