The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-26

bankruptcy It was a touching failurt; books in perfect order. heroic struggle and all that; yet, sir. creditors take everything, horses. plate, furniture; nothing saved but my honor"
 Slowly Captain Dodd recovered from his lethargy-but his reason was gone. One night Richard Hardie heard voice calling his name. He opened the window and there, kneeling on the with many wild cries, begged him 10 return to him fourteen thousand pounds his children's fortune.
 "Yes yes," said the banker softly; keep still. I will bring 1t down to you" Just then Alfred came out of the house Julia Dodd and policeman came on the scene and they carried the poor. insane captain back to the home from which he had escaped dur ing a moments negligence of his nurse.
 Alfred had an interview with Mrs. Dodd and her two children, in which he frankly told them what he had heard the captain say kneeling on the lawn. Alfred had accused his father of hay ing taken Captain Dodd's money, and though Hardie senior, had denied it, there was that in his manner which left Alfred convinced that his sus- picions were correct. He knew that Maxle, had been cheated. for the fraud had been discovered, and Maxley's wife. who was subject to heart disease had died of the shock of the discovery. while Maxley himself was wandering about town. a poor, demented creature. Mrs. Dodd said that her husband had been bringing home the sum he had named in his wild talk that night on the lawn, but that she had learned that the ship on which he sailed had been wrecked and the money might have been lost then. If 1t were true that he deposited it with Hardie & CO. it had bank and that was an end of tt.
 No" said Alfred. T have looked through the books and there is no men tion of the sum. taxed Skinner with the crime He looked guilty and fled town the next day"
 "Oh, pray, make him hold his tongue" cried Julia. Let the vile money go. have suspected all along. but I would never have told. A son to expose his own father; for shame!"
 "I do it out of a love of justice" mur- mured Alfred.
 "Ah. you think so. my fine fellow retorted Edward. But would you have done 1t for a stranger? Of all blunders the worst Is to fall between two stools. Look here. mama, we agree for the sons sake not to attack the father After that it would be very inconsistent to turn the cold shoulder to the son. Who suffers most by this fraud? Why. the man that marries Julia
 Alfred burst out impeteuosly: "Oh, prove that. and let me be the suffererr'
 Edward went on calmly: If we had the fourteen thousand pounds, mother would settle ten thousand of it on Julia and marry her to Alfred, Well, now I happen to know that Alfred has ten thousand pounds of his own He has left his fathers house because his father has wronged us. This house ought to be open to him That is only to be just. Now for justice on our side. I say let him marry Julia and settle on her his ten thousand pounds. Thus will be made up what she loses by the act of Hardie senior; every one will have justice and all will be we'll"
 "If anybody settles any of their trash on me-" broke out Julia, 'I will beat him and throw 1t in the fire. l hate money" And then she ran out into the garden so that people could see the happiness which came like a burst of sunshine over her face in the train of her indignation. Alfred found her there and so 1t was all settled.
 Edward Dodd might not be a bril- liant youth. but he was a practical one which is often much more to the pur- pose in this vale of tears Alfred went back to Oxford. At the end of the term he would become of age. Then a return to Burlington and the peal of wedding bells. Edward did not return to Oxford. He went to work in a machine shop instead, for now poor Captain Dodd had to be taken to an insane asylum-a private one, where the charges made a big hole fin Mrs Dodd's limited income.
 Edward had confessed to his mother his love for Jane Hardie. but there seemed little prospect of any happy issue for him out of the situation Jane was devoted to her father, who re- garded the Dodds as his enemies; and Jsne. while scarcely loving Edward.