The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-30

I've Il good mind 10 fire through the
window again" he snarled Ito see if
/ You have loaded IL. but I'll trust you.
Thomas. You're the enc man in this
world do trust. And now put on your
hat and come in with me to sydney
Tom drew back. This was not in the
programme. On the contrary, he was
to stay and mind the house.
oh the housed" cried Daintree.
The sirl can look aftar tie house.
Yeur place II at your matters side or
else you are the foulest migrate In New
South Wales. But you are. have al
ways known you were. You have only
waited for this hour to turn and rend
me!''
You are wrong" said Tom grimly.
Il do not leave your side again." for
the man must be mad. and Tom no
longer shirked the ceremony but for
one instant had a mad design himself:
the next. his right hand was warmly,
held.
Thank God.' cried Daintree In q
breaking voice. Il knew you didn't
mean il. No more did I mean any
thing I said. Forgive me. Thomas,
and don't desert me at the last"
And Toms heart sank as it once
more softened to the man who was not
mad, but only unstrung. and again he
longed to eschew the church, hut he
Kept his word. and fortune was yet 10
prove his friend. A mile they had
driven when a loud cry broke from
Daintree. In his agitation he had for
gotten the ring lie burst into tears
at the discovery.
Never mind. Never mind" cried
Tom in his oldest role. I'VE can turn
back. What. isn't there time? No. L
know it would neYer Go TO Keep her
waiting Then look here, I'll run back
and gallop in again on your horse.
I'll be there almost as soon as you,
aud the ring isn't wanted till quite
the end
Daintree thanked him through his
tears-the first Ton had ever seen i'm
those fiery eyes-ard he swed back
strangely touched. but strangely com
forted too At least he loved her, The
man might be egotistical and vain and
overbearing all three to the verge of
lunacy, but that he was marrying for
sheer love WAS even more paipable
than 1t had been before. Tears In
those eyes. Tears at the thought of
losing her for one more day, Then
God grant that with Claire at least
he might be urseiish. meek and gen.
tie, though an egotist. coxconb and
a tyrant to all the world beside.
So praying Is h. ran. forgetful OF his
own debt to Daintreafor the moment
self forgetting aitoae.A.er-Tom was at
the bungalow gate IL tine that would
mr. ho, cl> i.tfs In \,
athletic youth. Aud IN the very gate
way he stopped dead. He had caught
glimpse of ragged coattails disap-
pearing through the study windows.
A crazy skin lay hauled up on the
strand.
Tom kicked off his shoes. He made
no sound on the veranda. but he vast
ed some seconds. and heard two draw
ers burst open as he crept nearer and
nearer. He was totally unarmed: his
one chance lay in taking the thief by
surprise.
The veranda on this side was i'm deep
shadow all the morning. In the cool
dusk OF the study a masked man was
rifiing drawer after drawer and tossing
the contents rigat and left. The floor
was strewn with papers as Tom Ieaped
across it and hurled himself upon the
thief They crashed to the ground to-
gether The mans head caught the
corner of the bookshelf, and he lay SUI
pine with mouthfal of crumbling
teeth grinning horribly below the mask
His neryeless fingers still clutched a
packet of blush letters half torn from
their wrapper. Tom took them from
him and rose up painting. A moment
later they might have heard his shout
at Piper's point.
Ali but one letter had slipped from
his trelab bling hand. On the back Of
that letter few lines had been scrawl-
ed with a lead pencil.
1t was the receipt