The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-07-21


you 10 sell II for him. hut Just after
his death you found yourself saddled
with dlstlllery stock, which was going
bnfon your hands. Other speculations
OF yours were falling at tho same time.
You had to have money. You flied
your report ns administrator, crcdltiug
Miss Tabor with your own stock whle,'
yon knew was going to the wall, and
transferred hers 10 Yourself T1i"n vrf
sold II because you needed ready mon
ey You used her fortune 10 save your.
self, but you were horribly afrnldl No
matter how rotten your transactions
had bce1. Sog Lac always kept inside
the law, aud now that you had gone
outside OF II you were frightened. Yop
didn't dare conc fiat out TO Miss Tabor
with the statement that her fortune
had gone II hnd been In your charge
all the time, aud things might look
ugly. SO you put II on. perhaps from
day 10 day. You didn't dare tell her
until you were forced 10, and to avoid
the confession you sent her the income
which was rIghtfully hers. That was
your great weakness"
Joe had spoken with great rapldlty,
though keeping his voice low, and he
lowered II again IN he continued.
"Judge Pike, what chance have you
to bc believed In court when you swear
that you sent her $4,000 out OF the
goodness Of your heartI DO you think
she believed your II was the very
proof to her that you had robbed her,
for she knew you! DO you want to
hear more now? DO you think this
ls good place for III DO you wish
me 10 20 over the details Of each step
have taken against you 10 land you
at the bar where this poor fellow your
paper is bounding stands todayY"
The Judge essayed to answer ana
could not. lie lifted his hand uncer.
talnly and dropped II, while a thick
dew gathered on his temples. lnar
tlculate sounds came from between his
teeth
"You will COME" said Joe.
Martin Pike bent his head dazedly.
and at that the other turned quickly
from him aud went away without look.
Ing back
Ariel was In the studio half an hour
later, when Joe was announced by the
smiling Mr.. Warden. Ladew was with
her. though upon the point OF taking
his leave. and Joe marked. with a
sinking heart, that the young minis.
ter's cheeks were flushed and bis eyes
very bright.
1T was a magnificent thing you did.
MFR. Londen." he said Offering his hand
heartily Il saw II. and II was even
finer In one way than IL was plucky.
II somehow Strengthened things out
with such perfect good nature. It
made those people feel that what they
were doing was ridiculous"
80 II was" said Joe.
"Few under the circumstances could |
have acted as II they thought so. And |
hope your let me call upon you, Mr..
Louden."
II hope you WILL" he answered and |
then. when the minister had departed, |
stood looking after him with sad eyes,
la which there dwelt obscure medita- |
tlons. I.adew's word of farewell had |
covered deep look at Arlc,, which |
was not TO be mistaken by Joseph |
Louden for anything other than what |
It was. The clergyman's secret was
an open one, and Joe saw that he was
as frank and manly In love as In all |
other things Hes good fellow" he |
said at last, sighIng-"a good man."
Ariel agreed. And he said more to
me than he did to you"
"Yes: think II probable" Joe
smiled sorrowfully.
"Apout you, mean" He had time
to fear that her look admitted confu- |
sion before she proceeded; He said he |
had never seen anything so fine as !
your coming down those steps. All, he |
was right But 1t was harder for me |
to watch you, think, than for you to
do II, Joe, | was so horribly afraid
and the crowd between us--lf we could |
have got near you-but we couldn't
We
She faltered and pressed her hand |
close upon her eyes
ever" asked Joe slowly. "You mean |
you and Mr.. LadewT
"Yes: he was there, but mean
her voice ran into a little laugh with |
a beatlfic quaver In it'll mean Colo |
mel Flitcroft and Mr. Bradbury and |
Mr.. Buckalew. too-we We're hemmed |
In together when Mr.. Ladew found us. |
And, oh, Joe, when that cowardly rush
started toward you those three I've |
heard wonderful things in Paris and |
Naples, cabmen quarreling and disap- |
pointed beggars. but never anything
like them today
"You mean they were profane"
ooh, magnificently, and with such
All three begged my |
pardon afterward. didn't grant it
| blessed them"
"Did they beg Mr.. Ladew's pardon"
"Ah, joe" she reproached him. |
"He isn't prig, And he's had to fight