The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-15
Our Daily Short Story


 prison--would surely be sent to prison Do you think of that?'
 You dare not! You cannot" | T dare. can. and will if you do not obey me. Listen. know that you are cotrustee with your uncle of Sylvia Ford's fortune. and I know form your wild look toward the safe that some of 1t is there. I want money I will have money one way or another You have the investing of the money You can give me what you have here you will never be suspected. You will rise you wll marry Sylvia, and In time can make 1t good. You will not be harmed--no--prison for four thousand of Whittaker's good cash disgrace, and the loss of Sylvia"
 4 wild look came into Marsden's face He was young. He had had no warn ing of the arrival if this man he suspected of having stolen his auto graph book, a fad of college days The precipitation poured from him. It was almost enough to condemn him to be seen with Weston. He drew vivid pictures of his uncie's suspicion. And he knew that what Weston said was true. He did have $5,o00 of Sylvia l Ford's money in the safe. He had Intended to invest 1t safely for her the next day. He loved her. The thought of having her suspect him of using Whittaker's name maddened him. She was so pure, so lofty in sentiment, that he feared even though the guilt could not legally be fasten- ed on him. the doubt would turn her from him. And there was the cool master of the situation with his cold pitiless eyes bent on the young trustee weakening his power of resistance every moment.
 You know it is safe." said weston in his soothing voice. You have the power. You are merely borrowing the money. You will earn enough to pay interest on 1t, and it will be easy to | avoid showing. any securities. They are elsewhere if your uncle wants 1 them-tiil you make enough to pay l the money back You see would not rob an orphan, Marsden. Oh, no. I am only Asking the money of you for old times sake. and you, can pay 1t back to Sylvia. You will be happy Marsden, with Syivia's love. and I shall always be shut out of the sunlight of congeniaI companionship. Think of the difference, /Marsden. between hap piness with Sylvia, and-the cold prison"
 Man! Devil-"
 'Hush---they may come any minute, and I must leave New York to-night ouick--no one will ever know do
 Marsden suddenly awoke to the fact that he was looking into the barrel or revolver l veled at his head. coolly A
 Thoughts that burned like molten lava rushed through Mnrsden's brain He was no longer master of himself Like man in e dream he rose from ms chair moved by the powerful Will
 
 lnstinctiVely Weston turned the light low Marsden moved like a man walk ing in his sleep. Dimly he was cor1cI. ous of his lifelong innocence. but Una words of Weston were ringing fin bIs ears And he loved Sylvia as few men ever love. -S- He opened the safe There law a pie of bank notes. notes he had drawn rom the bank that afternoon. He vaguIy wondered how Weston knew Ihere wes dim recollection of sec ing a man like Weston in the bank when he drew the money. lie reached out his hand to take the money. He started as he saw beside It small revolver He picked 1t up with the money.
 That's right" said Weston with a eoid laugh. Use that after am gone You can't use 1t before. Raise if and will blow your brains out" With his right hand still holding the revolver close to Marsden's head, he reached with his left and took tbe package of bills.
 This will get me West nicely, and you will never hear from me again. he said Shut the safe"
 With groan Marsden did SO.
 Sit down in that chair with your back to the door"
 Mechanically Marsden obeyed.
 Don't move till I am out of the house. If you do---TlI shoot. Pm foo rich now to give up even if I kill you"
 With another groan Marsden sank into the chair Weston started toward the door-then stopped. He had heard noise that Marsden. in his agony had not heard. The outer door had open ed. People were coming in.
 There's a light" said A silverv voice Fred must be waiting for us"
 Weston was perplexed. He glanced around. In the library was a large screen. Noiselessly he slid behind that Marsden did not know. The reaIizat- ion of what he had done had come upon Marsden now and deprived him of reason. How could hB~ prove that he had been threatened with a revolver? How could he prove that he had not taken the money himself? Who would DeIleVe that weston had walked in and then out again with s5,0o0?
 His brain whirled. He was beside himself.
 A beautiful girl in an opera cloak, with a smile on her lips, tiptoed to the library door to surprise the lover In whom she had so much confidence She stood horror stricken on the threshold Marsden sat with his head turned away, with his right elbow resting on the table. his hand raised. and her own revolver pointed at his head
 She dared not startle him. She saw that he was meditating. There was but a second to spare. Fred" she cried. and knocked down | the hand that held the weapon.
 It exploded. There was a cry from | behind the screen. It fell toward them. and the body of Weston. stIIl with his | own revolver in his hand, but with a bullet from Sylvia's pistol in his heart, plunged across the screen to the floor.
 My God?" said Marsden. and then he lost consciousness.
 Tn Weston's pocket was found the album from which Whittaker's name had been torn. Marsden's explanations