The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-08-22
Sylvia
Fortune.
By GERARD HOPKINS.

oeS9e o o o Q . 30
In a we'll appointed but not luxuri.
GUS library two men stood staring at
each other. The younger. white faced
and startled, leaned with one hand on
a mahogany table. The other, older
and more calm. smiled with conscious
pride and triumph.
"Orville Weston" gasped the young.
or man. "You here?'
"You seem scarcely pleased to see
me, Marsden," replied the visitor
coolly, as he took a chair. 81 just
arrived OF course you understand.
"N-no. What do you want?'
81 have just learned Of your re-
markably good fortune. 1t Is not
every fellow who escapes states priss-
on to be made custodian of a young
girls wealth"
Hush! She is In the house. You
know l was innocent Of that crime"
"Innocent?" sneered Weston. "Ot
course, every fellow is innocent until
he is proved guilty. The crime was
committed"
Young Marsden almost reeled. He
glanced nervously toward the library
door 1t was nearing midnight.
81 know" said Weston. "She is
with your uncle and aunt at the thea
ter. But before they reach home We'll
have talk. I'm broke, Marsden."
80 am l."
81 know you are. A fellow Just ad-
mitted to the bar can't be expected to
have made pile. But you've got Syl-
via Ford's fortune In your keeping"
Marsden, who was not the hardened
man OF the world his unwelcome Wis
itor was, turned still whittier and
glanced apprehensively toward a small
safe
Weston laughed.
"You give yourself away so plainly.
So 1t Is there. Is It? What is 1t? Cash
Bonds? Something negotlable7 Sit
down. want to talk to you"
Feeling himself weak and powerless
In the hands of this man he hated and
feared, Marsden sank into a chair.
Remember old Whitaker" asked
Weston In a soft, reminiscent voice as
he eyed his companion with the gaze
OF a hypnotist what fad there
was that summer at the lake for the
signatures Of celebrities! And Whit
taker had Just brought out a book.
He was all the rage there then. and
you had the fever as well as the wom-
en-. You had an autograph book, a
singulariy convenient one. Remember
Whitaker put his signature ON page
-perilously near the bottom-remem-
ber?"
Marsden's breath was coming fast
and painfully.
"And remember a month after that
a draft for $4,000 was cashed. signed
by Whitaker, and. although he swore
he never gave 1t. his name was at
tached, and he had to admit the sigma
tureT
1.-THE book was stolen" whispered
Marsden. you know who took It,"
"Oh, no; knew nothing about IT.
But the book. with the missing page
torn out. could easily have been iden-
titled as your own. You know that"
at was never found"
"Oh, yes; It was found. 1t is in ex-
istence today. And the detectives are
not through with the case yet.
know where the book Is, Marsden."
But l am innocent I did not use
the page"
But who would believe your You
owned the book You asked Whit
taker to sign his name. You said you
wanted him on a page all by himself.
He neglected to add verse. He left
the page blank except for his name.
You needed money. You had money
after the draft to bearer was cashed.
Remember"
my uncle gave me that"
"Who would believe it2 Don't you
know. Fred Marsden. that the produc-
ton of that book now. the fitting Of
the page where 1t was torn out, your
name on the cover, would be evidence
difficult to refute2"
"My God, yes!"
"And you. just starting out on your
career, In love with the most beautiful
girl in your set, with the world before
you, would probably be sent to prison
would surely be sent to prison. Do
you think Of thatT
"You dare not You cannotr'
81 dare, can and will II you do not
obey me. Listen. know that you
are cotrustee with your uncle of Syl-
via Ford's fortune. and know from
your wild look toward the safe that
some of It is there. want money.
will have money one way or another.
You have the investing Of the money
and can give me what you have here.
You will never be suspected You
will rise. marry Sylvia and in time
can make 1t good. You will not be
harmed-nobdy will be harmed. On