Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-09-12

time SAKE ana YOU can pay II Dacw
TO Sylvia. You VIII be happy. Mars
den, with Sylvia's love. and shall al
why's be shut out of the sunlight of
coneanial companionship. Think Of
the difference. Marsden. between hap
piness with Sylvia and ele cold un-
feeling bars of a cell in Sing sing
prison"
ssMan! Devflw
"Hushl They may come any minute.
and must leave New York tonight.
Quick. No one WIFI ever know! Do
IL nowF
Marsden suddenly awoke to the fact
that he was looking into the barrel
of revolver leveled at his head
stake your choice" said Weston
coolly.
Thoughts that burned like molten
lava rushed through Marsden's brain.
He was no longer master Of himself
Like man In a dream he rose from
his chair. moved by the powerful will
of the other, and crossed to the safe.
Tnstinctively Weston turned the lights
low. Marsden moved like man
walking In his sleep. Dfmly he was
conscious of his lifelong innocence,
but the words of Weston were ring
ing In his ears And he loved Sylvia
as few men ever love.
He opened the safe There lay n
pile of bank notes, notes he had drawn
from the bank that afternoon. He
vaguely wondered how Weston knew.
There was dim recollection Of see
ing 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 a small revolver. He picked 1t up
with the money
That's right" said Weston. with a
cold laugh Use that after I am
gone. You can't use It before. Raise
1t and l viii blow your brains outm
With his right hand still holding the
revolver close to Marsden's head. he
reached with his left and took the
package of bills
This will get me west nicely, and
you viii never hear from me again"
he said. shut the safe"
With a groan Marsden did so
''Sit down in that chair with your
hack to the door"
Mechanically Marsden obeyed
Don't move till I am out Of the
house. If you do, I'll shoot Tn too
rich now to give up. even If I KIN
YOU"
With another groan Marsden sank
into the chair Weston started toward
the door-then stopped He had heard
a noise that Marsden In his agony had
not heard The outer door had opened.
People were coming in
There's light" said silvery voice.
Fred must be waiting for US"
Weston was perpiexed- He glanced
around In the library was large
screen. Soiselessly he sid behind that
Marsden did not Know The reaiizh-
ton OF what he had done had come
upon Marsden now and deprived him
OF reason How could he prove that
be had been threatened with a re
volverE How could he prove thar he
had not taken the money himsalfY
Who would believe that Weston had
walked in and then out again with
5000?
His brain whirled. He was beside
himself
a beautiful girl in an opera cloak.
with a smile on her Iips. ttptoea TO the
library door IL surprise the lever in
whom she had SO much confidence.
She stood horror stricken on the thresh-
old
Atarsdeu 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 meditalng There was
but second 10 spare.
With the fight Of a bird she suraax
10 his side.
Fred she cried and knocked down
the hand thar held the weapon.
Il exploded There WIS c-y from
behind the screen. Il feI toward them 4
and the body OF Weston. sril 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. ana then
be lost Consciousness
In WeStou's pocket was Ta1Ind the
album from which Whirtaksrss name f
bad been torn. Marsilen's explanations .
Nere clear and convincing.
4 month later he and sylvia were
bur she shudders when she
recalls thar night and thinks w.har an
1ther moment Of delay In reaching
home would have cost her.