Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-09-10
Sylvia's
Fortune.
By GERARD HOPKINS.

/: By GERARD HOPKINS.
9 Copyright, 1907. by Jessie Morgan. 8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In q we'll appointed but not lu1uri-
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 Westonw gasped the young.
er man. "You here?
"You seem scarcely pleased to see
me, Marsden,". replied the visitor
coolly, as he took chair. II 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 pris-
on to be made custodian Of a young
girls wealth"
Hush! She is in the house. You
know I 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.
II 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."
$50 am l."
"I 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 Fords 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 small
safe.
Weston laughed.
"You give yourself away so plainly.
So 1t is there, is it? What is it? Cash?
Bonds? Something negotiable? SIT
down. I want to talk to YOU"
Feeling himself weak and powerless
in the hands Of this man he hated and
feared. Marsden sank into chair.
"Remember old Whitaker" asked
Weston in q soft, reminiscent voice as
he eyed his companion with the gaze
Of q hypnotist. "What fad there
was that summer ut the lake for the
signatures Of celebrities! And Whit
taker had Just brought out book
He was all the rage there then, and
you had the fever as well as the wom-
en-. You had an autograph book,
singularly convenient one. Remember
Whitaker put his signature on page
-perilously near the bottom-remem-
berY
Marsden's breath was coming fast
and painfully.
And remember a month after that
draft for $4,000 was cashed, signed
by Whitaker, and, although he swore
he never gave it, his name was at
tached, and he had to admit the sigma
ture"
1.-THE book was stolen" whispered
Marsden. you know who took It."
ooh, no: knew nothing about 1t.
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 am innocent. I did not use
the page"
: "But who would believe you? You
owned the book. You asked Whit,
taker to sign his name. You said you
!; wanted him on 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"
/
"Who would believe 1t? Don't you
know, Fred Marsden, that the produc'
ton Of that book now, the fitting OF
: the page where it was torn. out, your
, name on the cover, would be evidence
, difficult to refute"
"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. Dc
, you think of that?"
{ "You dare not. You cannot"
81 dare. caa AMI will II you do not
obey me. Listen. I know that you
are cotrustee with your uncle Of Syl
via Ford's fortune. and know from
your wild look toward the safe thai
some Of 1t Is there. want money.
. will have money one way or another
3 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 BIZ
! harmed-nobdy will be harmed. Or
. the other hand, prison for your $4,000
. Of Whittakers good cash, disgrace
{ and the loss of Sylvia"
3 A wild look came into Marsden's
3 face. He was young. He had had M
warning Of the arrival Of this man hi
. suspected Of having stolen his auto
,, graph book. fad Of college days. Il
, was almost enough to condemn hin
' to be seen with Weston. He drew
vivid pictures Of his uncle's suspicion
, And he knew that what Weston said
t was true. He did have $1,000 Of Syl
! via Ford's money in the safe. He hat
intended to invest 1t safely for her the
? next day. He loved her. The thought
:. Of having her suspect him Of usini
Whittaker's name maddened him
She was so pure, 50 lofty in sentiment
D that he feared, even though the gull
could not legally be fastened on him
the doubt would turn her from him