The Washington herald., 1907-04-29

the avenue, forgetting The papers he had
gone for; forgetting everything except "a
girls flushed. dismayed face. It was
scandalous that she should be allowed 10
drift into complications with that fellow
1t was all very well that Cornish was
her cousin. but what Of the fellows char
acter-a gambler, "a fortune-hunter? Yet
would could he do? All day he had look
ed forward to seeing Betty. Well, he had
seen her And She must have been in
earnest. She wasn't the kind Of a girl 10
let nan-and as memory gripped him,
he plunged gloomily on,
It was several days later that Mss Max
well. blue-gowned and demure, turned
into the entrance Of a bank on lower
Broadway, and walked calmly 10 the pay
ing teiler's window.
! suppose you know that this over
draws your account, Miss Maxwell" said
that gentleman handing out a packet of
fresh bank notes.
The girl stared at him in establishment.
NO, I did not know-I had not thought"
she said, nervOusly-
That last check was rather large-ten
thousand"
Ten thousand" repeated Betty, weak
ly
Yes We did not question II. Of course.
because Mr., Gordon so often draws large
amounts. He looked at her keenly. 1T
was all right. I suppose?"
Yes oh. yes said Betty, unsteadlly.
It was an right IL suppose AIr. Cor
don cashed III"
He sent a messenger, as he usually
does"
Betty nodded. The bank swan. and for
an instant her brain reeled, as she turn
ed away, perplexed, and vaguely conscious
Of impending evil
Ten thousand dollarsi
Even TO Betty's vague business reason
ing, ten thousand dollars seemed good
deal to lose track Of. But there must be
some good reason why Gordon Rad filed
in the check for so much For Miss Max
wells methods Of dealing with the man
agement OF her estate had not changed,
and though she still signed all her checks.
she serenely washed her hands Of fur
Their responsibility. and Gordon usually
filled them IN.
Once at home she hurried TO her desk.
She had a prejudice against keeping her
checkbOOk in order and an appalling num-
Der Of hastily scTawled stubs confronted
her She worked busily. covering a pad
with figures, and counting Up totals on
her fingers. But it was slow work, and
near the end one stub stared out from
the rest. provokingly.
1t was blank
She leaned her elbows on the desk. and
resting her chin in her hands stared
hard into space There was the check IN
accounted for and he had filed il out for
ten thousand dollars No one knew how
many others he had Used. He was well
come to the money. She would not fight
II II she could But he had seemed so
dlHerent-and she had trusted him Slow
~ her head sank on the desk and the
heiress Of the Maxwell millions cried her
eyes out like any ordinary lovesick girl
Il was ten hours later-ten dreary. in
terminable hours. that the clock on Bet
tvs dressing table chimed one.
Betty shivered. No sleep had come 10
her eyes. Getting out of bed she slipped
into a dressing gown. She would read.
Anything would be better than lying in
bed open-eyed and sleep!ess, moaning over
James Gordon.
Her book was in the library. She
opened her door AMI ran hurriedlv down
into the hall below. Pushing open the
library door very gently. she entered the
room-then uttered faint scream
The room was lighted by the faint rays
Of a bulTs-eye lantern.
Standing at her desk with his back TO
her, opening her check book, was-Tom
Cornish.
Starting eonvulsively at sound Of her
cry, ne turned and confronted her. white
to the lips, Betty" he stammered.
Miss Maxwell stood very still
Tom she said, why did you do #
But Tom had fallen into a chair and
hidden MS shamed face in his hands
It's an up" he said, hoarseiy. I'm
dead broke. and I thought I stood a
chance to stake myself once more. I've
had the devils own luck lately. I lost
every cent of that other check.
Betty looked at him as if in a dream
The cheek-your check. was dad
broke-debts everyWhere-and I got hold
Of your check book. knew Gordon did |
about as he pleased-and it was your sig |
nature all right I meant to give il back !
TO you, Betty. as soon as my luck turn /
ed, l really did"
But to his mystiflcation, Betty was
looking at him with shining ewes "It 4
was you who cashed the check for ten
thousand" she repeated, softly. 1T was 1
you-it was you"
II was weeks before she told Gordon /
and ne being wise young man in HE !
generation, said no word of her bvgone 1
Injustice. but his arms went round her !
and ne held her close, while she. crvino |
quietly hid her face against his coat
No other man would have understood - /
she whispered softly.
Copyright 1907 by NJ NJ. Cunningham,