The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-14
CHAPTER XIII.
A WOMAN ~ HIS PATH.


ed his presence. but at sight of that
sons face he dropped the paper with
an alacrity which Frederick was too
much engaged with his own thoughts
to notice.
Father he began without pream-
bic or excuse. Il am in serious and
immediate need of $3.50. / want it SO
much that l ask you to make me a
check for that amount tonight, con-
scious as l am that You have every
right tc deny me this request and that
my debt to you already passes the
bound of presumption on my part and
indulgence on yours. | cannot tell you
why | want it or for what. That be-
longs to my past life. the consequences
of which i have not yet escaped, but
iia.t you will not be the loser by this
,-,sterial proof Of confidence in me
feel bound to state. as l shall soon be
In a position to repay all my debts.
among which this will necessarily
stand foremost"
The old gentleman looked startled
and nervously fingered the paper he
had let fall. why do you say you
will soon be In position to repay me?
What do you mean by that?"
The flush which had not yet subsid-
ed from the young mans face ebbed
slowly away as he encountered his IA
TIERS eye.
Il mean to work." he murmured.
81 mean to make man of myself as
soon as possible"
The look which Mr.. Sutherland gave
him was more inquiring than sympa-
thetic.
land you need this money for a
start" said he.
Frederick bowed. He seemed to be
losing the faculty of speech. The
clock over the mantel had told of five
of the precious moments.
81 will give it to you," said his ia
Their. and he drew out his checkbook.
But he did not hasten to open it. His
eyes still rested on his son.
"Now," murmured the young man.
''There is train leaving soon. / wish
to get it away on that train
His father frowned with natural dis
trust.
81 wish you would confide in me-"
said he.
Frederick did not answer. The hands
of the clock were moving on.
81 will give 1t, but l should like to
know what for"
"Impossiblew groaned the young
man, starting as he heard a step on the
walk without.
"Your need has become strangely i'm
perative," proceeded the other. HAS
Miss Page
Frederick took a step forward and
laid his hand on his fathers arm.
TT is not for her." he whispered.
'It goes into other hands,"
Mr.. Sutherland. who had turned over
the document as his son approached,
breathed easier. Taking up his pen he
dipped it In the ink. Frederick watch
ed him with ever whitening cheek.
The step on the walk had mounted to
the front door.
mime hundred and fifty?" inquired
the father.
"Nine hundred and fifty" answered
the son.
The Judge, with last look, stopped
over the book. The hands of the clock
pointed to a quarter to 10.
Father. I have my whole future in
which to thank you," cried Frederick.
Selling the check his father held out
to him and making rapidly for the
door. 81 will be back before mid
night" And he flung himself down
stairs just as the front door opened and
Wattles stepped in.
'Ah" exclaimed the latter as his eve
er's hand, II expected money, not pa
per-"
'sThe paper is good" answered Fred
erick, drawing him swiftly out Of the
house. ut has my fathers signature
upon it,"
''Your fathers signatureT
Eyes"
Wattles gave it look, then slowly
shook his head at Frederick.
'Is it as well DONE" said he, ''as the
one you tried to pass off on Brady?"
Frederick cringed and for a moment
looked as If the struggle was too much
for him. Then he rallied and eying
Wattles firmly said:
"You have a right to your distrust,
but you are on the wrong track, Wat
ties. What did once it would be i'm
possible for me to do again, and hope
l may live to prove it. AS for that
check, l will soon prove its value In
your eyes. Follow me up stairs to my
father"
His energy-the energy of despair
no doubt-seemed to make an impress
sion on the other.
You night as well proclaim your
self forger outright as to force your
father to declare this to be his sigma
ture," he observed.
81 know it," said Frederick.
"Yet you will run that risk 2"
eff you oblige me-"
Wattles shrugged his shoulders. He
was a magnificent looking man and
lowered in that old colonial hall like
youthful giant.
81 bear you no i'll will" said he. eff
his represents money. I am satisfied.
and begin to think it does. But lis
ten. Sutherland. Something has lap
pened to you. A week ago you would
have put a bullet through my head be-
fore you would have been willing to
have so compromised yourself. l think
know what that something is. To
ave yourself from being thought
yuilty OF big crime you are willing to
ncur suspicion of q small one. It's q