Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-23
THE RlCH MANS ANSWER.

cidedly, Il have you in my power"
The rich man shifted uneasily in his
seat, so that his face was thrown into
deeper shadow, but he made no reply
YES" continued the blackmailer, ''it
Just amounts to this. You come here as
if You had never seen the place before,
figuring as Robert w. Harrison, the great
American millionaire; you buy Irving
stone park, and think you're a county
gentleman, and your girl comes over
from her Paris school and appears as
Miss Harrison, of the park, the great
American miIlionaire's daughter"
who says | am not a millionaire ?"
interposed the rich man. His face was
still in the shade.
ooh. no. MT.-er-H Harrison. No one
says you are not that. / took care to
make sure of that before | came here"
Then what do you want 2"
Merely little share of your prop
erty Bob Wilde
He who was known as Robert Harri-
son started violently; for a moment his
face came into the bright glare of the
reading lamp on his study table. and
there was on it look of mmitigated
establishment.
You know that" he cried. Then in
another voice: well, what of it? /
took Harrison for business purposes, and
it is legally my own now"
Well" pursued the blackmailer in
smooth tones, helping himself from a
box of cigars on the table as he spoke.
'call it business purposes if you like
For the present, we can drop Bob Wilde,
but drawing his chair nearer and
speaking in an impressive whisper
what about that robbery in the bank at
Carberton, on November Is, some thirty
years ago."
You know that, too? You know
that"
II know you are the man who alb
seconded with E30O of the bank funds
that night, and that it's not too late now
to tell the whole story to the police, or
for you to be arrested for it,"
"Don't-don't be hard on me-" pleaded
the rich man in a faltering voice
Hard on you!"-with confident
laugh-"I like that Now. | look upon
You as my little bank and / intend you
to help me-"
And if refuse?"
Then goodbye to Robert Harrison of
the park and enter Bob Wilde, the bank
thief"
Have you no mercy22" pleaded Mr..
Harrison patheticaiiy. "!yiio are YOU
How did you find all this out? [ have
never seen you before
You'd have seen me dozens of times
before if you had kept your eyes open
You see, ] work at Williams. Carberton.
I've been there a good many years now,
shaving away at a miserable two pounds
week; but. naturally, I've always been
on the lookout for something better.
Well, in the attic at the top of the house
there's lot of old boxes: been there
goodness knows how many years. | soon
found keys to fit, and after going
through a lot of musty old clothes and
books | came on a bundle of ancient let
tiers from old Williams brother in Amer
lea Wen, of course, | sat down to read
Them"
"Of course" murmured the millionaire
family. =
I'm the very first letter / opened /
read L do believe | saw Bob Wilde, who
robbed the Carberton bank. in the
streets here last week. Further on, in
another letter-but here, | needn't tell
you how | ferreted it all out; but in the
end made out that Bob Wilde and Rob
ert Harrison are the same person, and
you've owned it now
We'll, if l give you f500--'
The man burst into a loud. rough
laugh which he instantly smothered.
Five hundred!" he said scornfully, Il
want 1--WE thousand"
! Impossible"
oh, is it :? Just think it over. Bob my
friend. What about your daughter
"Ah!" burst from behind Robert Har-
risons hands, in a sudden groan.
All! | thought that would rouse you.
Here's Miss Molly. you see, engaged 70
the son of Sir Jonn Brandon What
about that engagement if l go and tell
Sir John who Robert Harrison is?"
Enough" cried the millionaire.
Enough! / give in. But | can't give
You the money now. Come tomorrow
night, or. stay-Tve dinner party to-
morrOw-say the night after"
NO, won't, I'll say tomorrow, it
suits me better"
People were always willing to come
to one of Robert Harrisons dinners.
This evenings party had been no excep,
ton to the rule. No one was anxious TO
shorten the evening but at last one or
two prepared to say goodbye.
Il want to beg you all to stay little
longer" said the host. Il have a little
surprise. a-a-kind of entertainment.
Will YOU all follow me?''
They all trooped after him to the mil
honaire's study, Folding doors covered
on the study side by thick curtains. sep
arated the room from another. These
doors had been opened tonight, hut the
curtains still draped the opening. and
lopposite to them chairs had been placed.
Smiling rather oddly. the host disap-
Ipeared into the study, and carefully drew
the curtains together behind him.
Then the door into the study from the
Ioutside was heard to open. and mans
voice said iauntiy, well. Bob! here
am. you see Now then, where's the
tin -
Was that Robert Harrison's voice that
answered in a cringing, wheedling man
ner Certainly, Mr.. Gregson-of course
49, only. won't YOU reconsider it? Do-do
let me off" whined the rich mans voice,