Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-09-26

In well appointed but not luxuri
Gus library two men stood staring nj
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 Weston!'' gasped the young
er man. You here"
"You seem scarcely pleased 10 see
me, Marsden." replied the visitor
coolly. as he took chair. II just
arrived. or course you understand"
"N-no What do you wantT'
81 have just learned OF your re
markably good fortune. 1t is not
every fellow who escapes states prls.
on TO be made custodian OF n young
girls wealth"
'Hush She Is in the house. You
know was innocent of that crime. "
'fnnocentT' sneered Weston. "Oi
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
IL 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."
II know YOU are. A fellow Just adj
mitted to the bar can't be expected to
have made a pile But you've got Syl
via Ford's fortune In your keeping"
Mnrsden. who was not the hardened
man of the world his unwelcome vis
itor was. turned still whittier and
glanced apprehensively toward a small
safe.
Weston laughed.
''You give yourself away so plainly
So It Is there. is It? What is It? Cash
Bonds? Something negotiable? Sii
down. l 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 soft, reminiscent voice as
be eyed his companion with the gaze
Of hypnotist. What fad there
was that summer at 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 won.
en-. You had an autograph book. q
singularly convenient one. Remember
whitaker put his signature on a page
--perilousiy near the bottom-remem-
berY"
Marsden's breath was coming fast
and painfully.
"And remember month after that
Z draft for $4,000 was cashed. signed
BY Whitaker. and, although be swore
he never gave It. his name was at.
tached. and be had to admit the sigma
turer
"I-the book was stolen" whispered
Marsden. you know who took It."
"Oh. no; ! knew nothing about It.
But the book. with the missing page
torn out. could easily have been iden-
tiled as your own. You know that"
ut was never found"
ooh. yes: 1t was found. 1t Il In ex.
istence today. And the detectives are
not through with the case yet.
know where the book Is, Marsden."
'But am innocent did not use
the page"
"But who would believe your You
owned the book. You asked Whit
taker to sign bis 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
n,mefnber7''<
my uncle gave me that"
"Whc would believe III Don't you
know, Fyed Marsden. that TIE produce
Hon Of that book now. the hitting 81
TIE pa1e whoro e was torn out youz
name On the cover. would BE- evidence
X di6cuIt 70 refutor*
nv God. yesr'
~An6 you. just starting out on your
career. A Iovs with tho most beautiful
Y 01xI a. your ut with TIE world beforg
you. would probably BE- sent 10 prison
voul0 surely BE- sent 20 pfison ia
- think o< thAtT
sxou dam uokl Xou cannotr'
n doro. can and Vim u you do moi
'|ohog ~ Listen. / know that you
~ eo1znstss Win your uncle g ~