Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-08-28
Sylvia's
Fortune.
By GERARD HOPKINS.
Copyright. 1907 by Jessie Morgan.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

tNNA tAHtAs III fNNH1~@f f'A@'~ %f'~~@
and startled, leaned with one hand on
mahogany table. The other older
and more calm, smiled with conscious
pride and triumph.
"Orville Weston gasped the young.
err man. "You here"
"You seem scarcely pleased TO see
me. AIarsden." replied the visitor
coolly, as he took chair. Il just
arrived. OF course YOU understand"
''N-no. What 90 you wantT'
81 have just learned of your re
markedly good fortune. II IS not
every fellow who escapes states pris-
on to be made custodian OF young
girls wealth"
Hush. She is I'm the house. You
know | was innocent of that crime"
"Innocenty sneered Weston. cor
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.
1T know" said Weston. "She is
with your uncle and aunt at the thea
ter. But before they reach home well
have talk. I'm broke. Marsden."
$50 am L."
81 know you are. A fellow just ad-
mltted to the bar can't be expected to
have made pile. But you've got Syl-
via Ford's 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 a small
safe
Weston laughed.
"You give yourself away so plainly.
So It is there, is It? What is It? Cash
Bonds? Something negotiable? Sit
down / want to talk to YOU"
Feeling himself weak and powerless
in the hands Of this man he hated and
feared. Marsden sank into q chair.
Remember old Whitaker" asked
Weston in a soft, reminiscent voice as
he eyed his companion with the gaze
Of a hypnotist. what fad there
was that summer at the lake for the
signatures OF celebritiesl 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, a
singularly convenient one. Remember
Whitaker put his signature on a page
-perilously near the bottom-remem-
ber?"
Marsden's breath was coming fast
and painfully.
"And remember a month after that
a draft for $1,000 was cashed, signed
by Whitaker, and, although he swore
he never gave 1t. his name was at
| tached, and he had to admit the sigma
tureY"
1.-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.
tilted as your own You know that"
at was never found
"Oh, yes: 1t 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. ! 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 10 add verse. He left
the page blank except for his name
You needed money. You had money
after the draft TO bearer was cashed
Remembers
"My uncle gave me that"
"Who would believe II? Don't you
know. Fred Marsden. that the produc
ton Of that book now. the fitting OF
the page where 1t was torn out. your
name on the cover. would be evidence
difficult to refuteY
"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 thaty'
"You dare not, You cannotr'
81 dare, can and will II you do not
obey me. Listen. I know that you
are cotrustee with your uncle of Syl
via Ford's fortune, and I know from
your wild look toward the safe thai
some OF il Is there I want money.
will have money one way or another
You have the investing OF the money
and can give me what you have here
You VIII never be suspected. Yor
will rise, marry Sylvia and in tim,
can make It good You viii not bC
harmed-nobdy will be harmed. Or
the other hand, prison for your $4,000
OF Whittaker's good cash, disgracC
and the loss OF Sylvia"
A Wild look came into Nlarsden's
face He was young. He had had ~
warning OF the arrival of this man he
suspected of having stolen his auto
! graph book, a fad OF college days. i
was almost enough 10 condemn hin
to be seen with Weston He drew
vivid pictures OF his uncle's suspicion
And ne knew that what Weston said
was true. He did have 5000 OF Syi
via Ford's money in the safe. He ha,
intended 20 invest Il safely for her the
next day. He loved her. The though
OF having her suspect him Of usinl
WLlttakcr's name maddened him
She was 50 pure. SO lofty In sentiment
that he feared. even though the gull
could not legally be fastened OF him