The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-07-19

ia sent a messenger. as he usually
does.s
Betty nodded The bank SWAN .nA
for an instant her brain reeled a -
turned away, perplexed ana vnRuaav
conscious Of impending evil
Ten thousand dollars!
nven to Betty's vague business ~.
soning $4,000 seemed a good deal "a
lose track of. But there must be some
6ood reason why Gordon had flIled In
tne check for so much, for Miss May
wePs methods Of dealing with the
management Of her estate had not
changed, and, though she still signed
all her checks, she serenely washed
her hands Of further responsibility.
ana Gordon usually flled them In
once at home she hurried to her
desk. She had a prejudice against
keeping her check book in order, and
an appalling number of hastily scrawl-
cd 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 pro-
vokingiy.
It was blank.
She leaned her elbows on the desk
ana, resting her chin in her hands.
stared hard into space. There was the
check unaccounted for, and he had
nlled 1t out for $4,000. No one knew
now many others he had used. He
was welcome to the money. She would
not light 1t II she could. But he had
seemed 80 different, and she had trust
60 him. Slowly her head sank on the
desk, and the heiress of the Maxwell
millions cried her eyes out like anv
ordinary lovesick girl.
1t was ten hours later-ten drearv
lnterminable hOurs-that the clock or
Betty's dressing table chimed 1.
Betty shivered. No sleep had come
TO her eyes. Getting out Of bed, sht
slipped into a dressing gown. Sht
would read. Anything would be bet
ter than lying in bed open eyed and
sieepless moaning over James Gordon
Her book was in the library. Sh.
opened her door and ran hurriedI,
down into the hall below. PushinI
open the library door very gently, sh,
entered the room, then uttered fam
scream.
The room was lighted by the fain
rays Of a bullseye lantern.
Standing at her desk with his bacI
TO her, opening her check book, wa
Tom Cornish.
Starting convulsively at sound Of he
CRY, he turned and confronted heI
white TO the lips. Betty" he stan
mered.
Miss Maxwell stood very still
'@rom," she said, "why did you d
itP'
But Tom had fallen into a chair an
hidden his shamed face in his hands.
TITS all up" he said hoarsely. "T'I
dead broke, and l thought 1 stood
chance to stake myself once more. I'v
had the devils own luck lately.
lost every cent Of that other check"
Betty looked at him as If in a dream
''The check-your check. was dea
broke-debts everywhere-and l g,
hold OF your check book. knew Go
don did about as he pleased-and
was your signature all right. 1 meal
TO give 1t back to you, Betty, as 500
as my luck turned, / really did"
But to his mystifcation Betty wa
looking at him with shining eyes. &c
was you who cashed the check Il
ten thousand" she repeated softly. &c
was you-it was you"
1t was weeks before she told Go
don, and he, being a wise young ma
in his generation, said no word of h
bygone injustice, but his arms wei
round her, and he held her close, viii
she, crying quietly, hid her face again
his coat.
mo other man would have unde
stood" she whispered softly.