Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-05-13

am ready 10 llSten-aS usual. How
much do you wantf"
He made no sign. His lower Iii
hung loose His eyes bllnked at her
"What is IT." she repeated "Whai
have you been doing? How mucl
have you lost? You can't have los
very much. We hadn't much to lose
If you have given your note to any OF
those gamblers II is a shame-a shame
Leroy. look at mel You promised me
on your honor, never TO do that again
Have you lied, after all the times
have helped you out. stripped myself
denied myself. put off tradesmen
faced down creditors? After all
have done, do you dare come here and
ask for more-ask for what have not
got-with not one bill settled, not one
servant paid since December
Leila, 1--we got-to tell YOU
"WhatT she demanded, appalled, by
the change In his face. If he was
OVERRIDING 1t. he was OVERRIDING II real.
istically enough
live used Plank's check" he
mumbled and moistened his lips with
his tongue.
she stared back at him, striving
comprehend. "PlanEsw she repeated
slowly "Plank's check? What check ?
What do you meanY
''The one he gave you last night TO
pay his bridge losses and forgot TO fill
IN"
'The one he But you couldn't!
How could you. 1t was not filed in -
II filed it,
Her dawning horror was reactlng
on him. as 1t always did. Ikea fierce
tonic, and his own courage came back
In sort of sullen desperation.
"You-you are trying to brighten me-
Leroy" she stammered. you are try
ing TO make me do something-give
you what you want-force me to give
you what you wantl You can't fright
en- me. The check was made out TO
me-to my order. How could you
have used II, II had not indorsed itT
II Endorsed II. Do you understand
thatT he said savagely.
mo, l don't. Because II you did
It's forgery"
II don't give - what you think
It is" he broke In fercely. "All I'm
worried over is what Plank will think.
didn't mean to do II. / didn't dream
Of doing II. When l saw that check
In my hands l thought I'd use It tenn
porarily-merely as moral collateral to
fash at Notwithstanding to back
my o US. SO filed II In"
For how muchr she asked, not dar-
ing to believe him. but he ignored the
question and went on, 81 filed 1t and
indorsed it and
How could you indorse it?" she in
terrupted coolly, now unconvinced
again and suspicious.
'Tll tell you If you'll stop that fool
tongue a moment. The check was
made to Il. Mortimer wasn't It? So
wrote L. Mortimer on the back
Now do you know? If you are L. Nor
timer, so am l. Leila begins with L;
so does Leroy, doesn't it? | didn't Inn
itate your o-words-to-a-page auto
graph. l put my own fist to a check
made out TO one l.. Mortimer, and !
don't care what you think about 1t as
long as Plank can stand II. Now put
up your nose and howl, If you like"
But under her sudden pallor he was
taking fright again, and he began to
bolster up his courage with buster
and noise as usual.
Howl all you like" he jeered. 1T
won't alter matters or square ac-
MI nh 10
staring at? Do you suppose I'm not
sorry? Do you fancy l don't know
what fool I've been? What are you
turning white for? What
How much have you She chok-
ed, then, resolutely, How much have
you-taken?"
"TakenF he broke out with an oath.
What do you mean? I've borrowed
about $4,000. Now yelpl Eth? What?
No yelps? Probably some weeps then.
Turn 'em on and run dry. I'll wait"
And he managed to cross one bulky
leg over the other and lean back, af-
fecting resignation, while Leila, bolt
upright In her low chair, every curved
outline rigid under the flowing silken
wrap, stared at him as though stun
ned.
well, we're good for 1t, aren't WEI"
he said threateningly. IF he's going
to turn ugly about It, here's the
house?"
"My-house?"
Yes, your housed suppose you'd
rather raise something on the house
than have the thing come out in the
papers"
do you think so?" she asked, star
Ing into his bloodshot eyes.
Eyes, | do. I'm sure OF itr
"You are wrong"
you mean that you are not inclined
to stand by me-" he demanded.
Yes, | mean that"
"You don't intend to help me outT'
II do not intend to-not this time"
He began to show his big teeth and
that nervous snickering stick" witch
I'd his upper lip.
How about the divorce courts?" he
do you want TO figure In |
them with Plankr'
II don't want to-" she said steadily, |
but you cannot brighten me by that
threat"
"Oh! Can't brighten you'll Perhaps
you think you'll marry Plank when !
get decree? Do your Well, you
won't for several reasons. First, be-
cause I'll name other correspondents
md that will make Plank sick; second, /
Decaruse Plank wants to marry some
body else and I'm able TO assist him.
So where do you come out I'm the