The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-07-28

sat glowering upon the Psychologist,
while the old man studied the odd
scarab with wondrOus eyes.
At last with reluctant fingers he re
turned the scarab to Paul and went to
his study, while Paul and Lena slipped
out for walk. Ever since Paul had
been an undergraduate at the college
he had loved Lena. and now that he
had come back to demand her hand in
marriage it was shock to find that
the scientist had determined to sacri-
fee his daughter, as he had everything
Else, to his beloved collection.
1t was the finest private collection
of scarabs extant, and it was the pro-
fessor's wish that the work might be
carried on by his son-in-law. To this
end he had looked with favor upon
Professor Katzinger, who shared his
enthusiasm for the collection.
Lena did not share her fathers lik-
ing for the German professor, and she
was very much in love with Paul, but
the habit of obedience was strong
within her, and even with Paul plead
ing his case in person he could not In
duce her to agree to a runaway match,
though she did promise to make every
effort to evade a marriage with Kat
Finger.
With this promise Paul had to rest
content, but it was with little of the
elation which had marked his coming
that he took his departure. 1t was
plain to be seen that the professor
cared more for the advancement of his
collection than he did for his daught-
ter's happiness, or, more correctly, he
convinced himself that the two inter
ests were identical. In the eyes of
Professor Cation, a man who did not
care for scarabs was no man at all
and not fit to marry his daughter.
His only interest in Paul lay in the
latter's possession of the odd scarab,
the like of which he had not seen be-
fore in his vast experience. He was
shocked at the careless fashion in
which Paul carried it about In lis
waistcoat pocket, and when, ju - :
fore the younger mans departure, he
found the precious scarab on the stairs
he told himself that it served Paul
right If he Lust the treasure.
At the moment he had no thought of
retaining it, but when Paul, missing
the scarab, made inquiry the profess
or, why he would not say, denied hav-
ing seen it, and the mischief was done.
He told himself that he would pretend
to find it before Paul left, but now
Paul was gone and the scarab still re-
posed In the private compartment of
the professors safe, while the finder
went about with a heavy sense of
guilt.
Not by any chance would it be pos
sible now to find" the missing treas
ure, and the impulse for moment
had made him a thief.
The thought gave him an odd sense
of anger. He blamed not alone him
self. but Paul. whose carelessness had
made the theft possible. At first h'
had argued that it served Paul right
but now the tiny scarab had grown tt
the weight of a milestone about hi
neck.
He did not dare take it out anC
place it in his collection. He did no
even dare to look at 1t himself les
Lena, coming in suddenly, as was he
wont, should discover him with tn
evidence Of guilt In his hand.
The evil he had done preyed upol
| his health. He suddenly grew very oil
and feeble, and his enthusiasm for nj
collection waned. The thought that hi
hobby had made of him a thief wa
bitter indeed, and in the long silenc
of the night he tossed sleepless orr hi
bed and cursed the day he had seel
the scarab on the stairs.
Paul had taken his loss as a Sigh
thing and after casual inquiry ha'
let the matter drop, but the professo
knew how priceless was the ind, an
the thought that he had betrayed tn
confidence of guest was an additions
source of pain to the sensitive old mar
At last his condition became so grav
that Lena was alarmed. The professo
would not consent to see physician
He knew well enough that no medica
man could bring him relief, and as
last resource Lena wrote Paul askin
him to come and see them. Alread
Paul had gained a reputation as a spt
cialist, and since her father would nc
go to see physician the only thing
be done was to bring the specialist
him.
She said nothing Of Paul's visit
her father, and she arranged wit
Paul to pretend that he had droppe
off over one train to pay short visi
They met only at the table, and Paul
first glance told him that bis host wa