The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-21

| brella In his fingers a moment before
| replying. His glance at the closed
| door was no more significant than his
| lowered tones.
at didn't go, very well with him.
Graydon. He isn't here any more"
What do you mean?"
II mean the trial. There was a trial,
| you see. Haven't you heard anythingf'
Trial? He-he was arrested?" came
| numbly from the young mans lips.
81 can't mince matters. Graydon. I'll
| get it over as quickly as possible. Your
| father was tried for blackmail and was
| convicted. He is in-he's in the peni-
| Tertiary"
The sons face became absolutely
| bloodless. His eyes were full of COM
| prehension and horror. and his body
| stiffened as If he were turning to stone.
The word penitentiary fell slowly. me
chanically, from his lips. He looked
into Drooms eyes. hoping it might be
a Joke of the calloused old clerk.
| "You-it-it can't be true" he MUIR
INJURED, his tremb bling hands going to
his temples.
| Yes, my boy, it is true. / didn't
|
to put 1t off as long as could. It's for
| five years"
"Godr' burst from the wretched son.
| A wave of shame and grief sent the
| tears flooding to his eyes. Poor old
! dadw He turned and walked to the
, window, his shoulders heaving. broom
stood silent for long time, watching
| Bansemer's son, pity and triumph In
his face.
do you want to hear about it?" he
asked at last Graydon's head was bent
in assent.
1T came the day after you left Chi
| cago with the recruits. / knew you
would not read the newspapers. So did
he. Harbert swore out the papers. and
he was arrested here in this office.
believe he would have killed himself if
he had been given time. His revolver
was-er-not loaded. Before the officers
came he discharged me. l was at liber-
| ty to go or to testify against him. / did
neither. OF course l was arrested, but
| they could only prove that ! was a
clerk who knew absolutely nothing
about the inside workings OF the Office.
| l offered to go on his bond. but he
would not have me. He made some ar
rangement through his attorney, and
| bail was secured. In spite of the fact
that he was charged with crime he in
sisted on keeping these offices and try
| ing to do business. 1t wasn't because
he needed money, Graydon. but be-
| cause he wanted to lead an honest life.
! he said. He has a great deal of money.
! let me tell you. The grand jury indict-
ed him last spring. but the trial did nor
come up until last month. nearly n
year later, so swift is justice in this
| city. In the meantime I saw but little
| of him. was working on an invention.
! and, besides. there were detectives
! watching every movement I made.
| stuck close to my rooms By the vav.
/ I want TO snow you a couple or modeas
l have perfected. Don't let me forget
| It. They
Eyes, yes-but father? Go on"
| We'll, the trial came up at last.
| That man Harbert is a devil. He bad
I twenty witnesses. any one OF whom
could have convicted your father. How
he got on TO them l cannot imagine.
He uncovered every deal we've-er-
he had In Chicago and
Then be really was guilty. groaned
| Graydon.
Yes. my boy. | knew it, OF course
| They could not force me to testify
| against him. however. 1 was too smars
for them. Well. TO make il short. he
| was sentenced five weeks ago. The
| motion for d new trial was oTerruled.
He went to Joliet. If he had been a
popular alderman or ward boss he
would have been out yet on eontinu-
ances. spending most Of his sentence in
some fashionable hotel. TO say the
| least"
For FIVE years." The young man
sank into a chair and covered his face
with his hands.
"There'H be something OF for good
behavior. my boy. He wanted to be
] have well before. he went tsera SO ]