The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-04-12

recltal
Thompson's papers slipped through
his fingers and went skidding across
the polished floor. The others looked
around In surprise.
excuse me!' muttered the secre-
tary as he stopped to gather up the
documents. VERY awkward! I'm
sorry"
He went on arranging the scattered
papers IN his usual unobtrusive silence.
etfacing himself from the general talk.
sYou were telling me about Cynthis's
father" said Dallas.
"Oh. yes" said Mrs. Bennett, taking
up the thread OF her tale. He was
looked on as one Of the most honorable
bankers In the city. And so he was
until his misfortune"
"AflsfortuneY'
"M0re misfortune than crime. Bis
wife was girlhood friend OF mine, SO
perhaps I am prejudiced In his favor.
A famous financier-a dear friend OF
his induced him to make very laEge
loan that proved to be a mistake. He
went to the financier for advice as to
how to recoup the loss, The financier
told him OF an investment by which
be could get all the money back with.
out any risk and could make good the
loan. Mr.. Garrison took his advice
used the banks funds for the purpose
and-the investment proved worthless,
The bank was insolvent. Mr.. Garrison
shot himself"
.Horrible! Horribler murmured
Dallas.
.'The horrible part Of the whole story
came out later" said Alwyn Bennett
'.It seems the financier had deliberately
ruined Mr.. Garrison and was on the
other side OF the deal by which the
banks funds were lost In other
words. he persuaded his friend 70 put
money In what be knew was q losing
venture, then took that money himself
"He did Ii willfully." chimed In Mrs
Bennett. knowing his friend would be
ruined and that the banks money
which he lured Mr.. Garrison into In
vesting was going to swell his own II
| gotten fortu a."
l'I did not think any one lived wh'
could do such things" shuddered Dal
-. upoor Cx-rfhiaf1
l'Cynthia suffered least Of all" SALE
Mrs. Bennett. "She was little mor'
| than child at the time. Her mothc
died Of grief, and her brother-a prom
ising, clever young fellow just enter
ing college disappeared"
Deserted CynthiaT
'sNot SO bad as that. He probaba!
went away sooner than face his IA
TIERS disgrace and began life some
where far from home. That was min
years ago, yet ever since then he send
Cynthia little money every month
not much, but no doubt all he cal
scrape together above his bare ivini
expenses. She has tried In every wa.
to get in touch with him, but she can
locate him anywhere. There is n
clew except that monthly money ordei
never knew him very well-in fact,
only saw him once or twice-but Nv
heard he was fine, manly boy. Tn
shock must have been worst Of all o
him."
$50 a man lost his good name an
his life, his wife died, his sons LII
| was wrecked and bis daughter impoN
erished," mused Dallas, "and all that
financier might grow a-Iittle richer.
can't believe itp'
| "A little ashamed of displaying sue
vehemence In the presence Of one 9
her uncle's dependents, the girl glance
toward the table. But the secretar
had gone.
'My husband" prattled Mrs. Bennet
complacently, always said that th
men who rose highest in the none
world reached their lofty places owe
| the despoiled bodies of hundreds Q
victims. Thank God, my boy has n
such parental record to look back OF
NY husband was one man In a mi
lion-the soul Of honor both In bus
ness and In private life. You've rea
OF his splendid civil war record. The
he went into business as a contractc
and engineer and earned fortune
every dollar Of which was homes
That's something to be proud OF !
these money loving times"
what was the name Of the fnancie
who ruined Mr.. Garrison? asked Da
las, still haunted by the narrative sh
had just heard.
"No one knows. It was suppresse
at the time. The facts In the write
confession left by Mr., Garrison bt
came public property; but, through pc
litical inhuente. the name Of the ma
responsible for the tragedy was SUI
pressed. Here SIT chatting on dolt
full topics. while those two young PEI
Die are running all over the place III
chaperoned. Excuse me, won't yol
and ri look taena up|
She smiled ut AlWyn as she left til
room, and his answering smile shove
how fully he understood and apprt
ciated her motive in leaving him alon
with Dallas Wainwright Perhaps Da
las, too, understood, for she made Q
though to follow Mrs. Bennett out int