The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-11-12

how to recoup the loss The financier
| told him of an investment by which
he 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, Horrible murmured
Dallas.
"The horrible part of the whole story
came out later" said Alwyn Bennett.
1T seems the fiaancicr had deliberately
ruined Mr. Garrison and was on the
| other side of The deal hy which the
| hanks funds were lost In other
words. he persuaded his friend to pnt
| money in what he knew was losing
venture. then took that money himself.
"IIe did 1t willfully." chmed 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 III
gotten fortune"
Il did not think any one lived who
could do such things" shudderel Dal-
las. Poor Cynthia.'
Cynthia suffered least of all. said
Mrs. Bennett she was little more
than 4 child ~ the time Her mother
died Of grief and her broth@r-a prom
ising. clever Young fellow just enter
ing college disappeared"
Deserted Cynthia"
"Not so had as that He probably
went away sooner than face his IA
Tiers disgrace and began life some
where far from home. That was nine
years ago, yet ever since then he sends
CYNTHIA little money every month
not much. but no doubt all he can
scrape together above his bare living
expenses. She has tried in every way
to get in touch with him. but she cant
locate him anywhere. There Is no
clew except that monthly money order.
never knew him very well-in fact.
only saw him once or twice-but I've
heard he was fine, manly boy. The
shock must have been worst Of all on
him."
$50 man lost his good name and
his life, his wife died, his sons life
was wrecked and his daughter impov-
erished." mused Dallas, "and all that
financier might grow little richer. ]
can't believe it!'
A little ashamed Of displaying
vehemence in the presence Of oi. -.
her uncles dependents, the girl glanced
toward the table. But the secretary
had gone
"My husband pratiied Mrs. Bennett
complacently, always said that the
men who rose highest in the money
world reached their lofty places over
the despoiled bodies Of hundreds or
victims. Thank God, my boy has no
such parental record to look back on.
NV husband was one man in mil
lion-the soul of honor both in busi-
ness and in private life. You've read
of his splendid civil war record. Then
he went into business as a contractor
and engineer and earned a fortune,
every dollar Of which was honest.
That's something to be proud of in
these money loving times"
What was the name of the financier
who ruined Mr. Garrison?" asked Dal-
las, still haunted by the narrative she
had just heard.
''No one knows. 1t was suppressed
at the time The facts in the written
confession left by Mr.. Garrison be-
came public property; but, through po-
iitical influence, the name of the man
responsible for the tragedy was sup
pressed. Here l sit chatting on dole
full topics, while those two young peo-
pie are running all over the place I'M
chaperoned Excuse me, won't you,
and I'll look them up"
She smiled at Alwyn as she left the
room, and his answering smile showed
how fully he understood and appre-
ciated her motive in leaving him alone
with Dallas Wainwright. Perhaps Dal-
las, too, understood, for she made as
though to follow Mrs. Bennett out into
the lawn. But Alwyn stepped between
her and the window.
Don't go just yet" he begged. I've
so much to talk over with you. When
they came in we were speaking Of that
paragraph about Gibbs and yourself.
You don't love him, do you, Dallas?
Tell me you don't!'
What right have you to ask me such
a question"
"Only the right that my love for you
gives me, dear heart. You must have
known l loved you even though I've
never said it before. l love you, Dal.
las, though till today, think, 1 never
realized how much. Tell me it isn't
true that you're going to marry Gibbs"
Even if it weren't true I should not
marry you, Alwyn."
"Ahw
The exclamation was wrung uncon-
sciously from his whitening lips. 1t
was as though a pang Of physical pain