Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-02-13
HE sent messenger, as he usually

HE sent messenger, as he usually
does"
Betty nodded. The bank swan and
Tor an instant her brain reeled as she
turned away, perplexed and vaguely
conscious of impending evil.
Ten thousand dollars!
Lven to Betty's vague business rea-
sonlng $4,000 seemed good deal to
lose track of. But there must be some
good reason why Gordon had filled in
the check for so much, for Miss Max
Weifs methods Of dealing with the
management of her estate had not
changed, and, though she still signed
all her checks, she serenely washed
her hands of further responsibility,
and Gordon usually filled them in.
once at home she hurried to her
desK. She had a prejudice against
keeping her check book in order, and
an appalling number of hastily scrawl
ed stubs confronted her. She worked
DUSTY, covering pad with figures and
counting up totals on her fingers. But
IT was slow work, and near the end
one stub stared out from the rest pro-
vokingly.
1t was blank.
She leaned her elbows on the desk
and, resting her chin in her hands,
stared hard into space. There was the
check unaccounted for, and he had
hlled 1t out for $4,000. No one knew
now many others he had used. He
was welcome to the money She would
not light 1t If she could But he had
seemed so different, and she had trust
ed MIN. Slowly her head sank on the
desk, and the heiress of the Maxwell
millions cried her eyes out like any
ordinary lovesick girl.
1t was ten hours later-ten dreary.
lnterminable hours-that the clock on
Betty's dressing table chimed 1.
Betty shivered No sleep had come
to her eyes. Getting out of bed, she
slipped into dressing gown. She
would read. Anything would be bet
ter than lying in bed open eyed and
sleepless moaning over James Gordon.
Her book was in the library. She
opened her door and ran hurriedly
down into the hall below Pushing
open the library door very gently, she
entered the room, then uttered a faint
scream.
The room was lighted by the faint
rays of bullseye lantern.
Standing at her desk with his back
to her, opening her check book, was
Tom Cornish.
Starting convulsively at sound of her
cry, he turned and confronted her,
white to the lips. Betty" he stam-
mered
Miss Maxwell stood very still.
"Tom," she said, "why did you do
itw
But Tom had fallen into a chair and
hidden his shamed face in his hands.
"Its all up" he said hoarsely. I'm
dead broke, and l thought I stood a
chance to stake myself once more. I've
had the devils own luck lately. 1
lost every cent of that other check"
Betty looked at him as if in a dream.
"The check-your check. was dead
broke-debts everywhere-and 1 got
hold Of your check book. knew Cor
don did about as he pleased-and it
was your signature all RIGHT. n
to give it back to you, Betty,
as nay luck turned, really did"
But to his mystification Betty was
looking at him with shining eyes. "It
was you who cashed the check for
ten thousand" she repeated softly "It
was you-it was you"
1t was weeks before she told Cor
don, and he. being a wise young man
in his generation, said no word Of her
bygone injustice, but his arms went
round her, and he held her close, while
she, crying quietly, hid her face against
his coat.
"No other man would have under
Stood" she whispered softly.