Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1908-06-25
cheating YOU he finished ruefully. I

LulHk-l link "a Tatler De 80
cheated than have any other mans
honesty. she said, with her first
touch of shyness.
Yet you must now know the truth
about me. / ought to have told you
before. My father thought me thief,
turned me adrift, forbade me to use
his name. Until can prove him in
the wrong I cannot offer you the only
name I'm willing you should have. Z
but how could he call you thief?
He ought to know you simply couldn't
steal. You steal!" Her eyes blazed,
and she lifted her head proudly. 4
Her dear faith warmed him, vet his
voice was sad
mo, didn't steal, but I caused
some one else to do it. And my ia
Their had every right to believe me
guilty" His voice dropped; his eyes
were shadowy. Ri.
But you never meant to! He should
have known that" she persisted "
Semently. %S ..Ef
God knows I didn't mean It; but
fire burns, whether one falls in or
jumps in He gazed past her into the
dim desert.
She caressed his cheek, but was ST.
lent. IT,.
Its long story-1'll tell it all some
day. You'll like to hear about Max,
Max ODER, my lifelong friend, as his
father and mine were always friends.
They were poor boys together; but my
father grew rich rapidly; Mr.. Ober has
always been poor. Yet Max was his
only son and idol; and both fathers
tried to prevent Max and me from
recognizing the part that money
played in our lives"
''How foolish!"
Worse! It was criminal. l was the
older, the leader, Max's model. He
junior year, and l took him at once
into my own rollicking clique. We
weren't vicious. only silly, indulging in
various costly pranks that seem to
spring from young cubs desire to
destroy things, the sane whether its
boy, bear or pup. Afterward 1 knew
how Mr.. ODER had crippled himself
that Max might return my dinners at
five dollars a plate, or light his Ha-
vanas with currency. Remittances
from home did not begin to suffice.
Max borrowed heavily, his association
with me making that dangerously
easy, and left college when did great
ly in debt. We both entered my ia
theirs bank"
A double whistle warned them of
the approaching station.
ooh, it was the same old story" AL
fred continued hastily. "Mr. ODER,
broken in health, called for part of
Max's salary. Max, beside himself,
falsely proud toward me, and genuine.
ly anxious to spare his father, Stunned
every one, pinched, paid little, but
not fast enough. Then he began to
GAMBLE successfully at first, but after.
wards losing; and then he plunged,
and dipped into the banks till I hap.
pened upon him one night after all
the others had gone. He was toiling
feverishly at his books, loaded pistol
at his side. I forced from him the
whole story" He stopped, and Esther
saw his jaw set sternly. /. >.
"Yet you, Alfred" she began, but
he went on without needing her. 5,
For the first time 1 realized the
moral obligation money imposes, the
Mephistophelian part had played in
Max's life. I beat down his objections
made him transfer to my account his
doctored bank record and pledged him
to secrecy. Since we had been fools
together we should repent together
| hadn't tenth of the money needed
to pay; but l would tell my father, ash
him for time to work out the deficit
! and wouldn't your father" Esther
began indignantly. "a 4zss
! Before l could explain. the secre
expert discovered me, reported TO m!
father. He refused me Z hearing, dis
owned me, commanded me to drop hi,
name, q name all Boston honors. Tha
hurt worst, ct all" He finished ant
dropped his eyes. 1s4s :'s.s-sss z' 4 's'ss'*b
alfred, don't look down, look up
You've done . grand, q heroic thing
No matter how long We have to wait!
She rose to her feet, her face glowinl
with love and pride. III ZF#5s
| He stood beside her, cheered by he
eager approval. Z said It was tn,
same. but it isn't; I'm thousands near
er. Gideon helped to" G. !
Alfred, rye such lot of money
Let me" #s.,
Never yours, dear love. must earl
my own way to my name, our name.
% "Oh, cant you let me help you q Iii
tie, Alfred? It's been such Ions
hard way!" %sk
mot much 1onger-it may be an,
day, sweetheart. expect to sell som
mining property for more than enough
to pay in full. shall know surel
next week." .9 Il X.
The engine stopped. They were a
iona; and Sally B. was flying out t
meet them.
~ ~ d. e..