The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-05


No. Parker"
Were they"
Not stolen from the safe. certainly.
1t was sort of forlorn hope TO believe
that they were there al all, but wheth-
er they were OF not, the lock hasn't
been tempered with. No, they were
taken from my deskT'
''That-thats terrible sir"
Every rule has its exception. 9"
muttered Grafton DULY, and every
man, however careful, makes at least
one slip. But to think that mine, after
all these years, should come in such
shape as to carry of all I've made be-
fore"
He ended in a groan and sat staring
at the box his head upon his breast
1t was too absolutely terrible for be-
lief The notes. evidences Of CoIson's
entire debt In the matter Of the Ken
yonyille Traction Company and of all
GraftOn's own millions. were utterly
gone. What would be the result?
He could forecast that quite easily.
Either Of two things might occur. The
day after tomorrow he would have TO
produce those notes at noon, if Colson
were to settle. If he did not, the way
WAS dark C0lsOn. he presumed, was
an honest man-certainly he had an
peared so in all their transactions; but
would CoIson pay over a matter OF
seven million dollars when there was
no evidence Of his debt?
Grafton might explain, might tell In
detail all that had followed his own
the spectacular tale as gospel truth?
He might not distrust Grafton in the
least, but in so wicked a world as this
the strong possibility must ever re-
main that Grafton had assigned the
notes or placed them elsewhere for col
lection. EmphaticaIly the Colson mat
ter would not be settled on the twen-
ty-first.
My Papers Are Gone"
And for the matter of that. it would
not be settled sfterward-untu the
stolen papers put in their appearance.
Grafton saw that very distinctly, and
he saw. too, what il entaiIed. The
loans of millions which he had OBJ
tained were drawing continual and
heavy interest which Colson's pay
ments no more than covered.
Within week some thousands would
be due and payable And where were
they to come frome Grafton's credit
was good everywhere. but IL could not
remain so indefinitely with such a tale
as he must put forward to explain mis-
embarrassment
Then Their was another phase. rather
too horrible 10 contemplate seriously.
The honesty of every man has its
limit whether that limit be great or
small The man whom a hundred thou
sand dollars would not tempt. might
likely enough swerve from the straight
and narrow path for a million: the
man who could retain his virtue when
tempted by million might not prove
so strong before ten times that
amount.
Now, in such condition. what sore
Of man would Colson prove? Was It
not altogether conceivable that. having
heard and dicested to story. he might
iatly repudiste the debit And in that
event. what recourse would be left 10
Grafton?
NV ~ hif+ n " ttt IT NAtl tdAllt upon
him: so far as documentary evidence
was concerned. John Grafton. the rich
est man inthe State. tho father and the
admiration Of Eenvonv'He. was a pen
niless. an absolutely ruined man,
He found Parker watching him rath-
or curiousIy. and he sat up and faced
the man with hageard eyes
''Weii--the first burglary in the Graf
ton building hes taken place, he said.
land IT'S been a record-breaking Job.
Nv Papers are gone carr er-rhat's all
Their is to ia"
And what shah we DO. STRIP
Dor cried Grafton bitterly. What
on earth is there TO dog-
''The notice. sir. T. vou we're TO send
word now. thev could have The rail-
road station watched and the roads
and the livery stables. AMI so on"
Grafton seowled at tie floor.
'Um-yes, he said Although
hardly believe that the party who com
United the robbery Is SIN in town
always providing that he meant to
leave it a aU. Ali, I'm afraid thar fh,s