Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-09-11

he now had no doubt whatever that IL
would be. The captain was not the
man TO give anything for nothing. 20
part with money without receiving fun
value. With his great physical strength
and his will that overbore and wore
down all opposition. bow would tie
gentle, submissive nature Of Emma be
able TO hold out against him? Re
duced 20 helplessness by his all dorni-
mating power, with the alternative Of
compliance or their ruin held out to
her, she would have to submit
Brooks pictured the scene as though
It were being enacted before him. and
he went hot and cold. and a sweat OF
agony broke out all over him.
'No, no. nor'
He uttered aloud the protest wrung
from his writhing soul 10y his half re-
suScitated manhood. He clutched his
throat, struck himself in the mouth
with such violence that his teeth cut
his underlip and the blood dyed his
chin, seized his hat and dashed wildly
for the door. Fear met him there and
held up a restraining finger. Down
stairs were the three central office de-
tectives. On the morrow. In a few
hours. at the Office where he had
worked for Eve years. these men. at the
behest of his employer. would place
their hands on bis arms. and he would
be under arrest He saw himself be-
ing led out handcuffed. under the
hooking eyes of his fellow clerks and
the customers.
He closed the door again and turned
from II. cowardice at his heels, whis-
pering sophistic prudence, counseling
the poltrooD's discretion, throwing spe-
cious sops 20 his conscience. Some
thing had 10 be done. No other course
than that he had taken had been pos
sible under the circumstances. Be
tween him and state prison stood
Emma. She alone on earth could save
him, II salvation were possible. Pun
ishment and immunity at that moment
perhaps held the balance even. The
giving or Withholding Of a kiss would
turn the scales either way. The giving
Of II would brand him with that par
ticular stamp OF infamy which when
recognized by men caused them TO
draw away with rising gorge and
spurn the bearer. But none would
know Of the sacrifice-no one save the
victim. Williams and himself other
women had done as mach - pressing
emergencies TO save their husbands
from public dishonor Some had bar
, gained their favors 20 insure Office or
advancement for husbands or sons.
some for dress and jewels their hus-
hands could not give them. He him
self would never seek 10 know Just
what had passed between his wife aud
the captain He was free 20 assume
that he had worried unnecessarily;
that nothing Of what he felt certain
was happening had occurred, 20 sur
mise that Il had not been necessary
for Emma 20 resort 20 complete sur
render. What he did not know could
not trouble him. Anyhow. Il was too
late now. The die had been cast. The
chief thiBg-nay. the one thing-he had
20 fear was that her mission might
be unsuccessful; that she could not
purchase his freedom at any price
whatsoever
The possibility Of this twisted his
selfish heart with anguish again. oh.
why had he got himself into this trou-
BILE?
When Goaded 20 desperation and
recklessneSs he had taken the first
$40 from the money he had collected
he had no idea Of not returning it
somehow. IL had brought a good deal
OF pleasure 90 Emma and himself.
lightened their hard penury with q
CLEAN Of brightness. But SO then
had been a lot OF money. 1t had not
been possible 10 replace It at once.
II was far easier 70 fix his accounts
so that the sum would not be missed
He had yielded 20 the temptation and
had SO fixed them.
Jenkins. his fellow employee in the
Office, was a follower Of horse racing
in his small way. Now and then he
risked 4 dollar or two IN a nearby
/ pool room. and sometimes he won. A
few days after Brooks had falsifed
the books 10 cover up his deficit OF
| $40 jenkins had confded TO his office
cronies that he had a tip OF which he
| felt SO sure that he was prepared 10
/ pawn his last shoestring 70 back IT
Many others had decided 20 take a
chance, and. having no money Of his
own, Brooks had taken an advance
on his salary out Of his collections and
followed their example. The odds
they had obtained were 6 10 1, and
the horse had won. out of his win
nings Brooks had replaced the money
he had helped himself TO.
The pool room and the availability OF
the company's money had offered 10
him great opportunity TO win what
he could not earn, and. encouraged by
his FIRST success, he had taken advan.
tage OF IT, He had begun by making a
study Of racing and risl1ing small sums.
Luck had been with him, and he had
won time ana time again. He had
wanted his wife 10 share his good Tor.
! tune, but had not dared to tell her
how be had obtained the money, so ne
had invented the story OF outside work
His run Of luck had continued, how
ever, until It had become phenomenal,
and this 1t was that had caused his
extravaganza optimism. tie had wager