Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21

morality"
This benediction seemed to cool the sick man. He
1swered that he helpless and unable to refute
y charges
II want you to deliver that plate to me, sirl'
1t is not in my possession"
But you know where it is, and | must have i'll
You don't know all this
Il hold the undeniable proof"
Has it been made pubc?
"No, Sir, not whisper in regard to your name has
assed beyond my single control
Il see Perhaps you did not want to be SO hard on
e, after ALL he continued in low tone. You
now l am a man of considerable wealth and many
lends Could not make it to your advantage to
eep silent?'
THE plate is the price of my silence, and if you
ont deliver it, to jail you go, sick as you are!'
The sick then appealed to my feelings. MY
oare me this disgrace 1t will kill them. The Gov
nment could not keep me long at most"
Don't come at me with your wife and daughter!
ou deliberately jeopardized their good name your
If You and they must suffer the consequences"
The sick bowed his head and said, - 1t you
ave no mercy for the living. respect death.
replied, LAS your career of crime is almost ended,
Oh may 60 to the grave without public censure.
do not care to grapple with half dead man, as
uch as you deserve it. l know you will soon be
eyond dsgracing your family. Give up the ten
ol dangerous to the Government, and you may die
in peace for all have to say. Take your
choice,-give up the plate, or compel me
to arrest you
things you want not in the city.
- How long will it take you toget them!
Three or four days, perhaps"
Don't try to deceive me, as it will
make matters worse.
You need say nothing more Leave
your address,
Gleason's Wonderful Luck
NOV that Gleason, the willy, had been
~ brought to bay and ascertained to be
the Belasco whose GOODNESS and suavlty OF
manners had so neatly extricated him from
F-t<- the predicament that would have unnerved
nR most men, was anxious to learn just how
we happened to make a water haul at that
time. The explanation was easy. The
crafty Gleason, fearing possible job for his
capture, had left his package of counterfeit
money at cigar stand only short dis
lance away, and was just on the point OF
So recovering it and carrying out the deal
with Randolph, when he received the in
~ vitation to call at my office. wonderful
81 streak of luck for him!
r. Some months after my interview with
x the sick man, picked up morning paper
! and read in the death column, "Aftera long
and painful illness, borne with Christian
fortitude, Marcus Belasco, in the forty
first year of his age. He giveth His beloved
sleep"
The promise the dead man had made me
had been kept and the counterfeit plate
in my possession. There was little
chance of mistake; but Belasco had
proved himself to be of remarkable
adroitness in practising deceptions de-
termined to attend the obsequies and
make sure that he dead by viewing
the corpse.
The organ rolling out solemn dirge
when l entered the church, and while the
soft strains of music pealed through the
edifce, velvet covered silver adorned
flower bedecked casket slowly borne
along the aisle and deposited at the foot of
the altar. group of Grape yelled mourners
followed. maiden of tender years, with
brown hair and wandering gray eyes,
clasped tightly the hand of her sobbing
lother The mourners we're seated in the pews
served for them Long somber wells hid their
ices The church crowded. The minister rose,
nd his text, Blessed are the dead who die in the
ord!'' was uttered in appropriate to the
ccasion. The minister sought comfort for the
ourners by reminding them that if the earth was