The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-12-17


gathers himself together and answers
1t in . arm voice. Then he comes
back to the table, takes up his pen
and writes
She ceased speaking and the hano
with the pen began to write. Honora
leaned forward and crept closer the
better to see what was written. The
pen began to write halfway down the
sheet:
My little girl must forgive me an6
be brave. 1t was the only thing to
do. The only way to provide for your
future. They may say what they like
OF me; part of II will be true and part
the kicking that goes to every man
who ID down. but they cannot touch
you. my darling Be brave, little girl,
and remember that in whatever others
duties your father may have failed.
he loved you as he loved your mother
faithfully and to the last"
The pen stopped writing abruptly
and the hand dropped from the paper
to the woman's side. Then Claudia
gave shudder and gasp and jerked
her head forward. The horrid. vacant
look In her pale face gave place to
the normal expression, and she stood
| up.
Honora was waiting for me outside
Isn't 1t good to be out in the sunshine
| again." she exclaimed. "Oh, Jack,
wasn't 1t q joke, the way she bit?"
1t was. and I laughed. The bare
idea Of Clinton Wortley, banker when
he was not clubman and clubman
when he was not banker, with two
hours out for church on Sundays,
writing q letter of such sickly senti.
mentality was ludicrous In the ex.
IRENE.
fun at the dinner tomorrow night?"
A long nights work made my avail
enings an hour later than usual, In
consequence Of which dilatoriness ]
had to rush breakfastless for my train.
As took my seat in the smoking car
a newsboy passed through with his
shrill cry Of Papers! Examiner!
Chronicle! Call! All about the sui
eide Of . well-known banker!" ]
beckoned him to me and bought one
One the first page. in scarlet letters
an inch and half In length. the
suicide of the prominent and popular
banker. Clinton Wortley, was an
horror. not able to take In that II was
Clinton Wortley, the man that knew
Honora's father, whose fate was there
In these huge scare-lines. Then q
man knew slightly, leaned across
the aisle and said. conversationally:
Awful affair. this of Wortley's, isn't
It? You knew him. didn't your"
"Yes-yes," l answered. Then
realized 1t. and thought of Honora
poor little Honora, all alone at this
crisis. would go to her at once
but first l must know all about 1t
In those six columns was told the
story of man who had invested heav
lily In mines which. after paying 4
couple of dividends. had failed. tn,
mans losses were unknown to the
world. and with the lust Of gambling
still on him he had taken large sun
from the banks funds and invested
1t In another mine. Anyone woult
have called this latter a safe invest
ment. and he should have been able
to repay not only the bank but him
self his loss on the other speculation
but by the rascality of some ofiicia
of the mining company 1t had alst
failed, leaving Clinton Wortley. a pau
per save for the house In San Fran
cisco and the ranch in the southern
part of the state which he held Ii
trust for his daughter.
The letter to Honora was heart
breaking. In a few words he told o
his sin and assured her that thu
: law could not touch her. He ad
vised her to sell her estates ant
change her name. and II ever she me
| good man who would give her al
, undisgraced one for her own, to tel
him the truth. He ended up by beg
ging for forgiveness and telling he
to be brave.
! The last few lines seemed familiar
, and my mind flew back to the event!
of the previous afternoon. Again
was in the little room on Ellis street
, the Englishwoman with the yacan
: eyes was writing. Mechanically
! felt in my coat pocket and drew on
r folded paper, unfolded 1t and com
pared it with the last part of the pa
: per. Word for word they were iden
> titled.