Democratic messenger., 1909-03-20

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She waited until the house had
grown still. and then. slipping from the
bed where. wakeful aud restless. she
had been tossing for an hour. she pro-
ccedcd cautiously to the stairs and
down to the library door.
Her acquaintance with the house
dated back only rs far as the day be-
fore. when she received the telegram
announcing the death OF her uncle.
Grover Pelham.
Dreading II stumble over an unchart-
cd piece of furniture. she exercised the
utmost care. As she parted the por-
there's OF the library door she became
conscious of another presence.
Waiting until her eyes accustomed
themselves to the darkness. she made
out the falntest suggestion OF a figure
kneeling at the other side OF the room.
and key turning In an inner lock OF
the safe explained the situation well
enough.
Miss Morley remembered that the
electric light button was close to where
she stood. As one hand straightened
out horizontally toward the intruder
she tisshcd OH the light with the other.
The burglar turned with u whirl and
wilted before the eloqucnce OF the
outstretched revolver and Miss Nor
ley's dominating pose.
who are you?" the burglar demand
ed snllenly. peering intently In his ef-
fort to recognize the figure almost
wholly enveloped by the curtains.
"A guest here" Miss Morley return
ed. with curious interest In so much
-or so little-of the burglars face as
the mask permitted her to see "who
are you. and what are you doing I'm
Mr.. Pelham's safeY
Just taking the dimensions to I'LL II
up with stocks and bonds as sur
prise party for his heirs" was the sar.
castle response.
"Ah. Ycu know the old gentleman
is dead. them" Miss Morley asked.
Yes. praise be. And II you had
minded your own business would
have managed a nice little squaring OF
accounts with him"
What did he ever do to you?" Miss
Morley demanded. little resentment
In her voice as she let the curtains fall
away and stood forward In all her gra-
cious charm before the disguised In
truder
Instead OF answering. the burglar
rs the light fell full upon her. dropped
back pace In manifest surprise. She
waited, and IN his turn he startled her.
Helen Morley"' was all lie said, H.
the quiet tones of one who IL too great.
ly astonished to give way to emotion.
Seeming then to understand the folly
OF mask. he removed II and crum-
pied 1t into MS pocket. The two faced
each other In silence.
The man and the girl had looked for
ward once TO life together. He was
cashier Of bank until some funds
went wrong and the law sent him to
prison for five years. After that b.
never came back TO her. though she
heard of him drifting about the coun-
try.
John Gorham. And this Is the way
you come back" the girl just whisper
ed. ''What-what did he ever do to
you?" she demanded again mechan-
ically and rs though she were gaining
time
II never took that money" Cor
ham declared. Grover Pelham hated
me because my mother did not care
for him as he had wished. II was he
who managed my undoing-to punish
my dead father. he said. You didn't
know that
The girl shook her head The re.
volver hand dropped down upon the
table. and she half averted her face
and fcverish eyes.
Il was not imbittered ut hrst." Cor
ham went on. even though spent 80
long time In prison. | began life
over again until Pelham found 1t out.
Then II seemed as II every Tom. Dick
and Harry had learned my story and
was being paid to tell 1t over and over
again.
Il simply had to give up trying to
earn a living that way. Besides. had
been circumstantialiy taught to be
lleve that you had lost all faith In me.