Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-03-30
t++**%<.s+..as
Their Midnight
Meeting.
By GEORGE HAMPTON.

Copyrighted, 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

~ copyrighted, iUS, py ASsoSi0so~ h
II Literary Press
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She waited until the house had
grown still. and then, slipping from the
bed where. wakeful and restless. she
mad been tossing for an hour, she pro-
ceeded cautiously to the stairs and
down to the library Hoor.
Her acquaintance with the house
dated back only as far as the day be-
fore, when she received the telegram
announcing the death Of her uncle,
Grover Pelham.
Dreading a stumble over an unchart-
ed 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 fain.est suggestion Of figure
kneeling at the other side of the room,
and a 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 Strengthened
out horizontally toward the intruder
she flashed on the light with the other.
The burglar turned with whirl and
wilted before the eloquence Of the
outstretched revolver and Miss Nor.
ley's dominating pose.
"Who are yOu?" the burglar demand
ed sullenly. 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 80 little-of the burglars face as
the mask permitted her to see. "Who
are you. and what are you doing In
Mr.. Pelham's safe?"
"Just taking the dimensions to ill II
up with stocks and bonds as n sur.
prise party for his heirs" was the sar.
castle response.
"Ah! You know the old gentleman
Is dead. them" Miss Morley asked.
"Yes. praise be! And II you had
minded your own business I would
have managed nice little squaring of
accounts with him."
"What did he ever do to your" Miss
Morley demanded, little resentment
In her voice rs 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
as the light fell full upon her. dropped
back q pace in manifest surprise. She
waited. and in his turn he startled her
"Helen Morleyw was all be said. In
the quiet tones of one who is too great
ly astonished to give way to emotion.
Seeming then to understand the folly
| Of q mask. he removed II and crum'
pied 1t Into his pocket The two faced
each other In silence.
The man and the girl had looked for
ward once to a life together He was
cashier Of bank until some funds
went wrong and the law sent him to
prison for FIVE years, After that he
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
cd. "What-what did he ever do to
you" she demanded again mechan'
ically and as though she were gaining
time.
81 never took that money" Cor
ham declared. "Grover Pelham hated
me because my mother did not care
for him as he had wished. 1t was he
who managed my undoing-to punish
my dead father. he said. You didn't
know thatf"
The girl shook her head. The re
volver hand dropped down upon the
table, and she half averted her face
and feverish eyes.
81 was not imbittered ut frst." Cor
ham went on. "even though spent so
long time In prison. began life
over again until Pelham found 1t out
Then It seemed rs II every Tom. Dick
and Harry had learned my story and
was being paid to tell 1t over and over
again.
81 simply had to give up trying to
earn a living that way. Besides, ! had
been circumstantially taught to be-
lieve that you had lost all faith In me.
That was easy to believe" he added IN
q hard tone, "since l never received a
letter from you"
"The letters were written" she told
him quickly, many one."
"AIore of pelham's. work. them" Cor,
ham ventured. But had given up.
When | heard of the old gentleman's
death / decided to come around and
clean out his safe. thought / would
keep on at that business until ! had q
competence: then could retire and
live the independent life possible OF
man Of means.
That's all there Is to the story" the
burglar concluded. Except that 1t was
a pity for you to stumble on to the last
chapter. That's the way girl reads q
story. though"
The girl comprehended from his man.
ner that he would make no advances,
that he would not even presume upon
their one time friendship.
at is strange to find you here" she
said: ut Ia strange to be here myself.
learned yesterday that my uncle had
made little or no provision for myself
and my mother In his will. 1t distress
ed me 80 that l could not sleep.
~ came down here to see for myself.
and II It were true that we had been
II left to the same old miserable struggle
with poverty I-oh. don't know what
might have done. am sure I meant
to steal II I found anything to steal
wouldn't much care for myself, but
mother
Tue girl had almost reached the point
Of tears when. with sudden effort,
she reused herself and turned, toward
the burglar. who stood impassively
waiting for developments.
"Like yourself" the girl boldly nd
mitted. 81 meant to fall back on this
safe for help. You got there first
Now | can send you back to jail. but
III don't know" she mused, as II in
doubt. MY conscience would never
be clear If I sent you to prison for get
ting up earlier than did myself"
rrla LuroIor IooL od nm with a li0ht O1