Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-20

restrained yourself from reading the
Ietters?"
"Other peoples letters don't interest
me-"
II should have read them had been
you"
Then your standard of honor is diff
ferent from mine"
IT have made n mistake"
Several Which one do you mean?'
81 have been engaged to George
Norton. / was warned against him
but would not listen / stole my let
ters which ne would not return.
supposed he had employed you to get
them back for him"
Does he employ gentlemen for such
purposes"
For the first time she looked asham
ed. She dropped her eyes and 6dgeted
with the ring | was to be tried fol
stealing.
II didn't observe you closely whPr
you came OUT of my room. | see now
was very much mistaken. / ask your
pardon"
Now that you have begun where
you should have begun before. at th'
beginning. we can get on rapidly. Per
nit me TO apologize for having mis-
taken your room for mine. / was alb
sorbed in matter Of business. i pu
your package of letters in my poke
without being conscious Of what / wa!
doing
ct see. have acted very hastily"
! arose ard touched a button. Their
l wrote on the back of an old envelope
an order for the letters. When an At
tendant came 1 told him to send 70.
them. In fifteen minutes he returned
them to the lady.
But / have done nothing toward
withdrawing the charge" she said.
You will. L have no fear Of that"
"WhyY
Because know you for lady. ant
a lady once convinced that am 4
gentleman. not thief
please don't"
would never think of charging ID
with being one"
what shall do to stop the thingT
l advised her of the necessary steps
after which we went on with our chat
1T seems TO me-" she said, that
am the real thief in this matter"
"Why soT'
81 stole the letters from George MOI
ton"
THAT was not stealing. They be
longed to you. You only took you
own"
This had the effect to comfort he
somewhat, though she still SCENE
much mortified at her treatment of me
was not disposed to permit her t
escape too readily from this mortifca
ton.
II don't quite understand" remark
ed, "why you thought it necessary
offer so high price for your letters"
II supposed" she replied shame
facedly, that you were an agent
George Norton. wished 10 Undue
you to give me the letters instead -
giving them to him"
I'm other words, l was considers
not only a blackmailer. but 4 subjec
for bribery to turn against my en-
ployer'
She hung her head. Indeed. sir
seemed so panied at the position ii
which she had placed herself that
FASTENED to apply a balm to tb,
wound.
at was ak mistake" said. rising
''fOr which you are sorry. rs | am Il
having unwstinGly trcspasscd where
had right to trespass. But trust TIN |
1t is a mistake that may give me ;
valued acquaintance"
| asked her where she lived. aEC 4
when she replied that II was in ri'y /
not far from the one in which rcsldSt /
I asked permission to call upon Eci /.
when>I went there. This Size :caGi', /.
accorded, and | took il upon ;Eyscl. /
to go without waiting for anything CX. /
cept herself TO call me there. I-n; 4
only called once. but often. and finally /
persuaded her to do penance FOR :n!s- !
taking me for thief by marrying me !
And so Il was that I narrowly cs-
capped imprisonment for robbery. as /
SHINING later the chains Of mEtr;mony. /