Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-17


mine thousand dollars" said Brand.
"Ten thousand dollars" the judge
counted.
rs that correct?' he queried of the
editor.
Ten thouca nd dollars. correct" was
the reply. That will wipe the slate
clean between u.s.
Brand held out his hand to take the
money.
The Judge picked up the pile of bills,
compressed them with his hands and
extended the money across the desk.
Take 1t. Brand" he said
As the false judge said these words
and stood with ihp money in his hands
aud held ii ont to the editor loud ex-
plosiOn thrilled every nerve fiber In
his body. A binding glare of light
filled the room. and the air was filed
with the choking gaseous fumes of
the smoke of the powder used by pho
tographers in making flashlights.
A pang of terror shot through the
craven heart of the would be briber.
he started back III his alarm. his eyes
almost blinded by the unexpected food
Of light tina; had subsidized as quickly
as II had come.
MY God. What is that" he cried,
rubbing the back Of one of his hands
across his eyes.
Wheeler Brand. who had risen In his
place Mt his desk when the Judge had
finished counting the money. set MS
fnce into hard. unyielding lines us the
Judge beSought him To speak. 10 eX-
plain. He hnd won. He had com
pletely at his mercy this cold, crafty
betrayer OF the public trust he had
sworn to hold sacred. And it was
voice that he gave the reply that WAS
to he imprinted on the brain OF the
false 1ld.e as long rs he was to live
reply that would GauLt him while
awake ana awake him when he slept:
ut is a picture of you III stripes,
Judge Rartelmy." be announced.
The judge. realizing that he had
been trtcsed that he had been photo
"raphed In the very act ot handing
bride money TO the managing editor of
the Advnnce-displnycd rare presence
or mind for Il man whose complete
social md professional, ruin had be
come suddenly imminent lie rushed
arrosa the nom at the point where
the fash occurred, hoping TO obtain
Mold OF the mera and destroy the
plate. Owing to the pail of smoke he
hnd been unable to zee just In what
manner The camera had been arranged.
but when he reached the side OF the
room there WAS no camera To be seen
only a round hole extending through
the partition into the next room and
from which the camera had been re-
mo"ed, lie stood and ssnzed in dis
may, lie knew now that he was at
the mercy Of Brand and the Advance
TO degree that he hardly dared To
estimate.
lie turned around and walked hacis
10 the desk. Brand was still standing
III his place. looking iXedly at the
judge,
barteimy was not beaten yet. lie
Knew that he would not bs beaten un-
III the Advance appeared In the streets
spreading forth to all the world the
story Of his shame.
SINKING from head to foot in his
rage he pounded the desk and criet.
out:
you have gone to all your trouble
Tor nothing am going direct to MIR.
No!an's house. and In less than an
hour you will receive orders to XIII
chat story--that dastardly pack Of lies
you want to print"
Brand SMILED calmly, He gathered
tho $4,000 ~ bills, which las scatter
al on the desk where Barteiuy had
thrown them when he dashed for the
camera.
IN keep thes9 Is evidence" he said.