Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-17
By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE

Here it is-in the form Of an afH-
dayit-just what you told me, Mrs.
Challoner.'
Trembling, Mrs. Challoner slowly
read the document.
"Will you sign here, please?"
There was no time to arrange any
idea she may have had for new tao
tics. 1t was Thorne's voice that was
insisting. Mrs. Challoner braced her.
self for the first lie in her life
"It's not true. cannot sign it,
Thorne started back.
"Not true! Why. only short time
ago you declared it was true"
$50 it was, but only in way" she
said laboriously. Her face burned and
paled. II tried to bride him, but
"Bribe him! How?"
"With the money / had left" she re-
piled.
what have you lefty' he ventured.
Curiously enough, Mrs. Challoner
found herself taking certain amount
of satisfaction in telling her lawyer
what now was unquestionably true.
"My home-only."
"But that's mortgaged, l under
stand?"
Yes, but there's an equity of about
twenty or twenty-five thousand," she
explained.
"And you tried to bride Murgatroyd
with $2O,O0O?"
Miriam was very white now.
eyes, and he refused it,"
II should think So" murmured
Thorne. 1.-Two hundred and fifty
would be more like Murgatroyd's
price. if he can be bought"
'No; he cannot be bought" Miriam
ventured, and then she added: II want
you. please, to retract this story. r.
II will retract nothing" he cut in
rudely, mot thing. If you begin to
retract you'll get yourself in trouble"
Miriam left the office, leaving Thorne
far from certain that Peter Broder-
ick's appraisement Of Murgatroyds
character was not correct one.
That night when the papers came
out people read them in anger and dis
may. By the next morning they mere
~ laughed; likewise the court.
"If he were bribed," said public COM
ment, lit was bride that didn't
work"
And Murgatroyd, submitting to in
terview after interview, reiterated
over and over again to the reporters:
Il point with pride. gentlemen, to
the conviction Of Lawrence Challoper
That's all have to say"
| The fiasco had helped Murgatroyd
Infinitely more than it had hurt him,
Thorne felt in his Utmost soul.
One evening few weeks later, while
Murgatroyd was dressing to dine at
his club, his servant handed him a
note. 1t was but seldom that square
white envelope came at this time. and
with pardonable look of surprise and
curiosity on his face Murgatroyd
opened it and read:
must see you. Will you come to the
house tonight? S. n. b.
An hour more and he was in Mrs.
Bloodgood's drawing room, waiting
more nervously than he would have
cared to acknowledge to himself for
the daughter of the house to appear.
1t was the first time that she had ever
sent for him to go to her, and he was
conscious Of some degree Of anxiety
as to her motive The sound of a
light step on the threshold Of the room
checked his disturbing speculations
and he looked up to see Shirley Blood
good entering the room.
Something very urgent made me
send for you, Mr.. Murgatroyd," she
began, though her lips trembled. II
want to talk with you"
An instinct told Murgatroyd that 1t
would be grievous mistake not to
accept without a protesting word the
note Of aloofness that was in her tone.
| Rightly he told himself that the slight
est advance on his part would result
in adding to her distress; that, how
ever much he would like to break
down the barrier that had arisen be-
tween them, he must bide his time and
trust to her emotional nature to ac-
complish that And he was not mis-
taken, for presently an impulse to
speak her mind at any cost took pos
session Of her, and she burst forth:
BILLY, why did you take this mon
ey? Why?"
Murgatroyd essayed to speak, but
she interrupted him.
notwithstanding her ears with her
hands-"don't tell me! I know you did
it-because Lob, why did you lis
ten to me? I thought knew what ]
was talking about" she went on, while
he sought control Of himself by look
ing away from her. But l knew
nothing of conditions-of men. l
thought that a man-that you could
accomplish anything you really want
ed to do. But you were right. There
are impossibilities. I understand now
now that it's too late. l have had
my lesson. Only few months ago
you were honest, and now you are cor
rupt, and alone am responsiblew
"You must not blame yourself"-he
was neither admitting nor denying the
Experimentation anything may
have done"
But / do, dor she cried bitterly.
"And you must blame mer'
Abruptly Shirley's mood changed.
Her voice rang with a scorn that be
fore she ceased seemed to include him
as well as herself.
What do care for success or fail
ure? I could cut my tongue out FOR
telling you that my father was a fail