The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-11-19


The bits of paper burned to black
ness. and the visitor naturally vanish
ed So did everything else. but the eff
feet upon me was much the same as il
che alone had disappeared. A visual
image of the illuminated side Of her
face seemed to linger in the air after
all else was gone. An instant later
| had touched the electric button, and
the girl had sprung into view again, a
more substantial figure. q
The girl laid her hand upon her
heart and leaned against the wall be
side the mantel.
oh. how you frightened me!' she
said
| recognized my visitor as Cartoons
sister. Evelyn. much changed in FIVE
years time. her childish beauty amaZ-
ingly perfected.
You did not know that | was here,
of course?" said l.
mo. but am so glad
Carl is out of town, am told
He is not" said She He's i'm
prisoned. I don't know where, but in
the city. have just been released"
Released" | echoed Good heav-
ems! What is all this?"
at is something about the bank,
said she Il do not fully understand
it. | have had only a few minutes
talk with Carl You know that there
is much trouble everywhere. Scan
dals are coming out, and people who
have done dishonest things are fright
ened. Well, there was politician
very powerful here, who borrowed
large sums of money from the bank
in an irregular way. This must be
covered up. for if it comes out now it
will make "A frigbtful scandal which
win ruin the bank and all persons
who have had a hand in this transac
ton Carl says the president would
either run away or kill himself
But Carl? He had nothing to do
with it,
Nothing whatever, except that he
/ knew of it. He could not prevent
what was done The bank people and
| this politician removed one of the
banks books or perhaps more than
one and got an expert book binder.
/ who took it to pieces and bound it
| again all in night and with new
! leaf in it. On that leaf is fraudu-
lent record of the politicians account.
/ The real one is no longer there"
Destroyed"
Tllt Pint no l..
binder was as big rascal as any Of
The others He tricked them and
saved the page containing the true ac
count or enough of it to be proof OF
what was done He went 10 Carl
with this and proposed plan Of black
mail Carl throttled the fellow and
took the paper away from him. but
! before be could make up his mind
| what to do with it he discovered that
there was plot to ruin him.
1T seems that in spite of what they
! have done there is a shortage of money
which cannot be covered up except by
j accusing some one of stealing it. Carl
learned that he was to be accused.
| This was last Saturday. | had come
to town that morning TO he with him
over Sunday He had teiegraphed me
/ to come ! was al Il boarding house
where have sometimes stayed before
| He telephonod me to come down to
the hank. and when | got there he
told me MS much Of the story as am
| telling you
HE said that he had learned through
/ friend in the bank that he WIS to be
arrested that day but that the matter
would be kept quiet through the poll
! tlcian's influence. Carl gave me the
leaf from the ledger, saying that it
| was. his only safety and that it would
| be taken from him il he were arrested.
| He told me 10 bring it here and hide
| it. and did So
"Here!" I cried But they would
/ certainly search this place. Why didn't
! be take it to his lawyer?'
| He knows none whom he dares
! trust. He was waiting for you, He
had provided hiding place here"
/ You came here?"
Yes, and hid the paper. As was
| leaving was arrested
| For heavens sake, on what CHARGE?
They said | was witness and must
go to the district attorneys office.
| They took me somewhere, and man
came in and looked at me and went
out. Then ! was taken to the house
of detention for witness IS. have
! been there ever since"
| You were released this evening"?
Eyes; they merely took me to the
| door and let me CO.
'"Then the document must be here
now" said l. They have failed te
find it.
IT will look and see whether it is
here"
wait" said I and laid a hand upon
her arm
For some minutes stood close be
side her and we spoke in whispers.
Then stepped to the electric button
| and put out the lights. The room was
/ as dark as the grave | could not see