, 1911-11-09
Copyright. 1911. by American Pres,
Association

lition certify that check. Oh, I'll trust
In Crane a little longer"
There was silence in the room for n
few moments, while Temple smoked.
Craven tugged at his gray mustache
in a quandary. and Cato slept.
What did you say?" asked Craven
%anxiously. looking over his glasses.
II did not say"
II want you to. Confound 1t, you
don't take life seriously enough"
you ave perhaps observed that l
don't max the mistake of doing so.
In some matters l hardly think I am
grown up. | am. for example. quite
content to remain a boy SO far as the
muddles of life are concerned. con
tinuing with youthful cheerfulness to
translate de profundis clamavi into
Out of the depths I have clans Ell.
Craven?-just as l did when I held he
fort at the foot of the lowest form in
Latin
You're too ~pigheadedly brazen in
your play with public opinion. that's
what you are. my boy" cried Craven
hotly. Public opinion has already
convicted you"
"So?'' said Temple %serenely. lifting
his eyebrows in that quizzical way Of
his. Public opinion is very absurd
! protest against 1t. Take one thor
ouGhly ignorant man. Who regards his
opinion or considers his Judgments as
vital: Put together all the thoroughly
ignorant men in the republic. and we
are told that the sum of their stupid
iy is to be reverenced. regarded with
awe
1.-The voice of the people" broke in
Craven. "is"-
'Diaboli" finished his client. THE
public Of today has gone mad with a
muckrake in its hands; it's too ir-
nationally ready to believe that those
in high places
Are ink dyed scoundrels-don't !
know?' broke in Craven. "And that's
what they're labelling you. one Of the
kid glove grafters. one of the mahog
any table thieves"
Temples eye had caught the portrait
Of his mother over the mantel. His
mood suddenly veered to downright
seriousness.
Craven. l offered Crane $4,000 to
get some tangible proof from Brady's
Office. But I'd give a million. I'd
give every cent I've got to stand clear
and be recognized as honest. Why, l
tell you, it's hell! I tell you I've
worked. worked all my life. worked
hard to build up my career on honest.
clean lines. You know it. I've turned
my back to crooked ways when they
were easily accessible. and now-I'm
accused of being a thief. the dirtiest
sort Of n thief. the mar who shoulders
bis crime on another" The muscles
If his mouth twttched a bit: he felt his
control slipping away. so he turned
abruptly on his heel and averted his
face.
The grim lawyer crossed over to lay
his hand with almost a woman's ten
derness on the big shoulder of his
friend. and his voice broke with a sus-
picion' of huskiness as he muttered:
STEADY, old a steady. Wen
kick clear of 1t all yet"
When Temple spoke again it was In
bis customary even tone:
SldNCu, II SCCbiS "S s"~
Granger certified hat check he didn't
DO 1t for mere love. Must have re-
Ceived something in return. ehT'
Something in returnT' said the law
yer dryly. Sure. and a big some
thing at that. IL was worth it."
What do you suppose he did 1t
with. them"
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
The papers said he had a wife. I
remember. Ever see her?'
Never did said Craven laconically.
suppose she's extravaganza"
"Superfiuous question" grunted era
ven. They all are" Craven was
sixty and a bachelor by instinct. one
might even say by heredity. for his
father had succeeded In escaping mat
rimony until close upon tifty-two.
Temple smiled indulgently and be
gan celebrating his new idea. 1T has
occurred to me that If we could estab-
nsh that Granger has been spending
or investing large sums of money late
~ 1t would help our cause. That's
why mentioned his wife"
Before he vouchsafed to reply the
cynical old lawyer walked across the
room and helped himself to a peg of
Vandy and soda.
Your premise is all right, Temple"
ae sneered. but your conclusion Is
sappy. asinine. Wen try to find out
u he spent money, sure. But we
won't waste time in trying to find out
u he spent 1t on his wife. The great
trouble with you is that you're roman
temple nodded COMPREHENSIVE. the
pod' quizzical. boyish uplift coming to
US eyebrows again Notwithstanding.
Dare say you're right" said he sim