The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-03-30
| ernptatlon

Brewer shrugged his shoulders lit
tie angrily, for the idle remark irri-
tated him.
It's So persisted the speaker
You've the best chance on earth to
| be dishonest il you wanted to and
never be suspected Lucky for the
banks--and lucky for you-that you're
! honestl"
The words repeated themselves in
| his mind as Brewer walked along.
| Crayfoot was right. Brewer, an ex-
pert man on safes, time and time
again again held the secrets of bank
vaults in his mind, with no man to
stop him should he choose to dispose
OF the night Waterman and, opening
those vaults. relock them after help
ing himself 1t was indeed lucky that
he was honest
With the speculative smile still curv-
| ing his lips he turned in at the Guth-
ries' house. springing up the steps
with the eagerness which was always
his when Gertrude Guthrie was near.
| AS she came toward him, smiling,
| thought innumerable times before,
how all things beautiful should be hers
| by right-beauty of surroundings, OF
| garb, of jewels. That she should be
wasted in obscurity seemed crime
and the Guthrie family was in only
moderate circumstances, with all the
longing of those poor for generations
fa >f
That evening he discovered that ex-
element swayed Gertrude's parents.
Evans, the millionaire, had of late
shown marked preference for Ger.
trude's society. So in her mothers
heart wild hope had sprung to life.
Brewer. who always had been cordial
ly welcomed before, felt chill in the
air.
You forget" Gertrude's mother told
her when she had promised Brewer
that she would go with him to the
theater the following evening. 'you
| forget that Mr. Evans said he might
call"
Brewer, watching the color come
and go on the girls face with queer,
choking sensation in his throat, knew
that to Gertrude also Evans was
glittering prospect.
Walking slowly homeward thinking
it over he could not blame her. With
the possibility of losing her. despera.
ton began to tinge his thoughts. He
| was still going over the same weary
round mentally the following day as
he worked on the time lock of the
Eastern bank Into his musings, clear
and sharp like stroke, fioated Cray
foot's idle suggestion as to his chances
to enrich himself.
His hands trembled as he worked
on Once or twice he glanced. half
frightened. into the interior of the
vault, where he had no right to go.
Strange thoughts disturbed his brain
and his lips frightened into line as
ne planned-for it could do no harm
to plan. 1t really was very simple
The only drawback was that eventu-
ally suspicion would narrow down to
him. BY then, however, he could have
his plumber safely concealed They
could prove nothing and Gertrude
would believe in him.
This thought brought the first chill,
for how could he face her, she believ-
Ing in him? He remembered her
trustful eyes and breathed hard. Then
he remembered Evans and again took
up his planning with tightening lips.
There was queer medley in his
brain several nights later when he
again sought Gertrude. He had a mad
fancy that he could better crystalline
his plans if he were in her presence
and could hear her voice. Since temp
tation had beset him he had existed in
daze, thinking, planning, always
planning.
His eyes were feverish as he bent
toward the girl when conversation
Jagged Gertrude he asked, huskily,
would you give up Evans-would you
marry me If had money-and could
give you things?''
Startled, she looked at him and then
she smiled, the llalf sad, tender smile
women give those for whom they care
in spite Of all.
"But you'll never have money,
Louis" she told him. "You are not one
of the kind of men who get rich"
Brewer saw only the smile. Il shall
be, l tell you!" he said. And then
you'll marry me?"
She drew back and her face whit
ened as her eyes searched his haggard
face.
NO" she almost whispered. mo, be-
cause if you came to me with a for
tune in your hands, Louis, I'd know
that you hadn't got it honestly"
AS Brewer gazed into her eyes he
felt helplessly that they saw far down
into the secret recesses of his soul.
were reading the blackness of the
thoughts there He felt that she was
shrinking from him in a dawning hor.
ror. His face dropped into HIS hands.