The Washington times., 1911-01-07

! last possibility"
| All three stared at one another. 1t
was DR.. Thorn that spoke the thought
of all. Then the worst we feared-is
true?''
Mr.. Haddon nodded. ''It must be-
David could not speak. nor think
could only lean against the desk. The
exposure of Morton-and a thousand
times worse, the ruin of st. Christie
pher s-both inevitable!
Wont you please look again." Miss
Chambers cried, with desperate hope.
PERHAPS you overlooked something
Mr.. Haddon knelt once more, and
slowly fiuttered the pages of the books
and scrutinized each scrap of paper.
i Soon he paused, and studied a slip he
had found. Then he rose, and David
saw at the head of the sheet. Cash
account of BOYS Summer Home" It
was the paper he had prepared to hide
Morton's embezzlement.
Mr.. Haddon's steady eyes took in
David and DR.. Thorn. Gould anybody
have been in the safe since Mr.. Morton S
| death?'
Its It's hardly possible" returned Dr.
study almost constantly"
Mr.. HaddOn's eyes fastened on David:
a quick gleam came into them. David,
unnerved as he was, could not keep his
face from twitching.
There was long silence. Then Mr..
Haddon asked quietly: Gould you have
been in the safe. Mr.. Aldrich?"
Davic did not recognize whittier the
question led. why, yes he said me-
chanically.
MIR Haddon held out the slip of paper
According to this memorandum in Mr.
Morton's hand, the money was in the
safe the day before his death" His
eyes screwed into David. Perhaps you
can suggest to us what became of the
money!
David stared at him blankly.
The moEeY-was there-when he
died!' said DIR. Thorn amazedly He
looked from one man 10 the other. Then
understanding came into his face. You
mean-Mr. Aldrich-took it ?"'
Il took ~ David repeated stupidity
He turned slowly to Miss Chambers
Her white face, with its wide eyes and
parted lips; and the look of fear she
held upon him, cleared his head, made
him set where ne was. VI did not take
the money! he cried.
Who else could have?'' returned Mr..
Haddon Grimly.
If I had taken it, wouldn't l have
disappeared? Would have been such a
fool as to stay here to be caught?'
IF YOU mad run away that would
have fastened the guilt on YOU at once
You remained here, hoping to throw
suspicion on Mr.. Norton. 1t was the
cleverest course
desperately. ITS a lier'
Miss Chambers moved to his side. "I
believe you," she said. He thanked her
with look. 1T must have been Mr..
Norton" she said.
The words first thrilled him; then sud-
denly they rang out as a knell. If he
threw off the guilt, it must fall on Nor
ton: If Morton were publicly guilty, then
the people of the mission
Mr.. Aldrich must have taken it,"
broke in the grim, cold voice of Mr..
Haddon.
David booked at Mr.. Haddon. looked
>Rt Miss Chambers. And then the great
Thought was conceived, struggled diz-
zily,. painfully, into birth. He stood
shiverang, awed before it.
He slowly turned and walked to a
window, where he gazed down into the
home from school. The Thought spoke
to him in vivid flashes. He had no rela-
tives, almost no friends. He loved Helen
Chambers; but he was nobody and a
beggar. He had not done anything
perhaps could never do anything-and
even If he did, his work would probably
be of little worth. He had wanted his
life to be of service; had wanted to sell
it, as it were, for the largest good he
could perform. Well, here were the
people of St. Christopher's topping
over the edge of destruction. Here was
his Great Bargain-the chance to sell
his life for the highest price.
As TO what he had done with the five
thousand, which, of course he would be
asked-well, an evening of gambling
would be a sufficient explanation. He
turned about.
"Well?' said Mr.. Haddon.
David avoided Miss Chambers look.
He felt himself borne upward to the
apex of life.
Yes, ] took it, he said.
Continued tomorrow