El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-05
A VERY NEAR THING
The Herald's Daily
Shsrt StOry

I him. He only gripped his hand once
| more, with few conventional words OF
sympathy.
And when vansittart had gone Har-
per laughed.
. Laughed. and then sat considering
and frOwning, until he suddenly struck
( his hand on his desk with a low, tri-
umphant exclamation, as though he had
hit on a way of accomplishing some
thing that had seemed impossible be-
fore.
He left his office hastily, and when
he had gone the inner door opened, and
there came out a girl, with love and
terror on her colorless face.
It was late before Vansittart went
home. He had gone back to his office
and waited for news, but none had
come. He left the place at last with a
morbid conviction strong on him that
he would never return to it. He hailed
a hanson. but the man had to ask him
twice before he was told where to
drive to.
It seemed to Vansittart a matter of
indifference where he went. 1t was not
that he had abandoned all hope. He
chung TO the gamblers belief that there
is always a last chance. But he was too
restless and excited TO fix his mind on
anything except the news he was wait
ing for.
The street was quiet. all but deserted.
There was a gas lamp opposite Van
sittart's door, and the illumination was
cleaning on a pink something. It was
the placard of an evening newspaper
which a hawker was offering for sale
He FASTENED toward it. In bold, mer-
CHESS letters the words started at him:
FAILURE OF THE
ORIENTAL BANK"
He bought a paper oblivious that he
gave a sovereign for il. In the space
reserved for late news were two
entail Bank mad closed its doors that
evening and posted a notice outside
that they would not reopen on the NOR
row.
hope against hope any longer. His ca
reer was finished. He was a ruined
man. with disgrace awaiting him if
he lived.
He let himself into his house with
latch-key. and went straight to the Ii
brary where he had been in the habit of
working At first he switched the cleo
trio light on full, but at once lowered
it to tiny simmer No need Of much
light for what he was going to dol
A revolver was ready to hand when
he opened drawer There was moth
ing else for him to do
NO, mol Listen to me. Athol. I've
come TO tell you've come to tell you
it's a lie"
Lily was beside him. struggling with
him to get the revolver away. He
stared at her stupidly.
The placard The bank was not
stopped Mr.. Harper had the false
placard and the two lines Of false news
put in one copy of the paper. I have
proof of it: have found the man who
printed it,
He was hard to convince. But she
told him how she had been in the inner
office while he was talking to Harper
and how. after he was gone, Harper's
had been so suspicious that she
had followed him to see what he meant
to do He had gone to a printer. It was
not for long time after he had left
the shop, however. that she had half
forced and half frightened the printer
to confess that Harper had paid him
handsomely to turn out the sham pla-
card and insert the two lines in the
paper. He had said it was for a joke,
but the girl had not believed It. She
had guessed that he intended to use the
olacard and dOctOred newspaper to drive
Vansittart to desperation by leading
him to believe that all was lost.
so I came here to tell you" she
said. Il saw you come in, but you
did not see me. So I had to knock,
[ ran past her. I had seen the light
flash from the window into the street.
and that helped me to find my way to
you. The placard is a liei'
Vansittart looked at her; there was
hat in her look which made him cry
put in shame.
Lily, Lily, you have given me back
my life But l had rather yo,. had let
ne die If you cannot give ne your for
5iveness alsOi"
She was kneeling beside him. cling
ng to him faster, holding up her lips
10 his In answer to his passionate cry,