Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-07-09

Icdu " ftit ullitdSdHf Consequences
He kept the money in his safe deposit
box.
But even In 80 secret Il place he did
not feel easy. lie was haunted 10y all
sorts Of fears. Surprising he should
loose the key To her box and were ar
rested for Keeping money thar did not
belong to him. In that case he would
not be able to make restitution.
One day on taking a cat at his club
he noticed that his driver was the man
In whose vehicle he had made the find
wilkins FASTENED to ask him Ii be
had heard OF or seen the Young lady
who had gone into a store and had not
returned. He said that he had. She
had caused Inquiries To be made for
him and finally found him. She had
tainted In the store and remained IN
conscious for some time. He had been
closely questioned by d man in her in
terest and was quite sure he had been
Swallowed by a detective. Asked whom
he had driven mex after the young
lady. he could not remember.
wilkins was all in a hutter at this
information. He realized that he must
take some action I'm the matter. but
feared anything he might do would re-
dound to his Injury. When a man Is
ratified he usually goes wrong. VIII
kins asked the cabman to give him
the young lady's address. and when the
man said he hadn't 1t Wilkins told him
not t say anything about him in the
matter for the present and handed him
q ten dollar bill.
wilkins us soon as he had taken this
step saw that he had put himself In
the position Of having bribed the coach
man to conceal his identity. He could
not sleep at nights for thinking Of
what a ~frightful thing ii would be
should he be bounced npOn by a de-
tectiye and forced to confess that he
had been keeping a large sum of mon
ey that did not belong TO him. 1t WAS
evident the loser Of the money beIiev-
ed that II had fallen into the h0 nds
OF some one who was intending to keep
II and was taking measures to find that
person.
All this was more than wilkins had
bargained for. He grew thin and bag
gard and began to fear that his ap-
pearance alone would lncriminate him.
What he desired was to know the adj
dress of the young lady that he might
return the money anonymously. or If
he could discover that she was OF a
kindly. sympathetic disposition he
might 20 to her. confess that be had
her money and beg her TO believe his
story and not expose him to an unmer-
ciful world.
One day the coachman involved In
the matter called for him at the club
and said he had something TO commu
nicate. wilkins went out with him 10
the sidewalk, where ~ one wonld hear
what was said. and the cabman began:
1--WE seer the young Teddy again.
sir, and she says the day | drove her
she drew a large sum from the bank.
and, bein' sick. when she got out Of
my cab left the money inside She
says the next fare ! got must "a found
ii and is keepin' what don't belong 10
him. She's offered me $1,000 reward
IL III get her money for her"
Here was an additional complication
If wilkins returned the money. ignOr-
ing the cabmaR. the fellow might make
il hot for him. wilkins by this time
was In n condition Of mind TO see Il
term in the penitentiary staring him
In the face. Instead Of pulling himself
together. returning the money openly
and trusting to his ability to come out
Of the affair unscathed. ne asked the
man for the lady's address. promising
to see that he got something by way
of reward. But the cabman by this
time had come to believe there wa u
good deal In II and declined to give the
address unless wilkins would pay him
out Of the funds the reward the young
lady had offered. When wilkins de-
INJURED at this. the fellow threatened
to report him as the man who was
holding the money.
So wilkins took the address. gave the
man a thousand dollars and. taking the
bag containing the bills just as he had
found them. called on the young lady.
Handing them to her. he waited till her
delight had somewhat subsidized. then
gave her a graphic account OF his find
ing the bag. his waiting TO see her nd
v%ertisement. his missing 1t when II ap
peared and. lastly. his having been
drawn into the position OF retaining
funds that did not belong to him.
II weighed" he said do!efully in con
clusion. when | found your bag ITO
pounds. Look at me now. | can bare
~ pull down 40"
You poor man." exclaimed the girl.
depressing a smile.
wilkins said nothing about the thou
sand dollars hush money he had paid
the cabman. That was his own secret.
and he did not propose to divulge.
"Of course" said the girl. you are
entitled TO a reward. and ] beg Of you
after all the trouble and worry you
have had In the matter 10 accept at
least the amOun ! offered the cabman
I assure you ! would feel so much more
comfortable at your receiving some
thing"
w~,Atnoo- ,A0- ~r--n