Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-23

they can't put me IN TWO JallS. IA
told you're worth at least $4,000 Let
me have $4,000 and can pull out Of
this second trouble dead easy. They
are waiting to jug me till can Ard OUT
whether or no | can raise the money.
They'd rather have funds than Jail a
man who can't pay"
Il see. Suppose refuse to help you
out OF this sCrape?"
In that case there's only one thing
for me to do to save myself. / must
let out the old trouble"
saw at once that the case was seri-
GUS and realized at the same time the
inexpediency of my management of the
affair l had never revealed II 70 my
wife. Arthur Ditmar was now in
position OF trust, married and the
father OF several little children. Surely
the best method OF meeting comph
cation in the beginning is telling the
truth and taking the consequences.
/ had allowed my heart TO run away
with my head. though there was reason
/ on my own account why l preferred
that the matter should be kept a secret.
How long have you" I asked after
/ thought. ito raise this money!
"A few days anyway, perhaps longer
II there is n fair chance OF getting IT"
/ We'll, you needn't come here again.
! Give me an address where you can be
/ found and III let you know"
/ took his address. and he left the
! office, | following him out and handing
! him a FIVE dollar bill in presence OF the
employees, who looked at him and me
wouderingly. not understanding my
/ leRient treatment OF him.
.Iy position was narrowing. I could
do nothing without my wtfe's Snowi-
edge. and TO bring up matter which
l had kept from her for twelve years
would not only be very painful to her
on her brothers account. but might
! lead her to suspect that !, having
! hushed the matter up. had been party
to the misapproprthtion OF funds. II
| refused the needed aid I would be
on one horn of the dilemma and " 1
gave IL would be on the other. In the
latter case l must expect to be blec
indefinitely
did what should have done years
before-I made Il clean breast OF the
matter to my wife. I began my story
with misgivings as to the spirit In
which she would receive the revela'
ton, but as proceeded saw that she
not only held me blameless OF any
wrong. but was impressed with ths
sacrifice l had made for her and her
brother She threw her arms around
me and, instead of admitting that my
,-ts-
called. me her noble husband While
l was pleased at not being blamed by
} her | was not at all affected by her
encomium.
From this point I was not alone In
my trouble or in hunting for the best
. way out OF 1t. My wife went to her
brother, told him that she knew OF bis
past weakness, kindly excused him on
account of his youth and ineIperience
at the time his fault was committed
and the result was a conference on the
part of the three OF us to consider what
what was best to do
| l proposed to furnish Stivers with
funds to permit him to escape to some
foreign land where he would not he
known and could not readily be fol
lowed Arthur did not Ike this plan
but could suggest no other. Then
Clara said:
Send him to me for his answer
Possibly Il woman may move him ia
do his share in the solution of the prob
lem where man would fail"
. | asked her what she intended Il
propose but she said she would rather
not say, for she might be better able
TO carry out some other scheme
wrote Stivers TO come TO my house
and when he appeared told him that he
would have TO receive his answer
from my wife. He WINGED at this
saying:
That means you refuser'
ct means nothing except what Mrs
Steadman tells you"
Il won't have anything to do with 8
woman in the matter"
Then you will get no reply at all"
Finding that was f1rm. he sssented
and | ushered him into a room where
my wife was waiting for him.
, The interview lasted more than ar
hour, when stivers and Clara came
, nothing. He seemed to be very much
cast down. Clara told US the result
II have convinced him that II is bet
ter for him and all concerned to take
his punishment for this ofense, anc
when he has done so we will see n W.
can't help him TO something better"
There was no doubt in my minC
that this was the only way out OF thu
! matter, but I was surprised that Glars
had been able 70 persuade him u
y adopt It.
stivers told those he had swindIeC
TO proceed with the prosecution: hTt
: finding there was nothing 10 be gals
by them by doing so, they refrained
started him on new path. and be 4
now making an honest living.
To my wife all credit is due for Ri
fortunate termination Of an unfonu
nate affai,