El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-17
The Explanation
BY Edith Rode

p AN trembling.
When rest my hand on my
= desk it trembles. I shudder
when the door is suddenly opH.ed I
know you will tell me you know all
about It, that it is nothing bit ner-
vOusness.
But I am only 80 and : strong ss
a bear bro ad shOuldered and I'D
en- as6-.l- 1 q n single AMI independent
SIIl I am trembling.
In front Of me I have copy Of the
local paper, and I read:
otto Justesen, the merchant. was
robbed Of 1000 crowns in cash last
night. Yesterday afternoon he had
written and sealed up a letter contain
ing the above named amount in bills.
It was addressed to the wholesale firm
Of SOelberg & Co, Copenhagen, and
was to have been mailed this morning.
but last night when Mr.. Justesen left
his office a little before midnight to
go to his club, he carelessly left his
window open AS the office is on the
ground floor, access was easy and
early this morning the crumpled up
envelope was found in the street out
side The money, OF course. had dis
appeared. The police have no clues"
L nave read this paragraph three
times and read It once more. 'The
paper is shaking in my hand. Do YOU
understand why I am trembling
am the thief you suppose No.
Why them Don't you understand 1
am Otto Justesen. the man who has
been robbed ssh. Was not the door
going?
The police are sitting opposite me
in the shape OF Henrik Gram. one of
the kindest hearted men I know. still
I am trembling.
Gram and ! are old friends. He
knows all about my affairs. knows
Just how I am fixed. A young bust
ness man, starting without any capl-
tai. has an uphill job and times are
bad.
But today there is an abyss between
Henrik Gram and me. His voice
sounds differently, he is here in his
official capacity.
Tell me all the details" he SAYS.
but calmly Why, you are shaking
with nervousness, man"
Wen, you see, the thing is this" I
begin And / talk on rapidly, hardly
knowing what 1 am saying. 1 tell him
that I am ruined If the money is not
found. Soelberg & Co are not phil
anthropists they want their money,
and now, just as 1 had succeeded in
scraping the money together, it is
can you raise a loan?" Gram asks.
NO" I say. Il am done for; the
lemon has been squeezed to the last
drop"
y
I am afraid of bankruptcy. No. It IS
much worse It is all q lie There
has been no theft
There never was any money in the
letter. L stole ii myself. It was I who
threw the empty envelope in the street
outside
THE Lord knows I worked like a
slave to keep above water, but IL was
of no use. The lack Of 1000 crowns
viii make me bankrupt unless Soel- I
berg & Co. take pity on me when /
fbev hear about my misfortune.
eft was gross careleSsness to leave I
the money near the open window. All I
I man had to do was to stretch out /
his hand.
offer him a cigar, but he p
-efnses A glass of port wine then? /
AZ shakes his head. He wants me to 4
understand that he is not paying me a /
friendly visit
,ands me a telegram. I tear IL open /
and read. Gram comes closer
'sWell2" he asks. /
p Read IT yourself?" I say.
Cram takes the telegram, reads It I
and lays it aside.
-uptcy. Soelberg q Co
] am ruined.
NV eyes cannot tear themselves from
he telegram. So the whole scheme
s wasted I am to be punished for my
'alsehood It is then really a crime
have committed? The police have
had a little extra work. without any
reason AS If It were not reason
enough that a man wanted to save
himself from bankruptcy. But II is
against the law and I viii be pun