The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-25

kMk IL blinds. Warren Blake was
kSss@SsH working at his desk. He had
49, been seen coming out of the
bank every night for weeks. 1t did
not cause comment. 1t was like War
rem Blake, people thought, to be work
ing early and late. No one who had
not the key would have detected in
the widened eyes and imperceptibly
twitching nostrils hint Of the racking
anxiety within. His pallor would
have been attributed to the garish gas
light overhead. Quite deliberately he
added up the column of figures before
him. They spelled his crime.
Very cleverly, very characteristical-
", he had gone about it Hampden.
he knew, caught in the big deal into
which Warren had followed him, had
drifted into it-had hardly realized, as
in the heat of necessity he asked the
cashier to certify checks for viii Ii
there We're no funds, that it was
crime. Not SO with Warren. In cold
blood, with a nice calculation of the
chances, he had stepped over the line
that he had never before crossed
Once over. he had gone far. 1t had
been gamblers chance. the kind
that many men take safely, and, when
taken, had seemed all in his favor
But now the luck was running the
other way. If the market sagged fur
Their, he would be done for.
No one. If told. would have beliey-
ed why he had done it-because the
bank was breaking anyhow under the
load Of worthless paper, most of it a
legacy from his predecessor, and only
great deal of money could save 1t.
1t had been his pride to carry along
an institution for the shakiness of
which he was not responsible. 1t had
| become his life. He had risked all,
even his own little carefully accumu-
| lated fortune, to save all. though he
had made it a point of honor not TO
| risk the trust properties in his keep
| ing-he somehow made a distinction.
If the market should sag, how should
he pay? Hampden, though bankrupt,
would be able to work out of the hole.
He could always get money some
where But Hampden could not.
hence would not. try to save both.
How then should he. Warren Blake.
pay? With shame. certainly. With
money-out Of the question
If the market should sagi Suddenly
came to him the sure foreknOwledge
| that it would sag. For an instant
panic filed him. He put the books
in their piaces. then began fumbling
| around n dusty shelf in a dark corner
~ \, fc,F n
drew forth an oblong pasteboard box.
| He opened it and looked at what lay
within. He took it out and played
with it. The cleaning. blue black
| thing seemed to hold horrible fasci-
nation for him. It cost him an eff
fort TO put il away. He set the time
lock. closed the vault and left.
John Dunmeade. having reached
home, put his horse away in the stable.
| 1t was past II O'Clock and he was
tired. But he was not sleepy and
he hated to go in out of the clear.
still night So he strolled uptown, in
tending to have a pipe with Haig be-
fore going TO bed. His way took him
past the bank just as Warren stepped
ont The latter stopped.
"Working late. aren't your" said
John
at often do" He hesitated. "Are
you out for walk
Down to Haigs. viii you go
along? John asked politely.
"a part of the way, IL you don't
mind Sometimes. when I've been
working hard, like to talk to some
one to forget myself. How are the pri-
maries going?'
1.-THE primaries? Bad. In fact, they
couldn't be worse"
II thought as much. I'm sorry. I'd
like to see you win"
John was thoroughly surprised. 81
supposed you were against me"
1--WE always voted for you. You are
fitted for public service. You have
something apart from mere intellect
and ability. and. far rarer, the capacity
to feel what we all accept in theory
but not in fact-your relation to other
men. wish I could feel-could have
felt it. Whatever gave you that fine
sixth sense won't let you quit. 1t will
carry you to the end-through weak
ness and strength
Something in the mans voice rather
than in what he said arrested Johns in
terest. do you really think that, War
ren?''
There are things that one knows.
They halted. having reached the home
of Silas Hicks, where Haig had his
rooms. The cigar Warren had been
smoking had gone out He struck
match to relight it. He held the fam
ing taper before him for an instant
longer than was necessary and John