The Meeker herald., 1913-08-16

DaQK Wd1 aWhre OI uIh tfuuuic. uuo ~
would only make the matter worse II
1t were known. To recall the invita-.
lions would make tnlk. which would be
sure to bring out the Cause OF theis
being withdrawn. They parted to meet
the next morning. when they would
come to q decision
On st. Valentines day Walter
Browning and Ellen Crane were trying
to make up their minds as to what
course to pursue. Walter begged for o
private wedding. Though there was
no reason for such dread. he fancied
be might be arrested during the cere-
mony. Ellen strove In vain to Grade
cate this fear. She was arguing with
him when a shrill whistle was heard
without. followed by u sharp ring at
the doorbell
ats the postman." she exclaimed,
"and since hos loaded down with val
entines he's In hurry. I'll go to the
door and take in the mail"
She returned walking very slowly
and looking intently ut nm unopened
envelope.
who has been sending me this. 1
wonder?" she said. speaking more to
herself than to her lover. ut seems to
be valentine. AT least there are some
flowers stamped on 1t. don't know
the hand writing. and don't know any
one ut the place where 1t was post
marked"
sit seems to me-" said Walter drenr-
fly. that the quickest way to find out
about u letter is to open and read 1t.
But that's something no woman would
think Of doing"
"If the postmnrk WINS palmer" con-
tinued Ellen. without needing his sar-
casm. II might make 1t cut. It's Sun
something or other, and Col. That
must be Colorado
Break 1t openw cried Walter testify.
You'll drive me crazy"
She soothed him with kiss. then
tore open the envelope. remarleing at
the same time TINT 1t was dirty enough
to have gone around the world. 1t con-
tnined a cheap looking valentine. and
within the valentine WINS folded several
thicknesses of newspaper Ellen TIN
folded the newspaper and took out two
$500 bills.
For heavens saker she exclaimed.
Walter simply gaped at the bills. 4
what does it mean?" was Ellen's
next comment.
By this time her lovers curiosity was
excited. With trembling hand he
took tile valentine and the bills from
her.
why. these are old state bank bills"
he said. wonderingly. Then, taking the
envelope, he scrntinized 1t. This val
entine wns mailed in 1880" be went
on. land those letters are not Col:
they are Cal. It's from San Francisco.
Call
Many time Ellen Crane had heard
her aunt tell about the valentine her
lover was to send her. about which she
was to make inquiry If 1t did not come
and which 1t WINS supposed he had been
cut Oh from sending by sickness and
death. A flood Of light burst in upon
her. This was that valentine. 1t had
been sent. but had been many years on
the way. The happy girl did not wait
to explain this to her lover. Holding
the bills high up above her head. she
"Now we can restore the missing
money" '
Later Browning went to the postofice
with the valentine and learned from
the postmaster that Post0ffice build
Ing had recently been pulled down on
the line the valentine had travelled. and
the letter had been found on the re-
moval of a fixture behind which it had
slipped. doubtless while being sorted.
1t was forwarded and fell into the
hands not Of the Ellen Crime to whom
1t had been written. but to her name
sake and heir. who lived In the house
to which 1t had been addressed.
Ellen placed the bills In BrownIng's
hands. Going to money broker. he
learned that though the banks that had
issued the bills had gone out of ex-
istence fund had been put aside for
payment Of all demands against it.
Then Walter went to the hank that
had issued the bill he hnd lost and ex-
changed his money for one Of its
81 900 notes and with 1t made up the
deficiency for which he was respop-
sible
1He act ichioSeu uiI suspic'ou. auu
there was happy wedding. made
happier by the great load taken Oh
the shoulders Of the contracting par
ties.
The $1,000 was In time returned by
the bank. One of the employees of
the institution proved dishonest. and
long series of peculations was discov-
cred He confessed the stealing of the
bill that Browning hail lost. On that
occasion he was acting rs paying teller
In the next cage to Browning. When
the iatter's back was turned. seeing
that no one was looking In his direc-
ton. he took out from pocket In his
coat slender piece of wbalebone with