The Washington herald., 1913-10-05

lney stared, aSt0blShed. The Earl
vile editor was protesting as he arose.
Mr.. Tanner, you assured me the Mer-
curry Journal"
The Journal will get its scoop. Mr..
Curran, even, will agree to that"
The others were leaving. Wiley
stood alone watching the small figure
under the table light. AT crises there
was sort of dignity about Thaddeus
Tanner. The indomitable will, the in
tuitive reading OF men, the assumption
OF authority-he was worthy of his
power. Even Curran felt the little
boss way with man as this slow scru-
tiny enveloped him. When he looked
at Thad after the going of the others,
the mask-like face was smiling-and
! that smile, some way, struck a curious
fear to his heart.
His calm dry tone heightened the
impression; You still tfuse to re.
Il do. We will submit it to the
people; Their good sense, their hon
esty, their charity
The little boss sat down across from
him and sighed. Let US pass that by.
! l admit admiringly the fight you've
made. I've formed a different opinion
OF you during the last six months,
Curran- And tonight-well, l don't
mind saying that l threw up the
sponge. We couldn't beat you've
thought it for weeks"
'Well?' Curran was almost ashamed
| of his ungraciouS note.
Nevertheless" -the boss rubbed his
thin hands-''you will resign"
Il told you no."
| "Fes-but you will"
The white old hand was raised to
point at him. And from that instant
Curran felt the ground slip beneath
him. He glanced at Judge Van Hart
standing pallid, oppressed, by the win
| dow.
Il will notl' he b1urted.
The little man sat back easily. He
selected a cigar from his case and
| lighted it. Then he stretched his legs
to reach a cushion. Let us see, Cur
ran. Imagine the case. You have
| guessed that we have employed thi.
| fellow Ladeau. l admit it. l sent
him to New Orleans. He came back
yesterday with the fragments of your
interesting history. More-some ex-
traordinary features of the matter
| something never contemplated BY me
| He took, in fact. when he went South,
what appeared TO be most improbable
clue to theory of his own. a trinket
from a child's necklace"
"Necklace?' Curran stared wonder
ingly.
Il imagine a necklace At any rate,
this and from the open drawer OF
the table Thad help up silver cross.
The other man did not answer. His
mind was cropping back. The silver
cross hung under the light, and all
about miSts of darkness gathered. Even
| Thad's voice seemed like a distant bell,
so swept away was Curran's percep-
ton of time and place.
7 "A silver cross which Ladeau took to
an old silversmith he knew in New
/ Orleans. An eccentric fellow, it seems,
who, out OF vanity, used to keep an
account of all the stuff he manufac-
tured. He marked them all, and from
! his Ladeau learned exactly to whom
this was sold. 1t was bought by this
Madame Artois and given to your
! child"
| Curran leaped to seize the thing IN
der the light Tanner, what are you
! getting at? By God, this was stolen
stolen, by Ladeau from John Lind
strom'sp'
Exactly. 1t belonged to his girl
| Aureliep'
And still the man before him groped
at the unbelievable. His clutch about
! the silver cross frightened. He stum-
bled forward, and, as Tanner stepped
back, sank in the boss chair.
DO you believe me-"
Curran did not answer. Then he
whirled up. No; you 1iel This
cross-what is it? There might be
hundred like itT'
Tanner smiled again He reached
to the desk button. Il had arranged
| things with some care. / did not wish
to have this affair balk on me. And
there was no actual need of more than
you and me to settle it. Sony wit
ness
|. Curran was aware that the door had
opened. He looked up to see Old Mich
igan there, his hat off, his eyes staring
wonderingly out of his white beard
He stumped noiselesSly across Thad
Tanner rugs.
MIR. Wiley"-the old rebel turned
hurt scared eyes upon his friend-'I
didn't want to come hyar, but they had
me. The Sheriff and the District At
torney and the judge-they could done
sent me to Jail for hundred years on
all my whisky paroles if hadn't come,
But I'd a-gone for you, Mr.. Curran,
if you'd been helped! But this IS
truth-and I'm gladI'
CLAD" Curran felt the old rough
hand closing over his own, keeping his
senses to. reason. Uncle Alich"
My little girls done found her
father"
From his chair the gray boss smiled,
content that the drama acted out it.
self without word from him.
ILadeau done it." went on Michigan.
''He just put it all together when he
found that little cross and chain.
told him all | knew of Aurelie, just
as I've told everybody. And he knew
you'd had a child down there. And
he knew this very little cross was
given to her by some old woman-and
then he took the whole story to Mr..
Tanner and Tanner sent him South,
and he found the silversmith-and it
was all true! Mr.. Wiley, the same
little girl | done bring up-river was
the same one they put in the Holy
Family Asylum-your little girl, Mr..
WileyP
Still the father had no word. Thad