The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-11-15
(copyrleh,. 1918. by TIE Newspaper
Enterprise Association


Thomas Fleming did not speak.
The other man. his lawyer. who
had brought him the unweieone
news, began TO make the best OF u.
"of course. it's an annoyance
but"
We'll. yes. It's an ANNOYANCE,
Fleming said. dryly.
Fleming knocked the ashes from
his c.gar. He was silent.
"As for Hammond. he won't have
n leg TO stand on. | don't know
what Ellis 4 Grew meant BY let
ting aim take the case before the
grand Jury. He won't have lex
TO stand on"
What has Hammond gotf'
Bates continued. What's he got
10 support his opinion that you
pinched $4,000 from the Hammond
eststeG His memory Of something
somebody said IL years ago. and
an old check Well. We won't do
thing 10 'em,"
His client stood absently locking
and unlocking his desk. Il sup
pose u will be In the evening
papers," he said.
"Oh. | guess so" the younger
man said. easily; the findings OF
the j-ry were reported this morn
ing. Plenty OF time for the edi
lions"
Then I'll take an early train
home" Thomas Fleming said.
quickly; my wife" he paused
Doesn't Mrs. Fleming know
about IT." the lawyer said. sur
prisei
NO. the other man said. gloom
lily. I didn't want her to worry
over e. But. OF course. now she
got To know"
The lawyer behind him. nj the
office door. hesitated.
"rfaming. really. IL isn't going 20
amount TO anything. OF course, l
know how you feel abou, Mrs
Fleming. but
The man az the window turned
round Rather than have her dis
turbed. I'd compromise on II. IL
pay h.m. I'd"
The lawyer raised his eyebrows.
This time. | think. Hammond -
honest. | guess he really believes
he has n case; but Ellis & Grew
are SHARKS. and you'd be encourag
Ing hlackmail to compromise.
Anyway, you couldn't do II. Grew
volunteered the information that
their man couldn't be bought off
he meant TO put II through. Grew
said. told him they'd got the
wrong pig by the ear. told him
that Thomas Fleming wasn't the
kind Of man who purchases peace
1t the cost OF principle. They're
shysters. and I gave 'em plain talk
Now. don't let Mrs. Fleming take
It to ,eart. Tell her cay It will
be a triumph"
He went off laughing. Fleming
took up his black cloth bag and
poked about among some papers:
then unlocked his desk. and found
what he had been looking fora
box Of candy for his wife. A min.
ute later he was In the street. As
he moved along with the surge OF
the homevard bound crowd. he
looked doubtfully into the flower
stores: he wished he had bough:
vfolets for Amy instead OF candy;
he had taken her candy last Satur.
day. He debated whether he hal
not better get the violets. too: but
decided against them. because
Amy was stern with him when he
was extravagant for her sake. She
chase he made on his own &C
count.
So Fleming. smiling. forbore 70
add a bunch OF violets to his box
OF candy. After all, It was his
thought that would bring the dell.
cate and happy color up into he
face, not the gift itself. They were
very happy. these two; perhaps be-
cause they were only two There
had been a baby. but IL had only
lived long enough 10 draw them
very close together. and not, az
sometimes happens. to push them
apart again: and there were many
frienfs. Naturally. all the thwart-
ed maternity OF the woman was
added to the wife's love: and the
paternal instinct OF the man (which
Is, for the most part, only amuse-
rnent and the sense of protecting
and giving JOY was conferred in
his wife. SO II was no wonder that,
going home on the train. he WINGED
at the thought OF telling her that
that fool Hammond" who would
not have a leg to stand on" had
prosecuted him criminally for mis-.
appropriation OF funds as trustee
Of oil Mrs. Hammond estate The
trust had been closed at her death
a month or two before. and the co
tate handed over to her son-this
same Hammond. who thought hs
remembered" hearing old Smith
say, L. years before, that he. Smith,
had paid the Hammond estate
s17,4G0 for a parcel OF land: where
as Jennings trustee account put
the gum received at s14.400.
Amv husband set his teeth as
he sat there in the train planning
how he should tell her. Her In
credulous anger he foresaw; and
her anxiety-the anxiety Of the
woman IMMERSED In legal matters
He damned Hammond In his heart
and pulled out his evening paper
There I was. in all the shameless
ness OF the flaring headline: "A
Leading Citizen Indicted" and ~
on. The big black letters were
Ike a blow In the face. f1emln z
felt that every commuter on the
train vas looking over the top oil
his Newspaper at him. And he had
to tel Amy, The fact was. Thomas
FLEMING had no experience In dis
grace and did not know how tc
condI,- himself When he swung
off oato The platform and plodded
slowly up The lane TO his owr
house, II seemed TO him as though
HIS very Feet hung back Wher
hk foot touched the lowest step oil
the porch. The door opened wide
and Amy stood there.