The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-11-15

MARGARET DELAND on!''
"What has Hammond
got. anyhow" Bates continued ''Whats he got to
support his opinion that you pnched $4,000 from the
Hammond estate? His memory of something some
body said II years ago, and an old check Well, we
won't do thing to 'em!''
His client stood absently locking and unlocking
his desk. II suppose it will be in the evening pa
pers?'' he said
'Oh, guess so,' the younger said, easily;
the finding OF the jury were reported this morn
ing. Plenty OF time for the editions
Then LII take an early train home,' Thomas
Fleming said, quickly; ''my wife, he paused.
Doesn't Mrs Fleming know about it9' the law
yer said, surprised
"No," the other man said gloomly; "I didn't
want her to worry it. But of course, now she's
got to know"
The lawyer behind him. at the office door, hest
tated.
''Flemng, really, it isn't going to amount to any
thing. Of course, / know how you feel about Mrs.
Fleming, but"
The man at the window turned round "Rather
than have her disturbed, I'd compromise. I'd pay
him. I'd"
The lawyer raised his eyebrows. "This time, I
think Hammond is honest. guess he really believes
he has case; but Ellis & Grew are sharks, and
you'd be encouraging blackmail to compromise.
Anyway, you couldn't do it. Grew volunteered the
information that their couldn't be bought off,
he meant to put it through, Grew said. I told him
they'd got the wrong pig by the I told him that
Thomas Fleming wasn't the kind of man who pur-
chases peace at the cost of principle They re shy
sters, and gave 'em plain talk Now, don't let
Mrs Fleming take it to heart. Tell her say it will
be a triumphl''
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 look
ing fora box of candy for his wife minute later
he was in the street. AS he moved along with the
surge Of the homeward- bound crowd, he looked
doubtfully into the flower stores; he wished he had
bought violets for Amy instead Of candy; he had
taken her candy last Saturday He debated whether
he had not better get the vioets too, but decided
against them because Amy was stern with him when
he extravagant for her sake She ex-
travaganoe in any purchase he made on his
count!
So Fleming, smiling forbore to add bunch of
violets to his box of candy. After all, it his
thought that would bring the delicate and happy
color up into her face not the gift ITSELF They were
very happy, these two; perhaps because they were
only two. There had been baby, but it had only
lived long enough to draw them very close together,
and not, as sometimes happens to push them apart
again; and there many friends Naturally all
the thwarted maternity OF the woman was added to
the wfes love; and the paterna instinct of the man
(Which u.s. for the most part only amusement and the
of protecting and giving joy) was conferred in
his wife. So it was wonder that going home on
the train he WINGED at the thought of telling her
that that "fool Hammond y who ''would not have a
leg to stand on, had prosecuted him crimnally for
misrepresentation of funds as trustee of old Mrs.
: Hammonds estate. The trust had been closed at
her death month or two before and the estate
turned over to her son-ths same Hammond, who
CnOugnC ne remembered nearing Ola Sinful say
twelve years BEFORE that he, Smith, had paid the
Hammond estate ST., 400 for parcel of land; where
as Fleming trustee account put the sum received at
$14,400.
Amy 8 husband set his teeth he sat there in the
train planning how he should tell her. Her incred-
ulous anger he foresaw; and her anxiety-the anx-
iety of the woman IMMERSED In legal matters He
damned Hammond in his heart; and pulled out his
evening paper. There it was, in all the shameless
ness of the faring headlines "a Leading Citizen In
1icted'' and on. The big black letters were like
a blow in the face. Fleming felt that every COM
muter on the train was looking over the top of his
newspaper at him. And he had to tell Amyl Tie
fact was Thomas Fleming had no experience in dis
grace and did not know how to conduct himself
When he swung off onto the platform and plodded
slowly up the lane to his house, it seemed to him
as though his very feet hung backl When his foot