The Washington herald., 1914-01-28
Daily Short Story
=, ARTHUR wALLAcE PEACH.

BY ARTHUR WALLACE PEACH.
Copyrisht. MAJ
shsfner settled himself comfortably II
the one chair the room afforded ana
smiled across at his friend and partner
1T was the queerest sort Of . hole
just a village. you know, and ther'
wasn't much sign Of anything going on
thought could rest there for . while
until the smoke blew over and they be
gan to forget about that bank deal Of
ours" he was explaining.
But. coming to the point 1 ran or
to the strangest deal you ever heard Of
I got in with the preacher there. kind
good-natured old fellow. and got wise t.
the whole thing. A woman came there
she was about twenty-five, they guessed
and settled down. She was alone mos
of the time and no one knew anything
about her. The minister got into hei
ways, however. and they grew to b
chummy. She died i've years later anc
lsft WIN the old minister . box-a small
key. She said II was to be given to g
man who would come for II. and she
described him. and the old man gave me-
the description. But the chap never
came! She had quite a little money
and the old fellow was sure. from things
he had heard from the people who might
know, she had II put In the box. II she
did, It's worth trying for. It's funny all
arotnd when you come to think 1t over
Whats your game?" inquired Fred
ley,
Simple enough" You're about sixty.
and with that phiz OF yours and your
gray hair, you'll get by, after I've put
you wise. It's easy for the woman was
tight as a drumhead. SO I heard. You'd
have to make UP the rest of it-be her
lover. you know. returning after the years
having traced her where she is-no, you'd
have to dope 1t out a different way
Shafner said thoughtfully.
Here you have Il: She wrote you to
come. but she wrote to a wrong place
or a place where you had been and no
word reached you, see? Finally. going
back one day. some one had kept the
you have 1t: anything will get by. how
ever. IL you look little pious. and talk
up stin on the sorrowful side how you
and she parted-with-"
Enough! Enough! It's worth the
chance, IL you're sure of the money
end?''
I'll swear to Il. Trust me-
Fully prepared to carry out the part
of the g-absent and returning lover.
John B. Trakner. Freddy left for the
village.
A month passed.
Shafner, smoking in the room and
by familiar step on the landing. The
next moment Freddy. looking a little
travel worn and weary. entered.
Shafner welcomed him with open arms.
Billy, old boy, what luck"
Freddy unstrapped his suitcase and
held out the strong box. II was answer
enough.
Looked into It?'' Shsfner asked.
Freediey's face sobered and he shook
his head as he handed the key TO Shat
ner. THE devil of 1t is, Shat he went
on, Il couldn't do IL. ] was curious as
the very deuce, but things got pe up
there. That old white-headed fellow and
I got to be pretty good friends before
I got through: he made me stay at his
house. and was the first man l ever
met. not counting you out. Shat, who
acted as il the thought / was the man!
He took me out to the grave Of
Of the woman: and he told me stories
Of her-how good she was TO the kids
in the village. and the sick, and so
forth: and the upshot and end of II
was-I couldn't monkey with that box"
Billy, you're getting to be cracked
with age. This looks good to me; I'll
open it,
Il may be getting cracked, but I'd
hate to have that old fellow know the
job I put on him."
Shafner inserted the key and opened
the box. In view came a thick. tight
large roll of bills, all OF large denomina
tons
With a muttered word OF astonished
JOY Shafner lifted the roll: It was heavy