The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-08-08

Il think you were interested in
the rifling of the safe." corrected
Poole.
Twenty dollars and a ruby!"
cut in Archie, with his sneering
laugh. What would l want with
twenty dollars a trumpery little
jewell"
Precisely" agreed Poole
THE only answer is that you did
not want twenty dollars and the
ruby, but something else
but there was nothing else In
the safe" interrupted Archie, In
evaporation.
There were papers in the
safe. You'll excuse me IL l be-
rcome somewhat personal, Mr..
Winthrop, in answering. You are
a man of considerable wealth, 1
believe. You have everything
you desire. There is just one
thing Poole leaned for
ward-''you desire just one thing
you do not as yet possess, and
that is-Miss Evelyn winthrop"
That will do" Archie was on
his feet, angrily facing Poole.
My relations with Miss Winthrop
are my own affair, and they will
not be discussed here!"
II have no desire to discuss
them. / yield to no man in my
respect for Miss Winthrop, but
her name must be mentioned at
this juncture. | repeat, the one
thing in the world you desire
.-above all else is Miss Winthrop
for your wife, and my assump-
ton is that If the paper you
have obtained from the safe had
fallen into the hands of the per-
son for whom it was intended
presumably Jack-it would have
thwarted your desire"
Archie's face grew livid under
the sting of Poole's words.
You had me stealing old pa
: pers from the safe." said Archie.
only one paper" corrected
Poole. You burned it there in
the fireplace, which is unfortun-
ate, as there was probably no
witness to the paper but yourself,
since the man who penned il for
you to sign has long been dead.
But though we must go back
> to a chapter of your life which
opens and closes in Windsor,
Vermont, perhaps we need not
review that chapter - the cir
cumstances attending upon the
marriage and death of Alice
Waters concluded Poole, cycling
his man keenly.
Archie turned and dropped
weakly upon the edge of the bed.
: You need not" he said, hoarse-
~.
'.Then we pass over this I'M
fortunate chapter out of your his
tory, admirably guarded from
those around you, but neverthe-I
less known at least to Miss Win
throp's father before his death.
Your secret was kept, but the
earlier hope cherished by Mr..
Winthrop that you, his godson,
should marry his daughter was
forever dismissed. With the
death of your wife, however, the
obstacle to your eventual mar
riage within the family was re-
moved. Only Mr.. Winthrop's Sc
rect, irrevocable opposition to
such a union remained, and this,
out of consideration for you, he
could not reveal. But shortly be-
: fore his death, while his son was
In India and no one was at hand
to whom he could intrust your
secret, fearing what you might
attempt after he was gone, he
extracted a solemn promise from
you, and penned with his own
hand the oath which you signed:
Il. Archibald Haverford Win
throps do solemnly swear"
'Stop!"
"You acknowledge it, then
all that | have said?" Poole de-
manded. quickly.
The bowed head of the other
man feebly nodded as he sat
overwhelmed
cit was a scrap of this burnt
document still clinging to the side
= OF your fireplace that | was Just
now recovering. That is ALL"
For a few moments a deep ST
lence filled the room, while arch
ie sat with his head between his
hands. Poole strobe to the fire
place. Look here, Winthrop"
he said. We've reached a point
where / must tell you something.
You're in love with Miss Win
throp-" He eyed his listener for
q moment, and then added, 80
am l."
"Well?" demanded Archie,
hollowly. You've got me dis
posed Of"
when I went into this thing
retorted Poole, 81 had no idea
that / would fetch up where 1
have. I was bent on solving a
problem, and now that I've got
the answer can't announce IL
without smashing you. So long as
we love the same woman I can't
do that. I'll meet you in clean RI
valry for place in Miss Winthrop's
affections
A little flicker of hope, unnot-
ed by the speaker, lifted In
Arches downcast eyes. The
race was already over" he NUT
tered. despondently. II had won
Il myself"