The Washington herald., 1914-06-14
nm rwo-suI NAN.

Edwin took shear Of yellow bank
notes from the safe and glanced anxious
ly about the darksned room For . mo-
ment he thought he Heard stsaithy foot
steps IN the stairway. but he dismissed
the imprsssion n prank Of imasinatiou
and overwrought nerves He, was about
to push the. steel door shut when click
was heard somewhere and electric bulbs
blazed over the room.
His father had caught him In the act
OF robbing the safe. He pointed an ac-
cusing finger at the money In Edwin's
hand.
so. you're a thief chr he sneered.
rs that what your hish-brow notions
lead to! While you've been preaching
to me and telling me what ought to
do. you've had no scruples against steal
Ing my money"
fathers face. Your money!. he cried.
And where did you get Il? It's graft,
and you know II. You earned part Of
1t by pushing thieving franchise ordi-
nance through the city council. The rest
Is blood money extorted from your poor.
ignorant tenants"
The veins in the fathers forehead
knotted and buiged ominously He shook
trembling nst ut his son. But don't
stoop to sale robbing. And I've had Just
about enough preaching from you, young
man. 1 can't acknowledge son who is
safe robber. q thief. It's the jail for
you"
He strode angrily across the floor and
picked up the telephone. A girl stepped
into the room and laid restraining hand
on his arm '.Don't-pleass don'tr she
begged.
He turned a purpiinE face to Ethel. his
ward. SO, you're In Il, too. are you,
Nice couple you. You've been telling me
how to conduct my own business, but
you are not above robbing my safe.
You go back to your room Ethel And
remember that your engagement with
this young scoundrel Is on"
A flush Of Indignation crept into the
girls face. Before I go I am GO
Ing to tell you something" she biased
Edwin could tell you himself, but he
has too much pride. Edwin knows the
source Of your fortune. and he has been
trying to blot out the stain on his
fathers name by restoring a part Of 1t
to the people you-you stole 1t from.
Every cent he has taken from you has
gone to the poor people. the tenants
whom you have starved and cheated and
preyed upon. Some day you will thank
him for it,
Don't sweetheart-you can't make him
protested Edwin hotly.
The old man glowered at his son. mo.
/ couldn't understand that" he sneered.
I'm too stupid to see those fine dis
tinctions. I'm old-fashioned enough to
think that safe-robbery is crime. Fine
names don't deceive me. There Is only
cne place for q thief-and that's the
jail"
Again he stepped toward the telephone
Ethel was about to restrain him, but Ed
win urged her to desist. It's no use."
he protested. He would never under
stand"
She watched him tear-eyed and trem-
bling as the detectives led him away.
Edwin followed them doggedly. like q
chained beast. At the door he turned and
fixed a lingering glance on his father.
You'll be sorry for this some time"
he muttered.
In the long months that followed hate
sprouted within him. The discovery.
made long ago, that his fathers for
tune had been acquired by corrupt
methods had stung something vital In
him. A strange whim OF fate had made
him a dreamer and an idealist. and the
realization that his father was a crook
had caused his playhouse of dreams
to tumble. He had sought to erase the
disgrace bv becoming a thief and dis
tributing among the poor a portion of
the money his father had acquired
through extortion and shady deals with
the legisltors he controlled. Prison life