Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-10

WHENONE GOES WRONG
sy {. I. Bacon.

Before leaving hfs desk to start on
his annual two weeks vacation. Ian
yon stuffed twenty-one thousand dol
lars in bills into the inside pocket OF
his coat. Three thousand dollars more
already slowed away in another
pocket, and, as he intended to take
both rolls with him, he was pretty
well equipped for such a short period
OF rest.
II must not be inferred, however,
that he was a spendthrift or a mil
lionaire. He was very fer from being
either. Frugality was his most dis
tinguishing characteristic. A modest
glass OF beer. a cigar now and e
an occasional shot at the r~aces--even
such small vices never entered into
his sphere Of life.
For ten years he had lived In an
unpretentious boarding house across
the bridge. For ten years he had gone
to bed at ten O'Clock sharp with ma
chine-like regularity. with the excep-
ton Of Saturday nights, when invarf-
ably he allowed himself the luxury OF
taking his landlady's pretty daughter
to the theater. That, SO far as any
body knew. had been his only indul-
gence.
Yet he felt that for the vacation he
was about to take he needed every
penny Of the large amount with which
he had provided himself,
The smaller amount represented his
own savings OF ten years Of hard and
faithful work. II might have been a
good. deal more. IL he had not sent q
tidy sum each month to his old moth
er. who lived alone In a sleepy little
village ON the Maine coast
After slowing the money away. he
arranged the things in his desk very
neatly, brushed II OF with a little
broom that he kept for the purpose.
and gently closed the rolLtop. He
took q last look at It as he went out
of the door.
On the way downtown he stopped
at a wholesale house in lower Broad
way where his friend Berrian was
employed. to say good-by.
You look run down." observed Der
Ran. "old Dryers been working you
too hard. But never mind. Maine
will fx you up. all right"
Its not going to be Maine this
time. Freddie" returned Lanyon with
a serious air. ITS going to be Tru
jiIlo."
what! Truifllo! Where the deuce
IS Trujillo?"
Nice little town In Honduras. Sea
air. beautiful tropical scenery-ar
ideal place for q vacation II the fevel
don't get you"
Berrian merely stared. his moutl
hanging open In. establishment. Look
ing cautiously around to make sur
that nobody was within ear-shot. Ian
iyon continued:
Fred. you're the only real frient
I've got in the world. You're the onl!
man in this city I've told about m.
having been in prison I an trus
you.
"Now. perhaps you'll understand
when l tell you that, in the nobF
words Of its constitution, the repuh
lie Of Honduras il q sacred asylum
to every person fleeing to its terri
tory"
Berrian drew back with q gasp.
You nean-you mean-you've gon
wrong againy" he demanded.
lust that" admitted Lanyon grave
ly. I've come to tell you becaus
/ don't want you to have any wors
opinion Of me than you can help hay
ing under the circumstances.
Il don't suppose q. man we ca
have a good Gus for turning crooi
ed, but mine is as good a one as Their
ever was. I guess. I've got an oil
mother up In Maine dependent on m,
II my reputation were the best In tn
world, I'd rather lose 1t than see he
starve."
Butt don't understand" stan
mered Berrian. You've managed {
look after her all right, haven't you7
Il wouldn't, though, II I were OF
Of q Job. with q prison record keel
ing me from getting another. And
i don't 60 now, Dwyer would see ths
1 did next week, even II I hadn't take
q cent from him
AN old enemy Of mine drifted int
town last week. He's going to sen
Dwyer my history in a day or two
Il know Dwyer well enough I
know what that would mean. So, 20
see how II is. II I had only myse
to look after, ! wouldn't care much
and I'd get out with clean hands. A
It is. I'd rather turn thief than fac
the alternative"
The next moment he was in th
street running for a car. Berrian ha
started to follow; but seeing the futi
fly Of pursuit, stood staring after hi
retreating figure.
ITO think that he's come to thi
after al those years Of livin
straight" he muttered.
Two hours later Lanyon arrived !
Jersey City with a good half-hour I
spare before his train was due I
start He sat down In q corner (
the waitingroom and pulled out hi
Suicide Laid to Astroiogers.
IT, hayo<,.l trduopco atflI avorofac