The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-01-12
THE EMPTY ENVELOPE
BY EVELYN LEE.

ever know. Long before next interest
day the bond will be back in place."
Bryce Worth whispered the words
to himself. His worried face, his
quickened breath told of unusual men
tai stress.
1t was in the brokers' office where
Worth was employed that he stood
wrestling with his conscience. Only
the bookkeeper was in the outer room.
The vault was open. To this Worth
had ready access at all times, but
now he skunk toward it and into it
with the stealthiness of thief.
Mrs. Malinda Parr"-he knew the
labeled manila envelope well, knew
that it contained one $500 bond, a Rex
Construction gold 6.
1t was a somewhat out-of-the-way
trust. Their client, a struggling
widow, had purchased the bond For
safe keeping, she had always left it
with the office. Twice a year she had
appeared to collect the interest. That
was ALL
A friend had come to Worth in dire
distress. He mustahave 5000 at once,
or he would be involved in serious
trouble
And, through mistaken loyalty to a
person who did not deserve it, Worth
made his first misstep.
His plan was to take the distracted
bond to a money lender he knew, Dor
low 5000 on it, and when this was
Doid off return the security to the Of
fee vaults, and nobody would be the
wiser.
E.orth slipped the familiar envelope
into his pocket. One hour later he
left the office. His feelings were
tense, he seemed to have suddenly
assumed a load that weighed down
body and spirit.
Worth reached the hotel where he
had arranged to meet his friend. He
had decided to tell him Of the fear
full sacrifice of business honor and
peace of mind he was making for his
sake.
An hour went by The friend did
not come. He would never come, as
Worth later learned. The friend was
scamp, had learned that the police
were already on his trail and had fed
the city. Worth waited YEARLY. Fl.
nally he arose to leave the hotel.
"Fire!"
The cry took Worth momentarily
out Of himself. He saw smoke and
flames issuing through an open arch.
ing leading into one of the parlors.
The heavy silken draperies all
around the room were getting ablaze.
He tore down the fire-kindled curtains
at the door. Then he shouted to a
group of terrified women huddled near
one of the windows:
Get out into the hall There is no
danger yet"
Worth tore off his coat He used
it as an extinguisher, beating at the
blazing curtains of the windows He
was perspiring, singed, his face and
hands blackened as the advance fire
patrol came to the spot. Some one
asked his name. He saw the blaze
under control, and, pretty well ex-
cited and exhausted, passed down to
the street.
Worth did not return to the office at
once. He went to his room to tidy up.
There he made discovery that
thrilled him. The envelope was gone
from his coat pocket. He fastened
back to the hotel. With eager delight
he left it again, for he found the en-
velope where it had switched out of
his coat He started for the office,
glanced within the envelope, and
found it-empty!
Some one has distracted it from
the envelope" he unused desperately.
II dare not make any move towards
its recovery without exposing my own
wicked foolhardiness!"
Worth placed the empty envelope
back in it's place in the vault. That
evening he planned what he would do.
By saving and skimping he might put
aside $500 by the next interest date.
Hes could sell some jewelry he had.
His name got in the paper as the
hero of the hotel fire. 1t made Ada
Mason, his f1ancee, very proud of him,
but her joy was dampened by great
change in the man she was to marry
He called upon her less frequently
He no longer planned of how they
would furnish the little fiat they had
discussed SO comfortingly in the past
Vainly Ada tried to learn what
trouble he was brooding over.
Then at the end of a month Worth
broke down one evening. He con-
fessed all to Ada Never did a ten
der. loving heart move to rescue and
consolation as this dear little soul
YES" she said, you must make
reparation, and 7 must help YOU" and
her sister wondered at her now con.
slant attention to fancy work
At the end of five months Worth
had the exact amount needed to cover
bond value and interest 1t was
happy moment when he went to the
vault to place the money in the en-
velope. 1t was gonei He went to
the hn0kknpDor foorino como now