The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1915-12-23

promise TO nay George Grant ten
dollars (8lOl, 90 nrst iustallnhent on
my loan OF one hundred dollars $1,000,
plus interest A. the rate of 10 per cent
q week. Total payment due, $50.
Signed, John L. Peterson.
June Travis fingers rifled the sheat.
Most OF the papers were OF much the
same nature as was the first: and for
varying sums: at exorbitAnt interest.
Each document was mute witness to
a tale Of poverty and OF the greedy
advantage Grant had taken of suck
poverty.
Gathering UP the pcpers, June went
into her SITTING room, placed chair
in front of a typewriter and began TO
tap away at the keys. For full hour
She wrote-a bare half-dozen lines on
each sheet-addrcssing an envelope
for each.
This task finished, shc stacked the
/ little pile OF letters, ready for mail
ing, without waiting to put on her
hat she ran downstairs and out of the
house. by q. rear door, to nearby
stack OF letters. and made her way
back TO her sitting-rocm unnOtic.d
AFTER which she once more picked up
GRANNY desk; crumpied them into a
ball; set Il match to them: held them
lIntil they were uhlaZe, and tossed
them into the fireplace.
"There goes sheaf OF heartaches"
she sighed. "Oh, n only all poverty
could be destroyed as easily"
Mary. Jpnes nurse, was more a
Imenlber of the Travis family than a
servant She had lived with Mrs. Ira
jvis since long before June was born !:
she had conforted the stricken wife
IIwhen her husband died: she had loved
June from the day of the winsome girl
In early years 1t was Mary who had
Istbcd between June and every punish
lment in later days the nurse was even
more closely her cont'dante than was
II When June lad come home that day
lIand, passing Mary end Mrs. Travis on the
IIveranda. had gone on to her room.
IlMary's anxious eyes had read the girls
Tho nurse hadssaid nothing; but, later.
Itwhen June did not reaDpear. she fol-
lllbwed her upstairs. Softly she tried the
lldoor Of the girls sitting room. 1t was
in0cked. Mary bent down to see. through
1.-THE keyhole II June were still in the
Iroom. She had had a brief glimpse of
Pier; kneelinR at the fireplace. watching
lsome papers burn. Wondering vet not
Ildulte daring to intrude, the old woman
Ilhad tiptoed away.
But early next morning. while she was
IIputting the sitting room to rights. Mary
Ichanced to see half charred piece of
ipaper lying on the hearth. She picked
lit I'D. On the unburned half of the
!paper. Sbe read:
Seven days from date. or-to pay
George Grant ten-third instalIment on
, my loan Of ffty-plus interest at the
! rate-per week Total payment due.
$l6-Slgned JOS Bro
Mary puzzled over the fragment in
| stark perplexity. To her. It meant moth
1 ing. And she could not understand how
| her darling should have happened to
/ possess such a thing or why she had
| tried to burn IT, But as she placed the
| morning newspaper on the table, for
| June. a few minutes later. the old
woman's gaze fell on these staring
headlines:
| "VElLED WOMAN IN BLACK
| ROBS LOAN BROKER GRANT
Notes Of Clients. Owing Money. Are
f. Missing-Thief 'Borrows Vic
TINS Auto and Escapes"
Mary let the newspaper fall to the
| floor from her inert hand. Again she
examined the charred note. And now
she, knew what 1t was.
| Continued Tomorrow