Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-09-23

the plot. I knew the girls father
would not buy the stock If he knew
that the home folks we're against It.
"They will be so happy that even
the telegraph will seem too slow q
thing for carrying their consent"
laughed the girl happily.
And in my heart l knew that she
was right.
That day think I learned the full
meaning of hell on earth, for l ex.
rerienced It's every torture. Alice and
her father were full TO bursting with
the joy that was coming to them and
the folks down sol tn.
heard over and over all the plans
that they had made, all the hopes that
had grown and been shattered, only
to spring up anew.
The old man spclio to me as a son
of whom he was proud, and was con-
scious of the girls changed feeling to-
ward me. She had come to look upon
me as a big, strong brother who had
done wonderful thing.
Her hand on my arm sent its thrill
through me Kindred times that
day; her voice, her eyes, her laugh
ing lips were constant intoxication.
How loved her,
But l had to ploy my game, and
did. Each time she called me friend"
instead of the formal "Mr. Haviland"
there seemed to be drawing south
ern caress in her voice. And each
time the stab of it went straight to
my heart.
But 1 smiled and jolled with them,
and deprecated my own abilities. Ard
l did it with all the historic ability
of the kind that years of constant
practice had given me.
l prayed that day; prayed as
walked and talked; prayed to the all,
powa full, all-merciful One 1 had
turned against years before. didn't
pray for mercy. Not l. Ny prayers
were for the death of Mike Garven!
Do you think he needs such prayers?
But l couldn't stand it. After our
lunch I pleaded a business engage
ment and left them at theater, brom-
ising to call for them at the end of the
performance.
Then I went to see Mike Garven.
There must be way out. / wasn't
going to threaten this time. was 60
ing to plead. In all the years Of my
service to the master had never ask
ed favor; l had worked without
question. Now I was going to plead.
Rat-face, in the outer Office, trieo
to bar my way, and jammed him
against the wall viciously. But voices
through the thick door that opened
to the inner Office halted me. They
were voices of Mike Garven and an.
other man.
"Two hundred dollars" snarled
the other voice, and it was one had
never heard before. Not a cent less
than two hundred, Mike Garven, Yea
amt got me, y know. Y never was
slick enough for that. But got you!
An Pm th' on'y one Nv the bunch that
ever did, amt I, Mister Garven"
Somebody with something on Mike
Garyen, If it could be. If the man
could help me!
Then l heard Mikes voice-cool
never-changing, as it always was.
You only think you've got some
thing on me, O'Hagen. I'd laugh you
into Jail for perjury the first time you
tried to spring it. There's twenty-five
for you, and that's ell you get"
$50 you'd laugh me into stripes.
hey?" The voice rose to shr!ll
screech. Maybe they'd do whole
lot more laffin' when told 'em I amt
done tap Nv work for ten years, and
that Mister Garven, TIL click broker,
has been handin' up fer booze an eats
an all tn rest NV it all that time. Put
that in yer pipe an smoke it, Mister
Garven."
"You once saved my life, O'Hagan,"
continued that voice which never
changed, and l could imagine the
blank grey eyes fixed on the snarl-
ing man.
1--WE got letters from you, telling
me that you were down and out. I've
been supporting you all these years
out of the goodness of my heart.
can never forget the man who saved
my life. That's why I'm giving you
twenty-five dollars now"
you're a liar!" screamed the man,
but could tell from his voice that he
was backing down just as everyone
else backed down before the devils
inside. 81 never saved yer life, an
never wrote y'u line!'
"Did you ever hear of forgery,
O'Hagen? I happened to run across
the slickest man in the game once,
and he wrote them for me, from let
ter of yours l got my hands on.
They're more like that illiterate
scrawl of yours than your own writ
ing is. I never overlook a possibility,
and there was always mighty big
one that you'd kick over some day.
But l don't worry about ignorant louts
like you. If you had brains l might"
"An' won't l tell in tn courtroom
Il L