The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-22
THE EMPTY ENVELOPE
By EVELYN LEE.

DAY the pOHu viii De UdCh Al pldSc'
Bryce Worth whispered the words
TO himself His worried face, his
ouickened 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 1t
with the stealthiness Of thief.
"Mrs. Malinda Parr"-he knew the
labeled manila envelope well, knew
that it contained one $500 bond, Rex
Construction gold 6.
It was a somewhat out-ofthe-way
trust. Their client, struggling
widow, had purchased the bond. For
safe keeping, she had always left II :
with the office. Twice year she had |
appeared to collect the interest. That
was all.
A friend had come to Worth In dire |
distress He must have 5000 at once,
or he would be involved in serious
trouble.
And, through mistaken loyalty to a
person who did not deserve 1t, Worth
made his first misstep.
His plan was to take the distracted
bond to money lender he knew, bor-
row 5000 on 1t, and when this was
paid off return the security to the Of
fee vaults, and nobody would be the
wiser.
Worth 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
a 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
group Of terrified women huddled neal
one Of the windows:
Get out into the hall. There is nj
danger yet"
Worth tore of his coat. He uset
It as an extinguisher, beating at thu
blazing curtains of the windows. HI
was perspiring, singed, his face ant
hands blackened as the advance fir
patrol came to the spot. Some on
asked his name. He saw the blaz
under control, and, pretty we'll Ell
the street.
Worth did not return to the Office a
once. He went to his room to tidy w
There he made a discovery tina
thrilled him. The envelope was gon
from his coat pocket He hastene
back to the hotel. With eager deligh
he left 1t again, for he found the er
velope where it had switched out O
his coat. He started for the Office
glanced within the envelope. an
found it-empty!
Some one has distracted It fror
the envelope" he unused desperately
Il dare not make any move toward
Its recovery without exposing my ow
wicked foolhardiness!
Worth placed the empty envelop
back in Its place in the vault. Tha
evening he planned what he would dc
BY saving and skimping he might pu
aside $500 by the next interest date
He could sell some jewelry he had
His name got in the paper a. tn
Hero Of the hotel fire. It made Ad,
Mason, his hancee. very proud of him
but her Joy was dampened by 4 grea
change In the man she was to marry
He called upon her less frequently
He no longer planned Of how the.
would furnish the little nat they ha'
discussed so comfortingly In the past
Vainly Ada tried to learn wha
trouble he was brooding over.
Then at the end Of a month WORT
broke down one evening. He cor
fessed all to Ada. Never did q ter
der, loving heart move to rescue an
consolation as this dear little soul.
"Yes," she said. you must max
repatriation, and l must help YOU" an
her sister wondered at her now col
slant attention to fancy work
At the end of five months Wort
bad the exact amount needed to cove
bond value and interest II was
happy moment when he went to tn
vault to place the money in the Ell
yelope. It was gone! He went
the bookkeeper, fearing some ne
complication In the case.
"The Parr envelope?" he tried
say carelessly.
"Oh, l threw It out yesterday" WI
the Indifferent explanation. Had 4
business there"
"Why-why-"
Mrs. Parr took her bond ava
nearly six months ago. ought
have removed the empty enveloI
then. Why, what ails you!"-ft
Worth had dashed from the room.
seemed as IL he must shout, laug
cry. pray. oh, the relief Of It! o.
the Joy of IL,