The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-06

On this particular day, Mr..
| sat in his private office long after the
our for closing, aimlessly lingering
the telegram he had received from his
son. but intently considering the days
report from Adam Carr. 1t was begin
ming to enter his mind that Carr was
not competent to handle a case so BAR
fling as this appeared to be. He was
wondering If 1t would not be a wise
move to dismiss him n employ a
Boston man who, it appears, had caught
a very clever defaulter after chasing
him for three years. But as Horace
was a prompt man in everything, he
was bound to admit that he was aVerse
to hiring a man who was SO slow as all
that. He had talked 1t over with the
cashier and three of the directors, and
they had advised hiring the Boston
man. hat was another reason why
he ~hesitated.
Carr's report for the day brought
nothing new to his impatient mind. The
eX-teller was behaving in a most
circumspect name There was no evl.
dence that he gambled, specialized, or
kept a woman in New York. PaySon
la not visited New York in two years
so far as Adam Carr could learn, and
Horace vas forced to admit that II he
la a paramour at all, she must be in
New York. She couldn't be in Cor
NTH.
The telephone on his desk rang. He
put the receiver to his ear with me-
~chanical precision and said: Yes"
The voice that came out of the little
black tube was so lou and vibrant that
his eyelids twitched with pain; he held
the receiver a little farther away 1t al
ways annoyed him to have anyone
shout in his ear. A look of surprise
followed Immediately. Eric Midthorne
was speaking.
Yes. I am still here" replied Mr..
! Dlo rl.. VIII l. ;Aopy T 1:.LS-aJ
for a moment to the strident, excited
voice and then cut in with the curt re-
mark: 1T isn't necessary to shout. L
can hear you. Yes, l will wait
here if it is important. But don't be
long about it. Come up If VOL must
see me-"
Three minutes later Eric burst into
the room without so much as a tap on
the mahogany door.
Dear me. Eric, is this the way to
enter a room?" demanded Horace, in
that mild o Of reproof that never
failed to hurt more than a sharp repri-
mand.
Eric's face was as white as chalk. He
came directly to the desk, but many
seconds elapsed before he could force
words through his twisted lips. Horace
stared at the boys convulsed face in
actual surprise.
Uncle Horace began Eric hoarse-
y A. lld OOh LIE
prize. Do you know that? It was my
drawing. I have just seen It,"
Mr.. Blagden's brow darkened; his
grey eyes narrowed and seemed to turn
black as coal.
What are you saying?" he demand
ed.
Eric struck the desk a violent blow
with his clenched fist. His eyes shot
fire.
1T was my drawing! Chetwynd stole
it,"
Horace opened his eyes very wide.
A look that no one had ever seen in
them before grew as he stared. with
parted lips. at him who uttered those
awful words. He closed his lips sudden
ly to hold back the gush Of Ice water
that seemed to fill his mouth. He swal-
lowed, and the chill spread through
out his body. He did not realize it at
the moment, but afterwards he was to
touch of a blighting fear from which
he was never afterwards to be free:
the fear of Chetwynd.
In an instant, he was himself again.
a bit greyer than before perhaps, but
quite as austere.
What do you mean sir, by striking
my table in tina manner? TRY to gov
ern y%oursel. sir, or leave the room" He
chose to resent the boys actions, rath-
er than his words. Afterwards, in an
alysing his emotions, he came to &C
knowledge a shameful weakness in
shrinking from the real attack.
II swear. Uncle Horace, so help me
God, that the drawing SEN in by. Chef
wynd is the one 1 made. I have never
seen the one that bears my name. I
never drew it. Oh, 1t was a dirty trickl
1t was f1endish! Uncle, you've Just got
to s~traighten 1t out. He took my draw
ing. 1 don't kno how or when, but it
1 1st ~ fla ar, 1t-L
at the library"
Tears Of rage and despair filled his
eyes.
Mr.. Blagden had himself well in hand
by this time.
You are making a very serious
said levelly. 81 cannot permit Won 10
go on in this way. You"
But it is true!" cried Eric wildly.
IT swear it's true!"
DO not interrupt me. Why should
l believe what you say? How could
Chetwynd have come into possession
OF your drawing? You kept it under
lock ana Key; you presented it to the
committee with your own hands, did
you not? o would hardly 20 SO far
as to accuse the honorable Judges Of
substituting one drawing for the other.
OF placing my sons name on your work
y him to do so, IL 1t could
have gone that far"
But 1t Is my drawing and it has his
name on it. It wasn't there when /
submitted the design to Mr.. Porter. the
librarian
DO you consider this a sportsman
! manner in which to take defeat? ?,
demanded Horace s~neeringly.
Il don't consider 1t a defeat. Uncle
Horace said Eric deliberately. my
draWing won the prize"
MI, Blagden's stern gaze wavered
IF you placed your drawing in Mr..
Porter's hands, then what, may / ask,
inspires you to make this deliberate
charge against my SON.? 1t isn't likely
he could have wished his name to ap-
pear upon 1t. to have it appear there
Aladdin" =
II can understand It any more thar
you, SIR, put It is true, just the same
that no one touched the drawings.'
Then. Will o be good enough tc
teiiSme how Chetwynd could have done
this thing you cus him Of doing p
demanded Mr.. Blagden sternly.
~ think ~ wo0 HN~n h1fo-. r-..I-2,.