Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-08

ANnA bAUuANA Oui u HNNNs nc Mea hA
the rage there then, and you had the
fever, as well as the women. You had
an autograph book--a singularly con-
yenient one Remember, Whitaker put
his signature on a page-perllously near
the bottom-remember7"
Marsden's breath was coming fast and
painfully.
And remember a month after that n
draft for $4,000 was cashed, signed by
Whitaker and although he swore he
never gave II, his name was attached,
and he had to admit the signature7'
1.-THE book was stolen" whispered
Marsden. You know who took It,"
oh, no; knew nothing about It. But
the book, with the missing page torn
out could easily have been identified as
your own You know that"
1T was never found"
"Oh. yes, II was found. II Ia In exist
once today. And the detectives are not
through with the case yet. l know
whore the book Is, Marsden."
But am innocent I did not use the
page"
But who would believe you? You
owned the book. You asked whitaker
to Sign his name. You said you wanted
him on page all by himself. lie neg.
lected to add a verse-he left the page
blank except for his name. You needed
money. You had money after the draft
My uncle gave me that"
who would believe It? Don't you
know, Fred Marsden, that the production
OF that book now, the fitting of the
page where 1t was torn out your name
on the cover, would be evidence difficult
TO refute?'
MY God. yes"
And you. Just starting out on your
career, in love with the most beautiful
girl in your set with the world before
you, would probably be sent to prison
would surely be sent to prison DO you
think Of tnat?'
You dare not You cannot"
II dare. can, and will II you do not
obey me- Listen. l know that you are
co-trustee with your uncle of Sylvia
Ford's fortune, and know from your
wild look toward the safe that some Of
II II there. 1 want money. l will have
money one way or another You have
the Investing Of the money You can
give me what you have here-you will
never be suspected. You will rise, you
will marry Sylvia and in time can make
1t good. You will not be harmed-no-
body will he harmed. on the other
hnnd-prison for four thousand Of Whit
takers good cash, disgrace and the loss
of Sylvia"
Take your CHOICE said Weston,
'coolly.
Thoughts that burned like molten lava
rushed through Marsden's brain. He
was no longer master Of himself. Like a
man in n dream he rose from his chair,
moved by the powerful will Of the other,
and crossed to the safe. Instlnctively
Weston turned the lights low. Marsden
moved like q man walking in his sleep
Dimly he was conscious OF his lifelong
innocence, but the words of Weston We're
ringing in his cars. And he loved Sylvia
as few men ever love.
He opened the safe. There lay a pile
of bank notes-notes he had drawn from
the bank that afternoon. He vaguely
wondered how Weston knew. There was
n dim recollection of seeing n man like
Weston in the bank when he drew tho
money
"There's n light" said a silvery voice
Fred must be waiting for us"
Weston was perplexed. He glanced
around. In the library was a large
screen. Nolseessly he slid behind that.
Marsden did not know. The realization
of what he had done had come upon
Marsden now and deprived him of rea-
son. How could he prove that he had
been threatened with a revolver? How
could he prove that he had not taken the
money himself? Who would believe that
Weston had walked in and then out again
with $4,000?
His brain whlrled. He was beside him
self
A beautiful girl In an opera cloak. with
n smile on her lips, tiptoed to the library
door to surprise the lover in whom she
had so much confidence She stood hor-
ror-stricken on the threshold,
Mnrsden sat with his head turned
away, with his right elbow resting on
the table, his hand raised, and her own
revolver pointed at his head.
She dared not startlc him. She saw
that he was medItating. There was but
a second to spare.
With the flight of a bird she sprang
to his side.
''Fredr she cried. and knocked down
the hand that held the weapon.
It exploded. There was a cry from
behind the screen. 1t fell toward them,
and the body of Weston, still with his
own revolver in his hand, but with n bull
let from Sylvias pistol in his heart,
plunged across the screen to the floor.
MY Godn' said Marsden, and then he
lost consciousness.
In Weston's pocket was found the al
bum from which Whittakers name had
been torn Marsdens explanations were
clear and convincing.
A month later he and Sylvia were mar
ried but she shudders when she recalls
that night and thinks what another mo-
ment of delay in reaching home would
have cost her.
Copyright. 1915)