The Washington times., 1915-12-24
(Continued from Yesterday

(('OnttnOeO from
Mr. George Grant had come late to his
office that morning. He was In the sort
~ humor that makes poisonous snake
bite itself and die.
He was loud in his denunciauons OF
tho police who had thus far found no
clue to the veiled thief. He was Veh-
omouslv sarcastic at the stupldlty
of Saals for having let the woman into
his private office. and at his chaul-
furs idiocy for not realizing that the
penciled scrawi on the car, was a FOR
gerry. lie was even contemptuous at the
thief herself for merely stealing the
prommissory notes. etc. and for leaving
untouched a fat roll of money in big
denomination bills. that had been In
the front of one of the desk drawers.
There was but cone CLEAN of comfort
in Grants sour heart this bright morn
ing. And that was his belief that the
men whose names were signed to the
missing documents would not know
of the theft. He figured that they
would 20 on. as usual. paying the
liza rd- -wrung instalments on their notes:
ignorant that these notes were no
longer in existence and that the debtors
themselves were now legally free from
their tyrant
True. the morning newspapers had
told of the theft. But Grant was GER
thinking his own particular note was
not amonp those stolen.
The task of bluffing these poor dclin-
ruents promised TO be absurdly easy.
1t would be. a refreshing bit of mental
standardization the sma shing losses
o. the past twentv-feur hours-to bully
into subieCtion anv of his bondslaves
who might dare to presume on the rob-
hnrv
lie pictured. mentally. tho visit Of
IL. 1T ~fF rIn,. N,,I. 4 10
huoycd up bv the mad hope that their
own notes were among those stolen.
They would Comc-oh. so eagery-to
learn II their homes were we'll founded
.And then il would be bliss for tho tenn
l"r-twistcd Grant to assure them that
the whole story was n fake and that
the letters were welded as firm as
,ycr.
And presently. as he sat morhidIy
s'oatine over such scenes. Grants first
in to him. Joseph Brown had called,
hccGinE for word alone with him.
Grant smiled happily. Brown was a
dnN-lahorcr, to whom he had lent money
whom IN" borrower was out of work
and had sick child.
And. ever since. tho workman had
lecn kept hustinG to meet the interest
~ the loan. There was no chanc?
for SO pOOU a man to payt the Drin-
"iral. 'rhc interest-10 per cent week
wns as much MS he could Scrape to-
rethcr. Trown and others Of his type
vrro George Grants chief sources OF
"Tall him to come in." said Grant,
ll"c fully. as Tho caller was announced.
IIc settled back in his desk-cha'r.
: ,"naantlY anticipating the fun "t
lrowhcatirG the man into submission,
i!rown came into the inner office. clad
in his working clothes. Generally on
such visits. he paused at the threShold
nnd mccklY waited his masters leave
rJ
Eut today n" walked confidently up
- Grant. his tarned fac" one broad
{ i'm. without troubling to say GOOD
morning" he handed Grant a folded
'"rhnt's. ali" he remarked. "Bye-bvc,
YOU slimv old money -snider. I'm ont
~ your dirty ret--for krer"
He turned and swat:gered out Ht IN.
could so much as swear at him. The
loan -hroIcr iumred to his feet e
follow and fale him back. But as he
started for the door his an--ry glance
handed him. lie opened and read 1t
Then he sat down, very hard, anC
read It all over aGain-ChOEinG and
rurglinC in hclnloss wrath. The let
Ter was tyrcwlitten and very brief
Mr.. Losenh Rrown: Tive notes whicr
vur gave Gcor~e Grpnt Cor loan al
outrageous INTEREST rates have beer
destrcyed. Therefore. your debt Is
cancelled
One who PitiCS the Poor
Grant was Stil raging. wOrdlessl,
when Saals came in to announce on
Tohn Peterson. an elderly. st"op "h"ul'
tered man. who entered on the heels OF
his announcer
Mr. Grant" said the old man. oH,"r
ing the loan broker a letter. This
..rme bv tho morning mail. ] thought
u vas only fair to show II 10 YOU
Grant his owes blurred with turT, wa
horely ahIa to note that this letter was
u tvpewrlttCn duplicate of Browns.
"It's--It's lie'" h" stormed -
rick have your notes safe in m!
hcsk here"
Yes" politely returned Peterson
"Then perhaps YOU would not mnt
showing them to mo"
"Vou'U sec them in court fast enough,
ragged Grant. ~ YOU Try to welch oI
yonr debt 10 me
81 will take that chance. Mr.. Grant,
rcpl!ed the old man, turning TO 80
II believe this letter is genuine. Ma!
Cod, in His infinite mercy. bless who
ever wrote it,
YOU crook" snapped Grant. "ar'
Nou dishonest enough to take advan
taco Of an accidcSt like this, TO dodG'
payment on vOur lust debts"
"Not on NJ .ns' debts Mr. Grant,
w. tho ,'"..f ] nav" NN'N
81 + - w shall 60"