The Lamar register., 1915-02-24
The EMPTY ENVELOPE
BY EVELYN LEE.

To help iriend-and no one VIII
ever know. Long before next interest
day the bond will be back in place"
Iryce Worth whispered the worda
TO himself. His worried face. his
quickened breath told Of unusual men
tai stress.
It. was in the brokers' office where
Worth was employed that he stood
wrc sitting 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 Purr"-he knew the
labeled manila envelope well. knew
that 1t contained one $500 bond, Rex
Construction gold 6.
It was a somewhat out-of.the-way
trust. Their client struggling
widow, had purchased the bond. Fol-
safe keeping. she had always left II
with the office. Twice a year she han
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 q
person who did not deserve 1t, Worth
made his first misstep.
His plan was to take the distracted
bond to a money lender he knew. Dor
row $500 on ii. and when this was
paid of 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 we're getting ablaze.
He tore down the fire-kindled curtains
at the door. Then he shouted TO a
group OF terrified women huddled near
one OF the windows:
Get out into the hall. There is no
danger yet"
Worth tore on his coat He used
II as an extlnguisher. beating at the
blazing curtains of the windows. He
was perspiring. slnged. his face and
hands blackened as the advance fire
patrol came to the spot. Some one
asked his name He saw the blaze
under control. and, pretty well ex'
cited and exhausted. passed down to
the street.
Worth did not return to the office at
once. He went to his room to tidy up.
There he made discovery that
thrilled him. The envelope was gone
from his coat pocket. He hastened
back to the hotel. With eager delight
he left It again. for he found the en-
yelope where 1t had switched out OF
his coat He started for the office,
glanced within the envelope. and
found it-empty!
Some one has distracted It from
the envelope" he unused desperately.
Il dare not make any move towards
Its recovery without exposing my own
wicked foolhardinessi"
Worth placed the empty envelope
back in its place in the vault That
evening he planned what he would do.
BY saving and skimping he might put
aside $500 by the next interest date.
He could sell some jewelry he had.
His name got in the paper as the
hero OF the hotel fire. It made Ada
Mason. his fiancee. TS-y proud of him.