The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1915-11-27

Africa, and whose past life has! been
but series of vivid brutality, is the
executor of the estate of his one time
general manager, Mr.. Harris.
Harris daughter, Emma, because of
her marriage to Joe Brooks, clerk
in the Office of Capt. Williams steam
ship company, incurs the enmity of
her father, and is cut off in his will;
Jimsy Smith, dock superintendent for
Captain Williams, although rival of
Joe Brooks for the hand of Emma,
still remains an intimate friend of
both Emma and Joe and is a frequent
caller at the Brooks home
Captain Williams, with the marked
brutality of his past life, designs to
rid Emma of Joe that he may accom-
plish his own desires, and consequent
ly is most oppressive in his treatment
of Joe.
Joe became socialistic in his ideas
and whines because of Jimsy's better
position and the lack of proper wage
which he believes the captain is hold
ing from him. The captain calls on
Emma frequently at her humble Har-
lem home and forces his attentions
with invitations to dinner and auto
rides. During one of the captains
visits Joe returns to hear the captain
remark that it is a shame that Emma
has to be without a maids help, and
in a strong scene denounces the cap
tain for underpaying him and depriv-
ing him of his just earnings. The
captain, keen upon his desire to OPP
press Joe and eventually win Emma
for himself, forgives Joe's outburst of
rage and denunciation, and assures
Emma that Joe will continue in his
employ.
Joe, as part of the captains plot, is
promoted to the position of collector
for the company. His downward path
begins with the theft of money that
he may take his wife to the theater.
He becomes speculative from then on;
plays the races, CANDLES, in other
ways and continues his misappropria-
ton of collections that he may give
his wife happiness such as Jimsy or
Captain Williams might offer her.
Captain Williams, watching the de
velopment of the lowly plot he has
planned, decides upon a trip to Guate-
mala with Jimsy, that Joe may have
free rein to seal his own fate. He en-
cages detectives to watch Joe and Sc
cure evidence for his conviction.
Joe explains to Emma that his sala-
ry has been raised, and the Harlem
fat is forsaken for an apartment amid
better surroundings. He continues his
misrepresentation, endeavoring to re-
place what has been taken, but only
gets in deeper. 3-g
Captain Williams and Jimsy return
unexpectedly from their trip, and Jim.
sly calls at the Brooks home. Alone
with Joe he tells him that Captain
Williams knows all, and Joe, in des-
peration, tells Emma that he has been
stealing the money to buy her happi-
ness and pleads for her forgiveness
and help. Captain Williams calls and
sarcastically reminds Joe that he will
see him at the Office in the morning.
With every means of escape blocked,
with disgrace and a prison sentence
imminent, Joe covers under his reali-
cation and begs and pleads with his
wife to go to Captain Williams that
might and square his Indebtedness "the
way other women have squared things
for their husbands" Emma shrinks
from him in horror, but finally agrees,
and after telephoning Williams, leaves
on her mission.
Jimsy, hearing of her coming, and
still loving Emma, warns the captain
that "she must be smiling when | re-
turn" and leaves that she may be
spared the humiliation of meeting
with him.
The captains great love for Emma
conquers his brutal desires, and with
an appreciation at last that "decency
is the right thing after ALL" because
of hi swholesome regard for Emma
and her future happiness he signs the
release of Joe's Indebtedness.
Emma returns to Joe with her mis-
sion completed and with his misap-
preparation of $16,S5O paid in full.
She spu1ns Joe's further attentions
and leaves his house, Joe wanders
the path of the guilty and Emma Sc
cures her divorce. Her future happi-
ness finds a haven in the arms of jim
sy Smith, to whom she pledges her
love-Adv.