The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1915-12-24
continued from Yesterday

Mr. George Grant had come late to his
office that morning. He was In the SOFT
Of humor that makes a poisonous snake
bite itself and die.
He was loud in his denunciations OF
tho police who had thus far FOUND no
clue to the yelled thief. He was ven
omouslv sarcastic at the STUPIDITY
of Saals for having let the woman into
his private office. and at his chaut-
fur's idiocy for not realizing that the
penciled scrawl on the car, was 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 Dig
denomination bills. that had been in
the frontIof one of the desk drawers.
There was but zone 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
hard-wrunE installments 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
tain he could bluff each debtor into
not among those stolen.
The task, of bluffinR these poor delin-
Cuents promised 70 be absurdly easy.
1T would be. refreshing bit of mental
stimulant-after the smashing losses
Of the past twentv-fOur hours-to bully
into subsection anv of his bondslaves
who might dare to presume on the rob-
berV.
lie pictured, mentally, tho visit of
such men TO his office. They would be
49, 49, Nl,,A hot,
own notes were among those stolen.
They would come-oh. so eagerly-to
learn II their hopes were we'll founded.
And then il would be bliss for the tenn
per-twisted Grant to assure them that
the whole story was n fake and that
the letters were welded as firm as
ever.
And presently, as he sat morbidly
gloating over such scenes, Grants first
opportunity came. A name was brought
in TO him: Joseph Brown had called,
besging for word alone with him.
Grant smiled happily. Brown was a
day-laborcr, to whom he had lent money
whom tho borrower was out of work
And. ever since, the workman had
reen kept hustlinS to meet the interest
of the loan. There was no chance
for so nooT man to payt the prin-
WINS as much as he could scrape to-
gether. Brown and others Of his type
we're George Grants ch!er sources OF
"TalI him tn come in" said Grant
EleeGullv. as the caller was announced,
He settled hack in his desk-cha'r,
!l"asartly anticpating the fun .,o ct
hrOwbeatinE the man into submission
Brown came into the inner office; clad
in his working clothes. Generally or
such visits. he paused at the threshold
and meelSly waited his masters leave
TO advance toward the desk.
But today he walked confidently uI
t. Grant, his tanned face one broad
grin. without troubling to say G2oC
morning" he handed Grant foldeo
letter. Then:
That's. ali" he remarked. "Bye-byc
you slimv old money -sDider. I'm ouI
0f your dirty ret--for keeps.
He turned and swaEgered out or th'
room before the astounded Gran
could so mucl, as swear at him. Th'
loan broker jumped to his feet I;
follow and hale him back. But as ht
started for the door his an.cry glance
fell on the folded letter Brown hat
handed him. lie opened and read 1t
Then he sat down, very hard, apC
read II all over again-choling anC
FurGlinE in helpless wrath. The let
ter was typewriter and very brief
Mr.. Joseph Brown: The notes which
VOu gave George Grant FOR a loan a
outrageous interest rates have beef
destroyed. Therefore. your debt +
One Who Pities the Poor
Grant was still raging, wordlessl
when Saals came in to announce on
John Peterson, an elderly. stoop shout
dered man. who entered on the heels o
his announcer.
ing the loan broker a letter. "'Thi
came by the morning mail. ] though
II vas only fair to show II 10 YOU"
Grant his ewes blurred with fury, wa
barely able to note that this letter wa
n tvpewritten duplicate of Browns.
"It's-lt's a lie!" he stormed 81
trick / have your notes safe in M
desk here"
''Yes?" politely returned Peterson
Then perhaps YOU would not MINI
showing them to me-"
you'll see them in court fast enough
ragged Grant "If you try to WEIGH o.
yonr debt 10 me-
''I will take that chance, Mr.. Grant
replied the old man, turning TO go
II believe this letter is genuine. Me
Cod. in His infinite mercy. bless VINO
You crook snapped Grant. FAR
YOU dishonest enough to take advan
taCe OF an accideRt like this, TO dodg
pa vment on Your lust debts?"
"Not on NV inst debts. Mr., Grant
was tho CViot "T~-'er Il have Away
3rirG 20 nv ~. Woe ' shall cor
t0'u'V ssh' 80 '''. H'e0nS =