The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-01-08

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my loan Of fty-plus interest at the
ratc-per week. Total payment due
9t5--siened Jos. 0ro-
Mary puzzled over the fragment In
stark pcrplcxity. To her. II meant
nothing And she could not under.
stand how her darling should have
happened to possess such a thing or
why she had tried tc burn II. But az
she placed the morning newspaper OF
the table. for June, a few minutes
later. the old woman's gaze fell on
these staring headlines:
YELLED WOMAN IN Black
ROSS LOAN BROKER GRANT
Notes Of Clients, Owing Money, Are
Missine-rhief "eorrows" VIC
Tins Auto and Escapes.
Mary let the newspaper fail 10 the
floor from her inert hand. Again she
examined the charred note. And 10
she knew what It was.
MIR. George Grant had come late 10
his Office that morning He vas In the
sort OF humor that makes u poisonous
snake bite itself and die.
There was but one gl.am Of comfort
In Grants sour heart this bright morn.
ing. Ard that was his belief that the
men whose names were signed to the
missing documents would not know OF
tho theft.
The lash OF bluffng these poor delin.
quents promised to he absurdly easy.
And presently. ns he sat morbidly
g.oating over such scenes. Grants first
opportunity amt A name was brought
in TO him. Joseph Brown had called.
begging for a word alone with him.
Grant smiled happily.
Tell him to come In" said Grant.
glecfully. as the caller was announced
Brown came into the inner office. clad
in his working clothes. Generally on
such visits. he paused at the threshold
and mcekly waited his masters leave
to advance toward the desk.
But today he walked confidently up
to Grant, his tanned face M broad
grin Without troubling to say Good
morning" he handed Grant a folded
letter. Then:
"That's all he remarked. "Dye-byc.
you Shiny old money-spider. I'm out of
your dirty net-for keeps"
lie turned and s%waggcrcd N OF the
room before the astoundod Grant could
80 much as swear at him, The letter
was typewriter and very brief. It
ran:
Mir. Joseph Brown: The notes
which you gave George Grant for a
loan at outrageous interest rates have
been destroyed. Therefore. your debt
10 cancelled.
One Who Pities the Poor.
Grant was still raging. wordlcssly.
When Saals came In TO ono
John Peterson. an elderly. stoop shoul.
dered man. who entered or the heels
of his anr punccr.
"Nir. Grant said the old man, offer.
ing the loan broker a letter. This
came by the morning mail. | thought
IL was only fair to show II 20 you"
Grant. his eyes blurred with fury.
yas barely able TO note that this lot.
ter was n typewriter duplicate OF
Browns.
"It's-it's n lie!" he stormei Is
trick have your notes safe in my
desk here"
Il viii take that chance. Mr. Grant.
replied the old man. turning 10 go.
The loan broker lurchcd dizzily TO
his feet. Just then Saals intruded
again.
MIR. Grant" said the clerk. "iherc's
seven or eight more people In the out.
er Office: all OF them with type
written letters from"
Kick them OUT" howlcd Grant.
In Ave minutes, no was busting into
n downtown Office whose outer door
glass hore the legend:
MAX Lamar, crime specialist"
MIR. Lamar" began Grant az q n
az he could get his breath. That
yelled woman has cinched her theft
~ this-and this" slammihs tho
Brown and Peterson letters on the
desk in front Of Max. and by n lot
r1orc Of the same kind. Get her tor
me. Ge, her. To blazes with the cx
pense! Get herr"
June Travis emerged from her bed
room. heavy.eyed from sleeplessncss,
and. In pretty ncgligee. entered her
sitting room. Mary was standing
there. awaiting her. June, as she had
done since babyhood. won't over TO
kiss the old woman good morning.
Then. and only then. did she notice
that Mary made no move 10 meet her
"a she came forward that she did MOI
speak. and that her face was blank
with grief
why. Mary" cried the girl. what
f. Il? What's tho matter? Is moth.
err
Mary cut short the queries by
,hrusting forward the charred pronis-
sorry note.
This In the matter" she said grim
". "Dcarie. you mus, tell mo what II
means"
June stiiicd n little cry OF fear then
impulsively snatched the burnt paper
from the nurses hand and made az
though 10 hide II.
Tell me. dearie." murmured the old