Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-02
CHAPTER III.

deprecating the necessity OF the testi-
mony in spite OF the circumstances that
had built a wall Of horror and hatred
between the erstwhile girl friends.
NO" she continued. after an instsnts
pause. carefully choosing her words.
That was just It. MY brother had not
signed that check"
DO you mean" broke in the Judge.
that the check was forged7'
Yes"
How do you know THAR"
"a detective sent by the bank came
to the Page homo while 1 was there and
told Mrs Page and Mary and me. Mary
didn't believe It at first, but at any rate
she said she didn't know where her
father was, though we both guessed he
he-was In the bar of the hotel. He was
mostly there. When the detective had
gone Mary wanted 20 go and warn Mr.
Page, but thought II would be better
to go to David; and we did. He was
Mortified when he found out that IL was
Marys father who had cashed the check
because. not knowing, he had already
told the police to prosecute the man to
the limit Mary cried and begged him
| TO do something to save her father, and
David said. III save him for your sake
Mary, If you will promise to do some
thing for me in return. ="
Did he say what that something was7'
mo. She didn't even ask. She Just
said she would do anything in the world
he wanted II he would save her father.
So he went with us to the hotel and we
got there just in time to save Mr.. Page
from arrest
How did you save him. as you call
IT,"
David told the detective that he had
forgotten about giving the check to Mfr.
Page and thai 1t was perfectly good"
And Miss Page was naturally grateful
to your brother for his having saved her
father7" prompted the district attorney,
as Ruth broke off. not knowing how to
go on.
Grateful? Yes. she-she promised to
marry him"
How soon were you told of the en-
gagement?"
''Well." a faint little wrath OF a smile
crossed her lips, II had guessed what II
was that my brother would ask Mary.
and then heard her tell Mr.. Langdon."
Was Mr.. Langdon at the house at that
timer"
mo. he came while was sitting talking
to Mrs. Page. Mary and David were In
the next room, so 1 went to let Mr.. Lang
don in. He stopped at the gate. looking
at my brothers automobile, and walked
down the path to meet him. While we
: were coming back toward the porch the
others came to the door. Suddenly David
! caught Mary UP in his arms and kissed
her. She seemed to struggle against him
and. slipping away, ran into the house
: Mr.. Langdon, thinking that my brother
had kissed Mary against her will, rushed
at him and threatened to strike him."
''Your honor!" 1t was Langdon's voice,
suddenly harsh and strained. Il protest
against the evidence as entirely irrelevant
and leading up to nothing that has a
; bearing upon the case at present"
The court cannot sustain your objeO-
ton" said the judge, CURLY. ut is very
, |, unfortunate for you. Mr. Langdon. but
4 whatever brings out the details OF the
relationship between Mary Page and
l David Pollock is decidedly relevant"
The district attorney smiled in tri
umph. lie turned to Ruth. who looked
startled at the interruption, and said
gentlyi
u you were saying. Miss Pollock, tina
Mr.. Langdon theatened your brother
Was there a fight?'
mo. Mary ran between them and salt
that David had a right to kiss her, tina
-that-they were engaged"
What did Mr.. Langdon say then?"
'He didn't say anything. lie Jus
!, turned around and walked away, AM
d Mary began to cry
. 'was the engagement of your brothe
e and Miss Page made publicT'
. Yes. At a dance"
n did your brother and his finances
n seem happy on that occasion2"
e mo" Her voice was scarcely NOR
\ than a whisper now and her eyes
8 troubled and sad, Travelled from Mary
bent head to the fraIl little mother VIII,
was sobbing so quietly. yet despairingly
behind her lowered veil. "No-I-In fact
I know they were not"
Ibid they tell you so1''
mo, but overheard. Twas hldinI
in the conservatory
. With a smothered gasp of surpris,
: Mary's head came up suddenly and 10
the first time the eyes of the two girl
. met; but now ii was Mary's that wer'
accusatory and Ruths that were troub
, led and II was in answer TO that re
proach, rather than the startled lool
on the prosecutors face, that made Rutl
add shyly: 1T was all just In funl
had promised a dance to Mr.. Brandon
but had told him that II he coult
find me before the music was hal
over, 1 would give him two more. for
had discovered a nook behind the palmI
which was sure no one else could find.
She stammered over the girlish con
fession. a tide OF crimson dyeing he
pale cheeks.
while 1 was hidden there. Mary and
Mr.. Langdon. who had been dancing
together, came into the conservatory
II-I-didn't move. because felt I should
look so silly. hiding like a kid behind
the palms. and thought they would
soon go away. But-they didn't"
, did Miss Page say anything about
her engagement
They were talking about II as they
came in. and the first thing heard
was. I have given my word. Philip. and