The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-31
A BROKEN
PROMISE
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN


ut is a delicate matter for interfer-
ence. If you were not my chpm
would not expose myself to such
thankless job As it is, am going to
incur your enmity in the hope of saw
ing you"
"Were you not my friend, instead of
asking you to proceed l would send
you sprawling for an imputation
against lovely woman"
every well; since must enter into
particulars, refer to Miss Wallace"
do you mean to accuse her Of any
thing evil?"
Not as you mean it,
'Then wherein is she at fault? Per- |
| haps you consider her an adventur- /
ess?"
"Not that, either"
"Then what do yon mean? Speak
before u
He raised his clinched fist
II make no imputation against Miss
Wallace except that she has a mania
for bringing men TO her feet &nl
throwing them over her shoulder
"And you consider that is what she
is trying to do with me?'
81 believe she is. though my belief
Is based on her record, and the evi
dence is circumstantial"
Explain
First, | know of several cases where
she has infatuated men and turned
them down; second, she has no Srtune,
and her life would be failure without
one You are unable to take care OF
her only in the most inexpensive way.
A lover is always doubter, and Wal
ter Crane was no exception to the rule.
Il will not trouble you for evidence
he said Il will put the case plainly
, to her N learn the truth. Should any
one malisn me to her that is the way
should expect her to meet the
charge"
His friend smiled incredulously.
"Shake that sardonic look and speak
what you feel like man.
"Should any one malign you to her
she would not take sufficient interest
in the matter to investigate"
!. every well, prove the charge you
: make against her.
"What charger
t THAT she is intending to throw me
: over her shoulder"
G "To prove that would be impossible. !"
"Then prove that she has treated
e others as you claim she will treat me.
v 'That can be done, but it would not
e. suffice. She would make you believe
d that YOU are the only one of the LOT
II to whom she has given her heart
lie Stanley. who was trying to save bis
)r friend, Thought for few moments
~ then said:
ly II am in position to give you the
er best of proof in one case. | will bring
r. you letter from the sister OF one O
the victims of this woman you love
20 victim whom she drove to PUT
I'd bullet in his brain. The letter vii
TO state what | assert. Then | will TAXI
" Won to the grave Of that victim, ant
he there you shall renouncc this siren
,e promising me that you will never SCI
re her again"
20 There was a long silence. which wa
co broken by Crane, who seized hi
ho friends hand and pressed it ferventiy
va He was under too great strain t
Mt speak.
80 "Yon agrcc?" asked Stanley.
n Crane nodded affirmatively.
Within a couple of days the prom
ised statement was produced. 1t rea'
n simply:
~ Isabel Wallace infatuated my broth
' uu or. and when he proposed to her sh
iio laughed at him. month later n
~. committed suicide. We gave out ina
=, he had accidentally shot himself whll
GU preparing for Il hunting trip.
Walter Crane turned pale as he rea'
en- tho statement Handing it back {
~ stanley. he said. II am ready to pei
e' form nv part of the agreement.
'uS Stonlev had come i'm an auto. and IN
two went out. and. entering IL. III
chauffeur was told to drive TO III
-. Ncadowland cemetery At the gat
~ thcy incurred for the location of tn
rravn of Arthur stanton drove 10 Il
-, oIi,rhted and entered the lot Iher'
standing beside the grave. Gran
IN promised his friend that he would heN
GRO or see the siren again
IA emo week from that day Crane wen
his TO stanley and after confessins Una
A. ne Lad broken his promise.s said Una
he. Miss Wallace had explained the ma
No for Of the suicide to his entire satlS
a faction. She had nothing whatever
ger do with it.
ed Stanley looked at his trlehu
ew ama2emcnt. but made no reply
"You think I'm weak" said crane
the "As for you. know that you re III
ia hest friend ever had; that you nav
sed tried to save me from what you col
err slider misfortune. There's Stor
pa within a story about this suicide nus
My ness. If | could tell it to you you
ass see how unjust is the statement
'ul- tbis lady who wrote the letter-indee'
ing how abominably she treated
zen "Hold on. Walters" said stanle'
OF "The lady who wrote that letter Is III
ar fiancee. Were she not she would ne
out have given it to me-" =,