The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-08-01

volume. Imbrie was paying $40 a
week, and the hundred which he had
borrowed originally had swollen to
three hundred.
He had not dared let Dolly know,
and though she had looked surprised
at the diminishing returns each pay
day, Imbrie had invented heap of
excuses. However, the crisis was al
most At hand.
Then. few days before, a little,
dark-haired man, who looked like a
cross between a Chinaman and q
Portuguese, had accosted him as they
we're leaving the street car together.
He seemed to know Imbrie very we'll
and had drawn him aside and made a
proposition which made the pulses
throb in Imbrie's cheeks.
ut will be nothing dishonorable,"
he said. 1T is only what everybody
does. Think, my friend. is it reason
able that your government should in
trust its secrets to man whom it
pays beggarly s110 month";"
But don't know anything about
It," faltered Imbrie.
Il shall see that you know. Think
again. A mans work-a big mans
work on an Office boys pay. Besides,
II Is not as II you were betraying any
thing. My government knows all
about this Chinese treaty, but It re-
quires its suspicious to be confirmed.
You will confirm them. but you will
betvay nothing"
II tell yoC-" Imbrie began.
Tn proof Of what say have ar
ranged that the treaty be placed in
your hands for copying tomorrow. And
your money difficulties will b, at an
end. Look at this-come under the
lamp and look!"
He counted ont 80 hupdred-dollar
bills and placed them in fmbrie's
hands. fmbrie's hands. clutching fe-
verishly at them, trembled. =.
You see, you are dealing with gen.
tlemen who trust you" the stranger
continued. And IL you prove false
which is impossible-we shall know
how to punish you. Also, we shall
know II 1t is the genuine treaty you
bring u.s."
Before Imbrie had quite understood
the gist Of the proposition the little
man was gone, leaving him to his
soliloQutes, his bribe and Dolly's anx-
ious face.
II was ip the sleepy part Of the day
fhA fO1fnwryfpx Oh hot A~ AZ
Official entered and looked about the
room
Here, Mr. Imbrie," he said, laying
down closely typewriter paper be-
fore him. Copy this, will you? It's
rather confidential and we must have
some more copies. Make a couple OF
carbons and don't let anyone see.
Bring them to me when you have fin
ished."
1mbrie stared at the paper. 1t was
the secret treaty with China which
the Japanese government would have
sold its soul to obtain.
Imbrie made an extra carbon copy
and slipped 1t into his pocket He
took the remainder in to the high
Official. and, side by side, they COM
pared the copy with the original.
1mbrie went home in q daze.
Dolly and he had long talked of
what they would do If ever, by some
miracle, $4,000 were to come to them.
They had envisaged a pretty little
farm in Virginia, with roses growing
UP the walls, a horse and buggy and
fields Of corn and peach trees. And
now all this seemed about to come
to pass.
AS he stepped of the car the little
Japanese came up to him. Silently
Imbrie slipped the carbon copy into
the mans hand and left him.
A month passed. Imbrie had told
Dolly that his uncle had died and left
him that $4,000 which they had al
ways talked about and never hoped
for. Dolly was delighted. The color
came back into her cheeks. She was
happy. But in Imbrie's heart was the
burning shame of betrayal
1t was three months before he sent
in his resignation. He wanted to al
lay suspicion. He expected to be
watched. He had omitted to dis
charge his debt to the money lenders
for fear that he would come under
suspicion. 1t required all his courage
to send in notice.
Then, toward the end OF his last
month. he began to realize what his
treachery meant. He knew that, un-
der the nfflcial siIanca aomahndv ,uaa