The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-10-10

"You remember. told you I found
the kitten In the deserted house and
brought 1t home for Mrs. Quinlan to
take care Of? Well. she never lights
the gas until the very last minute,
and late this afternoon, about half an
! hour ago, was stumbling along the
second.hoor hallway to my room in
the dark, when stepped on the kit.
ten. It yelled like mad, and Emily
heard 1t from her room above Forget
ting caution and everything else, she
opened the door and called 1t!
''Of course, when heard her voice,
was upstairs two steps at time,
with the cat under my arm clawing
like vixen. She was perfectly freez-
ing at first-not the cat; it's he;
mean Emily. But after explained
that when I'd gotten to care for her
only tried to help her, she-oh, well,
I'm going to let her tell you herself,
II you're willing. sir! I'll bring them
both down to you now, II you say so,
she and her father. Jimmy Brunells
more than anxious to see you; he
wants to make a clean breast Of the
whole affair-tell all he knows about
the case: and / think what he's got
to say will astonish you and finish the
whole thing--crack that nut you were
talking to me about this afternoon,
provide the link in the chain, the
crevice in the crime cube! May I
bring them?"
Blaine acquiesced, and after issuing
his orders to the subordinates about
him, waited in fever of Impotence
which he could scarcely control, and
which, had he stopped to think of It.,
would have astounded him beyond
measure. That he-who had daily, al
most hourly, awaited unmoved the ap-
pearance of men famous and Infamous,
illustrious and obscure, should so agi.
tatedly view the coming Of this old Of
fender, was incomprehensible.
Yet although he had really learned
little that was conclusive from Guys
somewhat incoherent account, he felt
in common with his young operative,
that the crux Of the matter lay here,
to his hand. that from the lips Of this
old ex.convict would fall the magic
word which would open to him the In.
ner door of this mystery OF mysteries
which would prove, as the golden
key Of truth, absolute and unassailable.
After what seemed an incredibly
long period of suspense. the door OPEN
ed and Marsh ushered them MINOR.
row. his face wreathed in triumph and
smiles; hrown.haired. serene-eyed
girl whom Blaine remembered from
from his memorable interview with
her at the Anita Lawton Club; and a
tall, grizzled, smooth-shaven man. who
held himself proudly erect. as II the
weight Of years had fallen from his
shoulders.
Yes, sir, I'm Brunell." the latter
announced. when the incidental salu.
tations were over. Jimmy Brunell
the forger. I've lived straight, and
tried to keep the truth from my little
Girl, for her own sake, but perhaps IT
Is better as it is She knows every
thing now, and has forgiven much, be-
cause she's a woman like her mother,
God bless her! I've come OF my own
free will to tell you all you want TO
know. and prove It, tool"
"Sit down, all of you. Brunell, you
forged the signature to the mortgage
ON Pennington Lawton's home at Pad
dington's instigation?"
eyes. sir. And the signature on the
note given for the loan from Moore,
and the whole letter supposed to'@oe
from Mr.. Lawton to Mallowe. asking
him tn procure that loan for him, and
all the other crooked business which
helped sweep Mr.. Lawton's fortune
away But I didn't understand how big
the Job was. nor just what they were
trying to put over, or wouldn't have
done it. wish to heaven l hadn't,
now. but It's too late for that; | can
only do what's left me to help repair
the damage. wish I'd taken the con-
SEQUENCES Paddington threatened me
with. through Charley Pennold-curse
them both!
"For It wasn't because Of the money
I did 1t. sir, although what they offered
me was a small fortune. and would
have been a mighty hard temptation III
the old DAYS. It was because II | re-
fused they were going to strike at me
through my little girl, the one thing
on earth I've got left to love! They
were going to have me sent up on an
old score which no one else even had
suspected I'd been mixed up In. did
MT know-until just now when this
young friend here. Mr. Morrow, told
me-that it had been outlawed long
years ago, and can see that they
counted on my not knowing. How they
found out about 1t, anyway, is mys-
terry to me, but that Paddington Is the
devil himself! However, II didn't do
the trick for them. they'd have me con-
yicted, and once out Of the way. my
little girl would be helpless in their
hands. They talked OF sweatshops,
and worse"
The old man broke down. and shud-
dering, covered his face with his thin
fingers. But IN Q moment, before the