Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-08
CHAPTER XIV,
Termination.


and member of the Hell-Cats.
CHAPTER XIV,
Temptation.
No one who knew Grace Coe could
doubt that she was really and truly
in earnest, SO It was all the more sing
ular that her father, though not mis-
Judging her character, should be o
confirmed skepdc as to the success
of her philanthropic schemes. Per-
haps the caution necessary In hand
ling and safeguarding large sums Of
money belonging to other people tends
to weaken bankers faith In human
nature. Perhaps Coe himself, In
earlier days, knew what 1t was to
be tempted. and had discovered in the
rough school of adversely that, al
though honesty may be the best policy
the man who acts on that principle
alone Is not swayed wholly by consid-
GRAFTON OF morality. However that
may be, Grace's settlement work was
regarded with the utmost disfayor by
the head OF the coe household.
Nor was the girl helped by the ac-
tons OF her brother, George, whose
folly, even more than his wilful ex-
travagance, plagued his father sorely.
In many ways the elder financier was
q man to be pitied. He was being
torn at on two sides. On the one
hand, the privacy of his home was In
vaded by the notoriety thrust upon
the family by the newspaper publicity
attached to he benevolent vagaries Of
his beautiful daughter; on the other.
hardly a day passed that his errant
son did not annoy him, either by
ht~~nue frnv,, tha .fJinn ar
by sighting those discreet and reput-
able members of society dear to the
hearts Of all bankers, or, worst Of
all, figuring actively in some lively
epdisode attributed to ."the fast set. :"
The Spirit OF Evil usually carries a
full culver, and more than one vicious
shaft lacerated Mr.. Henry Goes skin
on the unhappy day which com
mefced inauspiciously when he was
visited by his son soon after the bank
opened It's doors.
The young man entered his fathers
private room with a cheerful personal
inquiry which fell altogether short Of
its object
"well, dad he cried, affecting an
air OF boisterous good-humor, II hope
you're feeling fine an dandy this
morning? You ought to. Stocks seem
to- be goin' strong"
How nluch?" inquired the banker
dryly.
He suspected the motive OF this un-
usual solicitude for his well-being. AS
a rule. when these two met before
luncheon. young Goes manner was apt
to be somewhat sheep faced and apollo
getic. since he never knew what his
father might have learned about some
peculiarly wild escapade over night.
However, seeing there was no help
for II, George tackled the situation
with some show Of bravado.
III you put It that way. dad" he
said jauntiiy, II may az well own up
at once. I'm In Z bit Of q hole this
time. and want quite stack. II only
you will see me clear today I'll
promise"
II shall never again trust any
promise Of yours!" broke In his father.
"You need not trouble to give me de-
tails!' he went on, seeing that George
was nervously lingering thick pile
Of accounts. II have made up my
mind how to treat you In future. You
will receive monthly allowance.
Since you are under no living expenses
while you remain under my roof, and
are worse than useless In this Office,
! have decided to pay you $500 a
month to clear out Of the business.
This sum Is more than sufficient to
enable you to mix In the society which
approve Of. II will be credited to
your account ON the first OF each
month. Today. rs q final concession
will stake you with a months al
lowance In advance. No! Protests
are Of no avail. and IL you look toe
sulky warn you that the payments
may be reduced by one-half."
Young Coe was flabbergasted, but
had the sense to realize that his father
was talking in deadly earnest, for the
time being, at any rate. He waited
until his irate parent took $500 In
bills from bundle on the table: he
even contrived to mutter some words
Of thanks before leaving the room;
but-in his heart were gall and worm.
wood, since the sum given him wal
lust one-tenth Of the amount needed
to extricate him from what no called
- devilish unpleasant sort of hole
Nevertheless. $500 were better thar
none. They would serve as q morse
to throw to the Hons who would other.
wise devour him.
That same morning Grace Coe wal
trying to persuade Burton that hu.
manity was not In the Grip OF Evil
never had been---and never would be
Her fine eyes lit with enthusiasm al
she spoke, and the tenth Marqui,
Of castleton-despite some years Of
diaillusionment--found 1t hard to re-
sist the girls pleading.
Their relations had soon grown
quite friendly-not a surprising thlnl
in itself, since their tastes conceded
In 80 many ways-and, viewed from
the point Of physique, no finer pail
OF young people existed In all the grea
city. Each was true to type. Bur
ton was viriie and muscular. while
Grace Goes fixity of purpose wa,
( yelled by an adorable femininity.
In view Of subsequent events, 4
should be conceded to both that the,
had not the slightest reason to spspec
the campaign Of vengeance, in
augurated by the "Hell-cats." Tn,
police believed that that criminal or
ganization had been thoroughly dis
rupted by the raid. 1t was true tina
neither its leader--a wretched hal
known as Mother Flanagan" nor IL
most noted member, .'Two-Gun Jake,
had been captured. But the gang wa
broken up and Its members scattered
Mother Fiannigan's whereabouts wer
not even known, and Jake's accustom
ed haunts were no longer enlivene,
by his staggering presence.
The authorities were woefuliy mis-
taken, however. The ''Hell-cats" wer
not minded to take defeat SO easil
and their murderous plans. thong
foiled once. were soon renewed.
Grace coe was hardly to blame
she was blind 10 the shadow OF i'm
pending disaster. Young, good-look
ing, well-dressed. demurely consciou
Of her own charms. she could nc
help being sedately aware that a hand
Some young man was paying the vi
most Difference to each word she Vi
tered.
Il am sure you are mistaken. NJ
Burton" she said sweetly. you mui
learn 10 think. right. Implicit trul