The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-05

tiers, financial and social, were going
from bad to worse with him. Hope
heard that he had squandered about
all he had and was in desperate straits.
He amazed Nellie with his persistent
wooing whenever he was fortunate
enough to find himself alone with her.
One evening both Hull and Hope
were at the home The latter noticed
that Hull was restless and uneasy. He
left the lovers to themselves. He
strolled in the garden with the profess
sor, and Hope saw him later come out
Of the library and soon after leave the
house.
The next morning Hope received q
frantic telephone call from Nellie.
Come quick" she futtered-"papa
is in great trouble and needs your
help"
Hope found the old man fairly pros
trated. His story was that only the
day preceding he had converted near.
ly all of his liquid means into negotia-
BILE securities. An hour previous he
had gone to his desk in the library, to
find the lock of special drawer where
he always kept his valuable papers
broken and the securities gone
1T means beggary!" gasped Mr..
Ashton desolately.
Trusty had followed Hope that
morning. He moved about the library
as though in his quick and intelligent
way he surmised that something was
wrong and that he was expected to as
sist in righting it.
Suddenly Trusty uttered a sound
that suggested canine challenge. He
stood looking inquisitively at his mas
ter and then ran his nose along the
surface Of rug directly in front Of
the desk. 1t was as though he had de-
tected the scent of some unfamiliar
footmarks that did not belong there.
Then the animal, bristling and eager
OF eye, leaped towards the door and
paused, looking back at his master as
though inviting him to follow.
why, how strange Trusty is act
ing" exclaimed Nellie.
Watt" spoke Hope, and, as the dog
started from the house, kept pace with
him slightly to the rear
1t was patent to Hope that the dog
was on trail. Once, when Hope had
been to an entertainment with Nellie,
he had carried her gloves home with
him by mistake. They had fallen out
of his pocket and Trusty had instantly
seized them recognized them by the
perfume Nellie used and, selling them,
darted for the Ashton home and de-
livered them to Nellie.
The animal proceeded down the
street without deviating from a direct
line to the business district Trusty
reached the one office building in the
town and started up that stairs. As
Hope reached the top landing he heard
a frightful crash, then a wild shrek.
Hull had an Office in the building,
nursing the wreck of a real estate
business that he had allowed to go to
ruin. The dog had sprung clear
through the broad glass top OF the door
OF the office. Through the jagged ruin
Hope saw Trusty now He had sprung
at Hull and pinned his shoulder, hold.
ing him into the chair where he sat,
with bulldog ferocity.
Hope hurried into the room. 1t was
to see upon the desk before the terri.
fled and covering Hull the securities
that had been taken from the rified
desk of Professor Ashton.
"Trusty-here!" he called command.
ingly. and it was with reluctance that
the animal unloosed his grip on the
enemy he hated.
A packed valise showed that Hull
had prepared to leave the town. Hope
insisted upon his doing so, but minus
the wealth he had planned to carry
away with him
Go somewhere and make a man of
yourself" he said, land if you do your
part not even the Ashtons shall ever
know who stole the bonds"
Professor Ashton found his securi.
ties back in his desk, with the mystery
OF their abstraction never revealed,
and Perry Hull drifted out of the sight
and memory of the happy united low.
ers.