The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-05-17
''TheCrevice''


Perhaps he would have. but what
opportunity was he given? A few
hours later, he was found dead in
that chair over there; the chair in
which he sat while he was talking
with his unknown visitor
The young man sprang to his feet
You can't realize what you are say
ing; what you are limiting! It is
unthinkab1e. II you let these morbid
fancies prey upon your mind, you will
be really i'll" His tones were full of
horror. your father died of heart
disease. The doctors and the coroner
established that beyond the shadow
of a doubt, you know. Any other
supposition is beyond the bounds of
possibility"
"of heart disease, yes. But might
not the sudden attack have been
brought on by his alteration with
this man? His sudden rage, controlled
as 1t was, at the insults hurled at
him."
What insults, Anita? Tell me what
you heard when you crept down the
stairs. You know you can trust me,
dear-you must trust me"
The man was saying: Come, Law
ton, be sensible; half loaf is better
than no bread. There Is no black
mail about this. even II you choose
to call It SO. It 10 an ordinary business
proposition. az you have been told a
hundred timesi'
It's a damnable crooked scheme,
rs | have told you a hundred times.
and | shall have nothing to do with
it! This Is hnaI!' Fathers tones rang
out clearly and distinctly, quivering
with suppressed fury. My hands are
clean, my financial operations have
been open and above-board; there is
no stain upon my life or character,
and can look every man in the face
and tell him to go where you may
go now!'
oh, Is that SOL sneered the other
man loudly. Then his voice became
insinuatingly low. How about poor
Herbert His tones were so indis.
tinct that I could not catch the name.
Then he went on more defantly, His
wife He didn't finish the sentence,
Ramon, for father groaned suddenly,
terribly. as II he were in swift PAIN
the man gave little sneering laugh,
and could hear him moving about In
the library, whistling half under his
breath in sheer bravado. | could not
bear to hear any more. put my
hands over my cars and fled back to
my room What could it mean,
Ramon? What is this about father
and some other man and his wife
which the stranger dared to insinuate
reflected upon fathers integrity? Why
should he have grOaned as if the very
mention OF theae people hunt him IN.
expressibIy:"
Il don't know. dear" Ramon Hamii-
ton sat with his honest eyes still turn
ed from her. You must have been
mistaken; perhaps you even dreamed
it ALL Anita Lawton gave an impa-
tient gesture.
Il am not quite the child you think
me, Ramon. Could that man meant to
insinuate that father In his
own advancement had trod
upon and ruined some one
else, as financiers have always done?
Could he have meant that father had
driven this man and his wife 10 de-
spair? cannot bear to think of it. |
try to thrust it from my thoughts a
dozen times day, but that groan
from fathers lips sounded so much
like one of remorse that hideous ideas
come beating in on my brain. Was
my father like other rich men. Ramon?
He did not live for money, although
the successful manipulation of it was
almost a passion with him. He lived
for me. and the good that he would
be able to do in this world
''Of course he did, darling. No one
who knew him could imagine other
wise for a monment." He hesitated,
and then added, NO one else discov
cred this mans presence in the house
that night? You have told no one?
Not the doctor. or the coroner, or DR..
Franklin
oh. no; il | had it would nave been
necessary for me to have told what |
overheard. Besides, it could have had
y" direct bearing on daddy's death !;
rs caused by heart-disease, as
~ But | believe. and always
vi believe. that that man killed
father. as surely as inevitably. as if he
bad stabbed or shot or poisoned him!
Why did he come like a thief in the
night? Fathers integrity. his honor.
were known to all the world. Why did
that reference to this Herbert and his
wife cause him such PAIN"
II don't know, dear; | have no more
idea than you. If you really. really
overheard that conversation, as you
seem convinced you did. you did we'll
In keeping it to yourself. Let that