Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-01

Man from p'lice headquarters to
see YOU. sir" reported the Office boy
usherinG in wooden-faced plain
clothes detective and leading him TO
where Lamrson and Tom were stand
ing
Good approved Lampson: Il was
going 10 phone the police. Officer. has
your visit anything TO do with this
robbery"
"MaTbe il has: maybe 1t hasn't" re-
piled the plainclothes man. II want
| TO see man named Thomas Blake.
of this address"
Il am Thomas Blake" put in Tom,
haggard with sudden underlined dread.
, What do YOU want"
You needn't look so scared" said
the detective. grinning. This amt a
pinch. It's good news for YOU. We
got an alarm from Boston last evenin'
! TO look out for woman crook named
Lizzie Reisen-Light-Fi Fingered Liz we
call her. One of our men just hap
pened TO nab her as she was comm
out Of Hardings Joint. We searched
her at Headquarters. An we found
this"
Dramatically he pulled out a long
envelope addressed in Toms own
characteristic handwriting, to Thomas
Blake. care Of Roger Lampson & Co,
23l Market Street
One end of The envelope had been
torn oBen. The detective shook out
| of i, sheaf Of seventeen $50 bills
| we took this off her" he went on.
an we gave her a taste OF the third
degree til she talked. She says
you're a friend of hers an that you an
her was drinkin' together at Hard
ling's last night an she lifted this from
YOU before you had Il chance 10 spend
/, en- any one else.
; Five minutes later Roger Lampson
.irr~ ,,.,t
his voice:
/ I'm not going TO prosecute, Blake.
Sut you've proved yourself not only
thief. but the most constituencies liar
I ever had the bad luck TO meet.
cannot employ YOU any longer. And
my sense of fairness will force me to
warn any future employer of yours
that YOU are a dangerous crook"
! Tom walked. dazedly. out Of the Of
fce. His heart was dead. His SPLEEN
did prospects. his chance of employ
ment. his self-respect. all were gone.
Nothing remained for him III life. but
Marjorie. He must go To her now--at
ionce: tell her everything, and trust to
her love 10 make her stand by him.
That was his one hope. And. with
Marjorie a his side. ne could face a
whole disappearing world Marjorie.
after ALL was what counted most in
his life. She vas his future his hope
his heaven.
a
messenger boy halted him.
! Letter for YOU. Mr.. Blake" said the
boy
Tom. with a thrill, recognized Mar
jorie's writing on the envelope. In
I his hour Of direst need. here was
word of cheer from her. He tore omen
the envelope and read:
Harry has just told me. And !
| never want to sec or hear of YOU again
| He says-and two Of his friends cor
! roborate him--that he saw Won last
! night in Stun rcstaurant-with a
| woman When they left the place her
| arm was around you and Your head
| was on her shoulder
81 could have forgiven anything but
! that. You have broken my heart Dad
and Harry have told me all along the
/ sort of man you are, hut | would
| never believe them until now ii is
| proved.
please don't try to explain. It is
| useless | know YOU now for what
! YOU arc Your whole life has been
lie-a lie to the girl who trusted YOU
Good by
| "a le?" mutter Tom. half aloud.
! YES, the whole world is a world of
! lies. It's world I'm tired OF. \
/ world that has cast me out There's
| nothing left. :othing. My parents,
my work. my sweetheart-all gone"
| \ long time he stood motionless
| Then slowly he turned toward the
f, river When at last he stood on the
! pier above the fast-runnins waters he
! spoke again:
Life has been too much for me
Too much when told the truth. far
too much when l turned from the
truth. II will be good to rest"
He plunged forward and the greedy
waters seized his body in their swift
| embrace.
END of seventh storvl