The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-30

bolt upright as though driven thus
by some sudden electric shock.
His face ashen, his cyes haunted
with a devastating fear and horror,
he read of the private arrest of Cora
Durand, twenty-five, adventures, ar
rested for robbing an admirer, n man
of wealth, of a large sum of money
by drugging him. She had been in
an English prison and had come to
the United States as u new field for
further victims. Her methods were
given in detail, her description per-
fectly outlined, even to a tiny scar
on the lobe of one ear.
Overton arose to his feet rigid, his
eyes fixed on the volume lying open
with the photograph of a regally beau
tiful woman looking up at him. Then
he drew from his pocket-its counter
part more recent of taking though
1t was, there could be no doubt that
the portraits were of one and the
same woman.
The one he had taken from his
pocket fell from his nerveless hand.
He allowed it to lie unheeded at his
feet. a white horror was in his face
and he acted as though impelled by
some automatic force. He drew the
check the Judge had given him from
his pocket, placed 1t on the table,
proceeded noiselessly to the hallway
entrance to the apartments, selected
his overcoat and left the place.
Judge Hampden was lost in amaze
ment when he returned. His friend
was gone. He questioned the servant,
but the latter had not witnessed the
departure of Overton. Then the Judge
gone from the hall tree.
1t was when the Judge discovered
the photograph which Overton had I'M
consciously left behind him and no
ticed the record book Open at it's
counterpart, that his keen judicial skill
was called into action. The aban-
doned check, the sudden departure of
Overton showed that some vast, star
ding impulse had swayed him to sud
Gen action not anticipated.
The Judge formed a ready theory
and it was the correct one. Overton,
he mar of probity, had in some
mysterious way come under the siren
like influence of Cora Durand. Per-
haps wearied of a nagging, lOveless
wife he had desperately determined to
get what money he could and fly with
the clever adventures. The accidental
discovery of the real character of the
woman had come like a shock, causing
him to recoil in horror from the step
he so nearly had taken.
The Judge was too thorough a lOgi.
clan to intermeddle where sure des.
tiny IA working out n problem for
his tempted. misguided friend. Nc
explanation came to him from Over
ton, nOn was sought. SorrOwfully
the Judge reflected over the weak.
ness, almost crime, of the man he sc
esteemed. With relief and hope he
incidentally learned that Overton was
pursuing the even tenor of his way
and one day he saw the notice OF
the death of Mrs. Overton in the news
paper.
He met Overton after that. Jus
Once the latter referred to the past.
Friend of the years." he said
Glasping the hand of the Judge ant
looking him straight in the eyes, "un
der your roof there came to me III,
redemption of my life. I am conten
when I recall that 1 made the las
Years of my life attentive and loya
to the wife I never loved. I shudde.
when l think of the yawning abyss int,
which l so nearly sank, bringing dis
grace and sorrow to the two children
who are now so dear to mel"