The Monticellonian., 1917-04-12
SECOND EPISODE
Found Guilty.


The ball at the Granadian embassy
continued without interruption until
late hour. Orders from no less i'm
portant parsonage than the president
forbade making known to the public.
for the time being at least, the sudden
and mysterious death of Ambassador
De Mira-attributed to suicide-until
after the preliminaries of an inves-
tigation could be arranged; and SO
closely was the secret guarded that
only few of the attaches were cogni-
Zant of the ambassadors fate. The
absence of Colonel Dare, his daughter
and his unfortunate young colleague,
Capt. Ralph Payne, if noted at all, oc-
casioned no comment among the as
sembly now wholly absorbed in the
pleasure of the moment.
Major Thornton Brent, it is true,
having seen his party's hasty exit, may
have wondered what sudden notion
took them off without telling him about
1t. He was, however, in a measure
relieved and glad to be alone. Two
things had occurred to disturb his
eauanimity. He had lost the insinuat-
ing note from Bertha Bonn sent to him
at the Dare residence earlier in the
evening This was enough to throw
him into a panic of apprehension. And
the girl had, after all, appeared at
the ball. He had seen and been forced
covertly to talk with her.
Free to pursue an appointment with
her at his apartment, Brent slipped
away from the embassy unobserved
and strobe to the Wilton, cast in a
gloom of reflections upon his early
army life after leaving West Point.
A mere chit then, was this simple,
meek-eyed daughter of the old frontier
post sergeant, who came twice week
with his linens and darning, and to
whose childish alteration, in the great
isolation of his life his heart of youth
hungry to love- sueeumbed.
For years he had wondered wheth-
er she was alive or dead. Then, one
day shortly after his commission as ma
jor and transfer to Colonel Dare's regi-
ment, he WAS somewhere with Pearl at
an afternoon tea dance or something.
Already had his subtlety in the art of
love gained for him a place in the
heart of the colonels daughter. Her
glowing eyes and the rich color man
occasion he was fascinating her and
that, for the moment, his rival was not
IN her thoughts. He was on the point
of proposing, knowing that the idea
was not entirely repellent.
Then came the shock that put
stop to his matrimonial calculations
for the present. For Bertha Bonn, ac
companied by an amiable bon vivant,
had entered the room and, taking an
adjoining table, observed and adroitly
Haunted recognition into his startled
eyes.
Similar encounters followed. Then
came letters containing requests for
money. Brent, always extravagant, be-
gan to find himself head over heels in
debt. His position made refusal of her
demands impossible.
He reached the ST" street side of
the Wilton in fever. Unnoticed by
him at the curb stood the Dare au-
tomobile. Toxic sat at the wheel quiet
ly smoking a cigarette.
At that hour the hotel lobby, was
practically deserted. When Brent
passed through the partly darkened
lounge he stepped back as if to con-
ceal his person. In the descending
cage were Colonel Dare and Pearl.
with Payne and Major Steele of the
intelligence bureau close behind.
Distress was stamped upon their fea-
lures and he was grimly aware that
the bulge In Major Steeles right coat
pocket was caused by revolver tight
ly clenched in his concealed fist. Colo
mel Dare noticing Brent, quickly drew
him aside
He spoke bluntly. "Payne is-under
arrest. The Panama defense plans
and the chemical waters necessary to
their Interpretation have" he looked
at Brent disappeared.
Wait here for instructions"
A curious calm enveloped Brent and
a faint smile played upon his thin lips
as he approached his apartment.
Bertha Bonn was there, waiting.
"Howdy!" she exclaimed, familiar
ly. He merely touched her outstretched
fingers. "Well! You know why 1 am
here. Must I go to Captain Payne for
the funds 1 need, or are you prepared
TO be magnanimous in your own in
terest?"
He met her challenge frankly. II
told you the truth. 1 am broke and
facing ruin. A little later, perhaps"
Out of the tail of his eye he saw her
cynical smile and changed his tactics.
II am heartily sorry for the shadows
which l cast upon your early life.
Bertha. But why have ySu reopened
that painful chapter at this late date?