The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-03-31

than have seen any son of mne
forced to confess criminal incompe-
tency like yours"
Father" said the girl with resO-
luton and firmness singularIy like his
own. Il can't hear you speak this way.
and will not"
do you 90 with him or do you not"
Numbered the colonel.
1t was Meade who answered for her.
She goes with you. l love her and
She loves me, but l won't drag her
down in my ruin"
a an glad 70 see honor and decency
are in You stilI,' said the colonel, "even
if you are iucompct"nt"
IF you say ANOTHER word 10 him l
will never 20 with you as long as l
live" flashed out Helen IIlinCworth.
81 deserve all that he can say. Your
duty is with him. GOOd-Hv," said
Meade.
And l shall see you again."
"Of course. Now you must go with
your father"
Helen Hlingworth turned to the colo
mel
II shall go with you because he bids
ne, not because"
Whatever the reason" said the old
soldier, you GO" He paused mo-
ment, looking from the dead man to
the living one. Meade" he exclaimed
at last, II am sorry for your father,
am sorry for you. GOoG-by, and
never want to see you or hear of you
again. Come. Helen"
The woman stretched out her hand
toward her lover as her father took
her by the arm. Meade looked at her a
moment and then turned away DELHI
erately as If to mark the final sever
ance.
With bent head and beating heart,
she followed her father out of the
room. There he had TO fight off the
reporters. He denied that his daugh-
ter was going to marry young Meade.
She strove to speak and he strOve to
force her to be quiet. In the end she
had her way.
AT Mr.. Meade's own request" she
said finally, "our engagement has been
broken off. Personally l consider my
self as much bound as ever, but In
Difference to his wishes and to my ia
TIERS"
Have you said enoughT" roared the
colonel, losing all control of himself at
last. "No, will not be questioned or
interrupted another minute. Come"
He almost dragged the girl from the
room.
Within the private Office the ply
stefan said that everything pointed to a
heart lesion but only an autopsy would
absolutely determine 1t. Meanwhile the
law would have to take charge of the
body temporarily. 1t was late at night
before Bertram Meade and old Shurt
lift were left alone. Carefully seeing
that no one was present in the suite
of offices Meade turned to Shurtliff.
Get me that memorandum / wrote
to my father. You know where he KEEP
It."
"Yes, sir, separate from the Other
papers concerning the International. In
the third compartment" He turned
the big safe door slowly. The thirt
} compartment was empty. ITS gone,
, he said.
Meade went to the safe, small one
and examined it carefully and fruitless
| ly. His letter was not there with tn,
other papers, where 1t should have
: been if it were in existence. 1t wal
not anywhere.
, Father told me he was going to de
stroy it, but l rather thought he wa
keeping 1t to have some fun with m,
: when the bridge was completed" h,
said at last.
, "Yes, sir, that was his intention. II
: fact, l know he did not destroy it a
first. He told me to file 1t with tn
7 plans. He must have destroyed
later. l haven't looked in this com
: partment for weeks"
"Ill never forget the lie you told t
! back me up, Shurtliff. l can see yO'
/ loved him as much as l."
mo one will ever know the trutl