Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-11-09

tluut anu hlao aolulAous Ou tnAh NNo-
mise ! fooled even my sweetheart
Nerve, cambridge, nerve-that's II,
and your wits about you every min
ute"
'But, my boyl Why have you kept
this secret 30 closely guarded Why
did you not come to met" cried his
attorney and longtime friend.
IL took no chances against defeat"
was the Illuminating explanation.
Remember, cambridge, the charge
against me had to be proven false.
This could be done only by exposing
the true criminal and obtaining his
confession Of guilt. +"
Have you got thatT' %interjected
Mr.. cambridge, eagerly.
Miss Dare has 1t. At least I think
she has 1t !" replied his visitor, sudden
ly troubled. He picked up his hat,
"Comel We will go to Miss Dare !"
And he hurried out Of the room, fol-
lowed by the excited trust officer.
On the ride, to the Dares, the man
beside Mr.. cambridge asked the ques-
tons originally in his mind.
"My estate-has 1t ever been dis
tributed?"
mo. Your legatee refused to touch
the money. Through an order of court
I have held your entire fortune In
trust. Every penny can be accounted
for-and MORE" replied the attorney,
smiling mysteriously.
"What do you mean by those last
words2"
81 transferred your real estate hold
ings to stocks and bonds Of a very high
grade. They have increased astonish-
ingly in value, at least by n hundred
thousand, II not more"
"How's that?" was the sharp ques-
ton. "Stocks and bonds Of what ma
ture2"
"War brides! 7"
The man at the wheel turned to his
: attorney quickly. "Sell out, Mr.. Balm
bridge, at once !" he exclaimed, with a
show Of irritation. II couldn't touch
5 that money. AS to the surplus" he
paused, smiling peculiarly, suppose
: you make a draft, payable to bearer,
e for one hundred thousand. 1 have i'm
r mediate use for that exact amount !"
The lawyer looked at him in aston
|, ishment, shaking his head sadly. The
man surely had changed. "That's a
very large sum-" he yentured.
= ooh, yes" smiled the other, blandly.
|, ut will make a substantial wedding
< gift to two needy un~fortunates who
have just been married"
. "Wedding giftl" mumbled Mr.. Balm
bridge, under his breath and there the
+ conversation ended, for they had
reached the Dares.
Mr.. cambridge was dropped Off at
the house and his companion proceed
e ed with the car, as usual, to the
= garage. He seemed to take a longer
= time than necessary in putting the car
away. Indeed, now that the end and
n new beginning of things was about
TO come to pass, he showed a reluc-
lance to hasten the change.
He sat down on the running board
Of the big limousine, resting his chin
In an upturned palm, and fell into a
brown study.
Meanwhile, In the Dare library Law
yer cambridge and the colonel were
shaking hands with more vigor thar
either had shown for many a day. The
house was agog with expectation.
Major Brent and his wife had arrived,
the latter proceeding at once to the
suite she had so long occupied. Bertha
was now a happy and serene woman.
Pearl Dare came running in and the
two, as women do at such times, fell
into each others arms, weeping hys-
terlcally.
isn't it wonderful?' cried Pearl,
amid her e~cstasles. ~ know it, Ber-
tina. 1 knew that he was different. All
along I felt a strange, familiar some
thing in u relations, something which
was not clear but which drew me to
him, ever when l doubted him the
most! !"
"Where is he now2" asked Bertha
Brent, almost as excited as Pearl.
Pearl led her by the hand to a win
dow overlooking the garage, There,
in the shadows inside the wide-open
door, they saw the man Of the hour
seated on the running board of the big
limousine.
"Have you talked with hlm2"
Pearl shook her head, unable to re
move her loving and beaming eyes
from the figure.
HE is waiting for you, Pearl"
81 cannot go to him." she breathed,
k her voice catching. "This is the most
" profound moment of his life. 1 must
y wait until he is ready"
Together they went down the stairs
arm in arm, and Joined the group in the
library. Here they found Lawyer
cambridge, the colonel and Major
Brent engrossed in the communication
" to Il. o. Adams found in Toko's room,
1t was a paper Of an altogether start,
ling nature. Pearl, by whom every
d word had been memorized, found her
self once more absorbed in its revela-
" lions as she sat beside her father,