Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-21
CHAPTER IvIIT-t tContinued)
LIE PAUSED; then he continued In low
II voice:


LIE PAUSED; then he continued in low
IL voice:
Yes. I took money to acquit Challoner
| and then l convicted him Why2 Because
the instinct within me to do my duty wal
! too strong to allow me to do otherwise
All the evidence was against him he haC
| confessed had to convict him"
| And the money" ventured Shirley.
| Like a dipsomanac-a reformed dlpso
| manlac--1 put that money, as he might have
| his bottles on the shelf-corked There 1
| was--f could have II any time wanted IL.
| His face became more serious as he pro.
| ceeded: Then I kept on being a thief, for
| there was n new and overpowerng motive
| that got the best OF me. Like the reformed
| dipsomanlac I was determined TO see wha,
| could do without It. 1t became a passion
with me. l knew that every move | made
| meant the expenditure OF money. A hun
dred times, yes, thousand times, | have
had my fingers on those seas about to
break them, and then have crawled away
once more to do without the money. Some
how. knew that my time must come. Be-
sides there was that overwhelming ambi-
ton-prompted by woman"
Shirley hung her head.
Yes" he went on ficrcely "a woman
who must have her due it was up to me TO
be something more than merely honest
Anybody could be honest. she told me, but
not everybody could be great"
Shirley ventured to look up at him. but
meeting his gaze fixed on her face. she
shifted her eyes instantly.
Then there was the United States Sem
atorship-the faircst office in the State
which ! knew | could buy with the money
for which had sold my soul. Again and
again | came into this office and went to
that vault there determined to break the
n1 of ha lt,,
the United States senatorship. But ! could
not bring myself 10 do IL. Something al
ways said to me: You must do without It
You must be honest You must make
clean fight" Yet, stl, | was thief.
holding thousands that didn't belong TO me
But always upon me was that all-abSorbing
passion--a passion not to use, but to do
without the thing which was at my fingers
endS-an incentive without which I could
not succeed And So" he concluded II
went in and won It,
tense silence followed the prosecutors
frank revelation Of his tempta-
tion and the success which he extorted from
IT. Unconsciously he assumed an attitude
which It would not be unfair 60 describe
as defensive one, In readiness. as II were
for any possible structures on his conduct
Nothing of the sort, however was forth
coming on the contrary at least as far
as Mrs, Challoner was concerned, at no
had been the most severe. had his terrible
words succeeded in driving the happy light
from her eyes.
Not another word, old man! It's all
right :"
Murgatroyd was vlsibly affected
Thank you" he said simply; and then
added: only one thing more remains 10 be
done. Mrs. Chaloner, l must ask YOU to |
break these seals"
Miriam demurred.
oh. no, Mr. Murgatroyd :" she said. |
Surely you must know that l believe YOU, |
But Murgatroyd insisted and obeying |
1im finally. Miriam broke the seals. and |
presently she showed to them the securities
indisturbed just as Murgatroyd had taken
hem, dollar for dollar. bond and bond
Suddenly Murgatroyd felt touch on the
Irm.
And I believe you, Billy" said Shirley
An enigmatical smile passed across tho
face.
do you, indeed?" he said dryly; and
Idded; That's. perhaps, more than / had
my right to expect"
A slight pucker showed on Miss Blood
'oods beautiful brow. but she replied, quite
nruffled:
why OF course do. After all. Won
'ere honest, weren't you?" And not watt
ng for his answer, added ngenuously
You were not a thief"
Instantly the expression on Murgatroyd's
ace became a very serious one
Yes. / was" he protested II was a
hief." And with that he turned to Chal-
oner and said in a voice of great feeling:
Challoner this money is your wife's. Take
. And great God, man." he groaned,
don't, don't forget what 1t did to YOU
hat 1t made you years ago 80
Mrs. Chaloner shivered at the prosecu-
'r's earnestness, but Chaloner. hesitating
Or moment only, advanced and said:
We'll take 1t. I'm not bit afraid now,
I know" And then, hold
lg out his hand, he continued kindly:
Billy, IL you hadn't taken it--where would
have been today?"