Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04

be light in the dining room, and he
could see his fathers pale. sad, intel
iectual face, his mothers gentle coun-
tenance with tear dimmed eyes, and Cd.
poslte the empty chair that was his)
Leona Denman would be sitting, pale
and beautiful.
Iney would look at bis empty chair
and In their hearts blame him for
bringing disgrace upon them His fa-
ther was Leona Denman's guardian,
and when one night few weeks pre-.
Vlous there had occurred robbery of
some OF Leona Denman's securities
some people had said that Sam Walton
had stolen and sold them and spent
the money on. himself. They even de-
scrlDed the details of the robbery.
which were interesting to poor Sam,
as he had been quite innocent of the
whole matter.
unfortunately two circumstances Of
the past year gave some substance to
the theory that Sam Walton must be
the thlef. During the past year he had
been spending money very freely on a
new business which he was starting
most successfully, and the jealous ones
OF the town were very ready to nod
their heads and say, ut is easy to see
now where the money came from"
10 make matters still more sus-
plclous, he had been putting younger
prother through college, and many had
oeen the surmises as to where he got
the money.
He had completed the circumstantiaI
evidence against himself by going
away suddenly. He was proud. too
and he had thrust aside Leona's soft
hahd and had lashed himself with the
belief that his parents and the girl he
loved also thought him to be a thief
Ihere was only one other on whom
suspicion might rest, and that was
jeremiah Lakely, the elder Walton's
confidential clerk in the country bank
ing house. But jeremiah had proved
an alibi and was so open and frank
about the whole matter and told with
such reluctance of the evidence against
his employers son that Sam in frenzy
OF anger had rushed away.
He had been in New York three
weeks and not even glanced at a news
paper. He dreaded to see his own
name in startling letters across the
front page. Most of his time had
been spent in search for work. and
he had not yet found it. He had Sc
cured board at quiet uptown hotel
and paid for it in advance His last
week would be up the next day, and
he knew not where to go. He now had
a lonely silver quarter dollar in his
pockets-and the leather bag his prize
package.
In his room at the hotel he tossed
the bag on the bed and gave himself
over to thoughts of what must have
happened at home in Ferndale. What
Of his father, his mother, of Leona?
Did they really believe that he was
guilty Of such a low down trick as
stealing, and from the girl he hoped
to marry?
After awhile Sam pulled the leather
bag toward him and deftly unfastened
it with trick Of his penknife. He
opened the bag and stared at the con-
tents.
There in the bottom, fastened togeth-
er with rubber band, were the miss
ing securities for which he was now
under suspicion Of having stolen from
his fathers safe.
A half hour later Sam grasped his
hat and went down to the nearest
newsstand to buy copies of the evening
newspapers.
He scanned them eagerly and found
no reference to the affair of the stolen
securities. Very likely it was an old
story and had been replaced by some
newer scandal 1t did not occur to
him that il had never reached the
newspapers.
He must go back to Ferndale, and
his money was spent. There remained
his gold watch. That he pawned and
took the first train for home. AS the
miles whirled backward under the
wheels of the train his heart grew
heavier. He was glad that it was
midnight when he arrived at the vii
lage. 1t was the last train.
he CTClt uOWU tuc ldLullldT TOdu
from the station, and his heart beat
faster as he neared his fathers house.
AS he expected, everything was dark.
but he pushed open the gate and strode
up the path unashamed, for he knew
he was innocent, and now he had
ground pride under foot. He must
make them believe that he was inno-
cent.
As he reached the front door a light
appeared in the front hall He could
see it shining through the fanlight over
the door. Somebody was coming.
The door opened, and his mother
stood there, tall and straight in her
white gown. Behind her was Leona
Denham in loose wrapper. Coming
down the stairs was his father.
''We heard your step. Sammy half
sobbed his mother as he took her in
his arms.
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