Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-09-17
Verda' 5
roubles
By MARION LEE

Old?"
Absolutely. found in our files to-
day a newspaper clipping referring
10 the trial Of Dale Vinton in Cleve-
land four years ago for bigamy. As
we know. your employer was former
" located in that city. The name Is
not a common one, and, between you
and /, sister, / do not approve of you
being In the service OF a man with
such record"
"You know best. brother" answered
verda Bruce, dreary expression COM
Ing into her face. Then with an evil
dent effort she controlled her emotion.
went up 10 her own room, and. throw
Ing herself on its bed. buried her face
in the pillows and gave way to sobs
and tears.
Harold Bruce was reporter for
commercial agency and she could not
doubt his words. For six months YER
da had been employed in the brokerage
Office of Dale vinton. She had never
been treated so considerably by an
employer. The work had been light
and the pay good. Mr.. vinton had
shown many little courteous attentions
that had won her respect and esteem.
More than that. as she wept her sor-
rows away Verda had to confess TO
herself that she had come to love him
deeply. sincerely.
verda arose with wan face. but
her lips were tightly set. and coupled
with the expression of misery in her
eyes. was a certain resoluteness that
led to immediate action.
Harold is right" she murmured.
brokenly. 81 viii write my resignation
and mail 1t at once" then, ready to go
out to the letter box, Verda suddenly
recalled that there were some of her
personal belongings in her desk. She
had a key to the Office. 1t was one
hour after closing time. She decided
to visit the Office. get her belongings
and leave the letter on Mr.. vinton's
desk.
verda reached the building where
the office was located, and, the eleva.
tors having stopped running, toiled
up to the fourth floor. AS she neared
the door of the office she paused, for a
light showed through the ground glass
door. She listened intently. but no
sound broke upon the stiffness within.
She reasoned that some employee or
the janitor had neglected to turn off
the electric light, noiselessly fitted the
key TO the lock and opened the door
mere crack and gazed within.
With a shock, a thrill, Verda stood
transfixed at the scene that confronted
her startled vision. Seated, or rather
crouched back In a chair was her en-
ployer. He was bound securely to the
chair and there was gag between his
lips. Coming from the vault were two
rough-looking men, carrying between
them q little safe. They placed this
on table and returned into the vault
evidently bent upon further search
for money or its equivalent.
verda stepped within the room,
closing the door gently behind her.
The eyes of her inert and helpless en-
ployer were fixed upon her with MS
constituent mingled with an express
sion of appeal. verda knew that she
must act at once, and did. Swiftly she
tiptoed to the vault, seized the heavy
iron vault door and slammed 1t smut,
with trembling fingers she shot the
knob bolt. Then she hurried to the
side Of Mr.. vinton, released his hands
from their bonds, and, overcome with
excitement staggered towards the tele-
phone. She just managed to retain
strength to summon the police and
dropped into chair in dead swoon.
where are they-those dreadful
men," she .stammered incoherently, as
sensibility returned and she found her
employer at her side pressing a wet
towel to her head.
"You brave little womani he cried
spontaneously. "They are gone-in
the hands of the police, and you have
the credit Of capturing two noted
criminals, besides saving my property,
perhaps my life."
verda struggled unsteadily to her
feet. II must go, Mr.. Vinton." she
said TREMENDOUSLY.
"Surely not until you have told me
what this MEANS" said Vinton in a
gentle, persuasive tone.
AS he spoke he extended the letter
of resignation which verda had
dropped to the floor of the room amid
her exciting episode of the hour. She
flushed crimson.
I'll am going to work in a new
place." she faltered incoherently.
Then, at view of his frank, earnest
face, she broke down utterly and
sobbed out the entire story appertain-
ing to the letter and her visit to the
Office.
Dale vinton listened gravelY. There
was a serious look IN his eyes as ne
went to his desk and removed thence
a photograph. Apparently 1t was his
own picture, but ne explained:
"a cousin of my own name / have
not cared to air family disgrace, but
you have a right to know the truth.
Your unfounded suspicion has dis
tressed you. Verda, do you care so
much for me as all that7"
'0h, yes yesl more than you can
know" she confessed impetuously. in
compensation for the wrong she had
done him. Forgive me, Mr.. vinton.
won't you?''
'Has 1t not all worked out for the
best7" he questioned. the love-light In
his eyes telling Verda that she need
never doubt him again. "As TO your
resignation, / accept it, verda-as my
stenograpner. ] offer you new posi-