The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-10-06
can
Honest Man
ND
BY MARY ELLIS hartley
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Copyright. 1912 by the Western News
paper Union.)

You have asked me what is troub-
ing me" spoke Alden Ross, his fine
expressive face grave and earnest.
AS my closest and truest friend, you
have right to know. There is a
Shadow in the background"
Il surmised some strong reason for
your generally depressed condition dur
ing the past few weeks" observed VIII
fred Lang. "You have been unlike
yourself, and want to help you If 1t
is in my power"
Il doubt it," replied Ross, somewhat
gloomily. "A skeleton in the closet is
not very comfortable possession, and
! am sorry r. say that I have discov-
cred one"
Drive 1t outw suggested Lang, We
hemently; danish it ignore it"
Alden Ross shook his head sadly. 81
wish could, Lang, but a sense of
justice, of duty is involved. Shadow
and skeleton, it is with me constant
ly. And just as there came an angel
to the threshold"
Wilfred Lang regarded his friend
critically. II say, Ross" he rallied,
nave you been absorbing these I'm
wholesome sentiments out of some old
Observation-Disclosures romance?
mo, from dread reality" answered
Ross seriously. 81 will tell you the
story, briefly. About two months ago
became acquainted with young lady
whom | met at Noyes Lake. She was
there with some girl companions and a
chaperon, and those few days were
the most delightful of my life. We
drifted into most friendly acquaint.
anceship. You would not blame me
II you knew how charming was Miss
Ethel Wolcott; less so if you could re-
alize how much had learned to love
her. I told her that I had, and she was
gracious and responsive. was placed
In delicate position, meeting her and
becoming engaged to her, all within
two weeks time.
"She came Of family high up in a
social way, and Of extensive wealth.
The chaperon at the very last recog-
nized the situation, and at once took
Ethel under her wing.
Rapid and most promising prog
ress,' commented Lang saucily. "Why
the gloom over such an ideal situa.
tionY
Because have discovered the ut
ter hopelessness Of the case" replied
Ross modify. "You know that what
little / have in the world was left to
me by an aged aunt. My father died
a pauper. When returned from nv
recent trip l contemplated changing
my living quarters, and started in to
throw away the letters of several years.
l had only known that my father from
position Of 0pulence, In a single day
almost became poor man. He never
told me why. Such documents I came
across among his papers three days
after had seen Ethel Wolcott re.
vealed the terrible reason"
Lang looked grave. He knew his
friend was not sensationalist, and
his haggard face and sorrowful eyes
told Lang that he was suffering.
ITO you, my closest friend, can re-
veal this dreadful secret" resumed
Ross. "In word, just before my ia
theirs strangely sudden transition from
wealth to poverty, his partner, a man
named Morse, disappeared. The firm
was Ross & Morse, and they did very
large exporting business. From the
documents l happened across II
seemed that the firm had become IN.
debted for a very large amount to
Robert Wolcott, the father of the girl
love. AT the time of giving up bust
ness my father, widower, with nv.
self removed to another part of the
country, living secluded, and he never
by word of mouth explained the real
situation to me. A letter signed by
Mr.. Wolcott I found, denouncing Ross
u Morse as common swindlers. In
second letter he demanded the pay.
ment OF his claim or he would send
both my father and his partner to the
penitentiary. am satisfied that when
the claim was paid 1t beggared my
father. But the criminal phase! DON'T
you see, that the son of the man Rob-
ert Wolcott denounced as a thief can
never hope to win his only daughterr
It was after long thought and con.
sultation with his friend that Ross
decided upon the course he would fol.
low. Two days later he visited the
city where Ethel lived. Clearly, truth.
fully, he told her his story. A strange
light came into her eyes as the men.
ton OF his fathers misfortune seemed
to recall something she had heard her
father allude to In the past.
II must see papa" she breathed ex.
citedly. "Do not go away until re-
turn"
She re-entered the room few min.
utes later with her father, who stepped
forward briskly and grasped with
warmth the hand of the bewildered
Ross.
Mr.. Ross" he said. "rny daughter
has told me of you. It is great re.
lief to my mind to meet the son of
man whom greatly misjudged. II
was to save his embezzling partner
from prosecution that your father beg
CARED himself. did not learn this