Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-12-31
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Honest Man
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By MARY ELLIS BARTLEY

SAS 10y SaS1SSSSSk -SSSS aHA - vs. te' w.
have right to know. There is
shadow in the background s'S
llssI surmised some Strong reason for
your generally depressed condition dur
ing the past few weeks" observed will
fred Lang. "You have been unlike
yourself, and l want to help you If it
is in my power" ISngN 81 &: 81. :s:5 :ss !
~ doubt IT, Feplied Ross. somewhat
gloomily. "a skeleton in the closet is
not q very comfortable possession, and
I am sorry to say. that I have discoy-
cred one" syss.::s;:.: s 81:
.,es s"Drive it out!" suggested Lang, We
hemehtly; "banish It! ignore it," /
Alden Ross shook his head sadly. Il
wish l could, lang, but sense OF
justice, of duty is involved. Shadow
and skeleton, 1t is with me constant
ly. And just as there came an angel
TO the threshold"
wilfred Lang regarded his friend
critically. Il say, Ross" he rallied,
shave you been absorbing these un-
wholesome sentiments out of some old
blood-and-thunder romance?"
"No, 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 q most friendly acquaint-
anceship. You would not blame me
If you knew how charming was Miss
Ethel Wolcott; less so IL you could re-
alize how much had learned to love
her. / told her that 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 a 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-
tion?"
Because l have discovered the ut
ter hopelessness Of the cese,' replied
Ross moodily. "You know that what
little 1. have in the world was left to
me by an aged aunt. My father died
a pauper When I returned from my
recent trip I contemplated changing
my living quarters, ano started in to
throw away the letters Of several years.
had only known that my father, from
a position Of opulence, in single day
almost became poor man. He never
told me why. Such documents / came
across among his papers three days
after I had seen Ethel Wolcott re-
vealed the terrible reason"
Lang looked grave. He knew his
friend was not a 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.
ther's strangely sudden transition from
wealth to poverty, his partner, man
named Morse. disappeared. The firm
was Ross & Morse, and they did very
large exporting business. From the
documents l happened across, 1t
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 busi-
ness my father, a widower, with my
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.. WolcotpI found, denouncing Ross
& Morse as common swindlerS. In
q second letter he demanded the pay.
ment of his claim or he would send
both my father and his partner to the
penltentiary. am satisfied that when
the claim was paid it beggared my
father. But the criminal phase! Don't
you see, that the son of the man Rob.
ert Wolcott denounced as thief can
never hope to win his only daughter?"
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.
81 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. "my daughter
has told me of you. 1t is great re-
lief TO nv mind to meet the son of a