Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-03-25

the meaning of the seemingly dead
man on the f'oor.
"Will you AL keep still. all Of you?"
/ shouted Doctor 1ohn. in his hombastic
voice. First, Paul, let's see about
this fellow here"
Tony shot him, If you want to
know" 3irs. Curtis dared to fling out.
/ Doctc~ POI cave her such an awful
look that she quailed beneath it.
| Hes not dead" he said after
! hasty examination of Criah. and one
| dry. fearless sob burst from Tony De.
Won.
"You might as well own up the
Mrs. Curtis considered the request
quickly.
perhaps that would be BEST" sne
answered. Il really thought she was,
OF l wouldn't have told you so. It
might bring trouble to her, and that
would be dreadful for an innocent per-
son."
Doctor Paul went directly to Tony,
when, followed by his brother and
Philip, he came back into the room.
He tried to draw her to her feet.
"Td rather stay here, please" she
said, without looking up.
"Who was in the room when the
| man was shot?" asked Doctor John,
staring at Mrs. Curtis and her daugh-
ter.
"Just Tonnibel, as far as can find
out" Sarah answered Heaven knows
that Kathie and I don't want to be
mixed up in such thing as this. It's
perfectly disgraceful."
"Then 60 upstairs" shot back Doc
tor John.
Loath not to witness the vanquish-
ing Of their enemy. the two women
trailed out reluctantly.
In spite Of TOny's resistance, Doc
tor Paul placed his arm about her.
"Can't you tell your father about 1t,
dear?" he pleaded. "How did you hap
pen to have the gun in your hands.
and what did he do?"
II just shot him." sighed Tony,
DULY. She was too exhausted to say
| anything more. What was there to
explain, after all? The only sure way
to save Edith was to insist she, her
self, had fred the shot.
A strange, strangling sound came
from Captain MacCauley. Then he
blurted out:
Ebony, darling, please don't sit there
that way. Tell us about 1t. Do, dear.
Oh, don't you know how much we all
love you?"
Did she know? All. yes and more |!
Her own devotion to him was almost
forcing the truth from between her
chattering teeth. She glanced at him,
and then, Edith. pale, beseeching and
wan, came between her face and his.
'There isn't anything more to tell,
Philip" she choked hopelessly. IT sup
pose I'll be arrested. II he dies"
She burst into broken sobs and
crouched lower.
Hes not going to die" Paul told
her softly. HE only has slight scalp
wound. So put that worry out Of your
head. Tony, don't you love me
any more7"
Love him! The agony in his voice
| made her fling her arms around him,
and she chung to him shivering, en-
treating him to forgive her, not to
cease loving her, for she'd die II he
did.
"Child DEAR" he murmured, run
ming his fingers over her curls, you're
going to steady yourself now and tell
your father just what happened! Now,
| beRini"
He had not finished when his eyes
caught sight Of the safe. He stared
at its open door, and Doctor Johns
gaze followed his. Then the latter
strobe across the room, and for long
moment peered into the opening.
"It's empty! Everything's gone," he
muttered, turning slowly. and Philip
exclaimed:
"That's why she shot him, Jack. He
was stealingl Tony darling" and the,
speaker went down beside the girl,
stony. did you find your father here3"
II didn't see him take anything,
Philip" she sobbed bitterly. Her eyes
were looking at him, but their express
sion told him they didn't see him at
all. Another problem was tormenting
her. Her misery was being added to
by the minute So impatient was
Philip to have the matter cleared that
he spoke harshly to her.
"Tony, you know where those Jewels
are" said he. "Tell us instantly !"
Then he calculated: "That man has
them upstairs"
| He was out Of the room In q flash,
and an awful silence settled over the
three until he was with them again.
HE hasn't got Them" he faltered.
II searched every pocket in his
clothes. But I found this wad of
money. There must be thousands In
It'll"
He passed the money to Doctor
John.
1T wasn't in the safe" said the lat
ter, thoughtfully, slipping it into the
table drawer.
His words struck q new terror to
Tonnibel. Edith had robbed the safe
| then Edith who never STOLE unlacc sho