Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-01-08

stop. oh. stop! Your mother rented
| a box in the Peoples Trust Company
and put her stuff into it: ask her. lool
at her"
"She did not. 1 took them and SOLD
them, and be damned to you."
George" The word was a Ions
scream of anguish. George, oh
George"
| such a pretty pickle: the son con-
fesses and the mother is guilty. Won
you please agree on something thai
in turn agrees with the facts?"
Il tell you I took them and solo
| them. I made the marks on the win.
dow. +"
But your mother put them in the
safe-deposit box. Don't be silly"
The mother was hardly able to ut.
ter the words that would save heI
they are-there-1 did it. They know
-they-they have-found-out."
Higgins had an inspiration. Il won.
der maybe didn't he take the thing:
off the bureau, and she the rest OF
| EN-? And when he sneaked in and
found the biggest part of them gone
| what a disappointment it must have
been. after him thinking how pleas.
antly the company would make things
right with his mother. and both OF
them thought there'd been a real rob.
| berry just in the nick of time to cover
| everything up"
Good. good" Mr.. Lyle exclaimed
"A pretty family, each planning to
| make an honest penny" Then to
| George Farson: Get your mother
brandy, or smelling-salts, or some.
thing"
i Mrs. Farson was in dire need OF
| assistance, certainly. The vivacious
| smiling woman of the world was
| taken her place. lying moaning
i against the table. Her son. with
| trembling fingers. gave her brandy
Samuel Lyle watched them, frowning
Finally Mrs. Farson regained suffi.
| cient composure to satisfy him.
Madam" he said. you confess
| without reservation"
Mrs. Parsons lips moved, but ii
she spoke her words were inaudible
| stood by the window, the perspiration
rolling down his face. His hand
gripped a curtain and his body
swayed back and forth weakly.
do you confess. madam. that you
have your jewels in your possession
that in making your affidavit in con.
| nection with your proof of loss you
committed perjury"
Mrs. Parsons body trembled as she
compreheqded the awful meaning OF
the word.
X X
GEORGE FARSON tottered across
~ the room like a drunken man
His arms waved before him, his fin.
gers opened and shut like a huge
birds claws, and he made his way to.
| ward Mr.. Lyle with murder in his
eyes. Samuel Lyle waited for him
and motioned the others away, anC
| when the time came his long arm
| shot out and his great hairy hant
grasped Parsons coat where the '
| met over his chest. and shook him a:
| though he were rag, and threw hin
!, into a chair Then. with a glance a
| the PROSTATE figure, he turned agai,
| to Mrs Farson.
well, Mrs. Farson. have you com
! mitted perjury and sundry othe
/ crimes?"
| They could just hear her kissing
Yes"
I'VE have no interest in YOU
crimes. The fact is the thing; reai
! this carefully. please" He took {
| paper from his pocket. 1T is a re.
! lease of all claim against the insur.
| ance company. 1t states nothing Of
| ton will attest your signature. vii
you read it. or shall read it to you?'
George Farson. in the chair. moved
| and Mr. Lyle nodded to Higgins.
BE still. you said Higgins. The
| mothers eyes were on her son.
| Listen to me-" said Mr.. Lyle, ant
! read. Then: will you sign?' Mr.
Lyle took a book from the table ant
placed the paper on it. He took i;
pen from his pocket and stood besid,
| the woman. She took the pen ant
| signed. blindly. every bit of courage
kpride. and hope gone from her. TheI
Worthington did his part.
I'VE are through. gentlemen" Mr.
| Lyle said Il imagine, madam, tina
you and your son will not remain
| long in Alden. Good afternoon"
Samuel Lyle and Paul Waters wen
into Orchard street.
Damn poorly DONE" Mr.. Lyle NUT
| tered. II am ashamed of myself
However. 1 shall expect your checl
, tomorrow morning for sixteen thou
sand three hundred and seventy-fiv,
dollars and thirty-two cents exactly
and. remember. you are dining will
me tonight at quarter after seven B,
prompt: I do not like to kept wait
ing"
"I'll be there. Don't worry" Pau
cried, but please tell me how yot
found out about"
| Mr.. Lyle made gesture Of disgust
Bah! Any fool could have guessed
I easily enocSh. I'm ashamed Of Hig'
| gins. Don't forget the check; bust.
ness is rotten, and need read,
cash." And he strobe away, leaving
Paul staring after him. He did mo-
| suspect that Mr.. Lyle was chucklint
| inside.
At quarter after seven, promptly
| Paul took of his hat and coat ant
| walked into Mr.. Lsle's parlor. There
was no one there. but he heard &
voice and he went toward the dool
that led to the library. Samuel Lyle
saw him. but paid no attention to hin
and kept on speaking to a great high
backed. deep leather chair the bacl
of which was toward Paul. The huge
man was making a speech. slowly and