The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-04

ago" the colonel said, land confessed
that he had not delivered to me one
of the dispatches entrusted to him,
and explained that he was not in a
position to trace it. A few days later,
the contents Of this dispatch reached
me officially. L advised Mr.. Dom
vile to tender his resignation, which
he did. Communications have passed
in secrecy between certain Depart
ment of the American secret service
and our own. concerning this unfor-
tunate mistake. 1t has been decided,
for obvious reasons, that it shall not
be made a press matter. The ques-
ton we now have to discuss is the
amount of compensation which shall
be offered to Mrs. Saunderson."
The woman turned away YEARLY.
Compensation" she murmured
bitterly.
81 regret to say Colonel Haughton
continued, that 1 am not able to
procure for Mrs. Saunderson any of
ficia1 recompense. On the Evidence
presented, the shooting of. Joseph
Saunderson was amply justified. and
it is the official view that if recon-
pense be rendered to the widow, a
mistake is admitted which might
later have serious consequences. Mr..
DomVille has made an offer which
Mrs. Saunderson rejected with scorn.
I will be perfectly frank to all of
you.s My interest in this matter is
to see Mrs. Saunderson receive ade-
quate compensation, and further, in
the interests of my department, to
see that this matter is forgotten. If
Mrs. Saunderson is not satisfied. she
will probably drag into the light
matter which, not for Domvile's s>ke
but for the sake of the department.,
it is my wish to conceal. Mr.. Dom
vile has ofefred-what was the sum,
Domville?" he Intercepted.
Five thousand pounds" the young
man replied. 1T is half the spare
money l have in the world"
The woman turned around with
sudden burst of passion.
you and your spare money! she
exclaimed. DO you think your spare
money, as you call it, will bring back
Joe-the husband 1 lost while you
stayed flirting with this hussy here?"
Miss Glare frowned, and her fin
gers twitched nervously.
mo shadow of blame can be at
tached to Miss Clare in this matter,
the colonel interviewed coldly.
'Or to anyone, 1 SUPPOSE the
woman scoffed. Look here" she
went on, facing Domville, II don't
my fingers to the bone than touch
a penny of it-but I want to punish
you, and if you're a poor man, so
much the better. Ten thousand
pounds L want from you by midday
tomorrow, and if 1 don't have it, my
story goes to the newspapers for the
world to read"
There was silence. Domville
turned to his companion.
"How are you fixed?" Cray asked
him.
''That five thousand pounds is my
limit" Domville replied bitterly. IF
I have to find the rest. 1t will break
of the business I've started and
beggar me-"
And why shouldn't you be beg
gared?" the woman demanded, her
hands working nervously and her
eyes filled with hate. That's what
1 want That's why I say I'll have
ten thousand pounds tomorrow II II
means your last sixpence."
There was an uneasy silence. Mr..
Cray gathered up the threads of the
situation.
1T doesn't seem as if there's any
more to be said he declared. IF
you'll bring the lady along to my
rooms at the Milan tomorrow at
IL o'clock, colonel. I'll go into this
young mans affairs in the meantime
and give him advice"
The colonel glanced at his engage
ment book.