Evening star., 1923-09-04

tell your old pal Butler who you are
an all about it, you're-'
That's right. Pete. tha's me. Peter
Ha, ha! But Peter amt so good
| amt no good. an Peter knows it.
All Of 'em know it. It's no go. Bully.
s'no go. I'm bad lot to hang
| around with-know how l am? Peter
the jar Old man Alden's worthless
son. San Francisco, tha's the place,
damn the city. Old mans got a bank
there, got lots Of banks. Needed 'em
to keep Peter jar goin'. Old
The bad whisky and warm, foul
air wilted Peters brain and he sank
helplessly to the floor. Butler want
him Pete was through talking. He
winked heavily for the barkeeper
Slip me a coupla blank checks.
Got a live one. He'll think he's
aignin up at the club. Old mans a
morn likely lost son. Nice boy
were sorry, amt we?'
In San Francisco Peter Alden. sr
far flung interests throughout the
Pacific northwest, paced the deep
carpet of his private office. His face
was haggard and his strong. broad
sHiiouiueIS, ordinarily carrying nItS-
five years with the grace of youth.
Sagged forward helplessly. During
! his many years of active business
! life he had often been called upon
| judgment had been tempered with
/ justice and humane principles. and
| he had won praise for many things.
| But to him, most gratifying of all,
next to his reputation for absolute
honesty and justice, was the love and
! esteem of his friends, of whom he
| counted many. One. in particular,
| old Judge Stivers-John. he called
| him-had been for twenty years his
| constant companion and adviser.
| He was waiting for the judge now
as he paced nervously back and
| forth. Presently the door opened and
a thin. slightly stopped man of sixty
entered. His gray beard and mus
| tache formed perfect Van Dyke quite
| in keeping with his well groomed
appearance generally.
Good morning. John. Sit down"
| Alden indicated a chair near his desk
and finished his course across the
| room.
The judge seemed entirely aware
that something unusual was in the
air. What's the trouble, Peter?
What's wrong"
It's he" Alden pointed to large
| framed picture on his desk He S
/ gone; ugly rumors about town"
But you told me only two days
ago everything was settled
| "Yes. settled for two days. Here
are the papers just as fixed them
| Alden tapped a heap of matter be-
fore him. These are bills. thou
sands of dollars. l arranged pri-
| vately to pay them. on condition
that the creditors would continue to
demand payment from him. Only
one way to do 1t. John. | arranged
position for him as cashier with
the Pacific Central lines.
He wouldn't work for me. The
girls. YES here are the let
ters Settled them all Damn vam-
as a die, John, just as the boy told
it to me. and they couldn't deny it,"
The judge looked mystifed. All OF
this he had heard before.
/ Alden caught the expression. His
shoulders came back with snap and
the old fighting CLINT. the look thai
had made many a board of rebellious
directors come to terms. famed in
his eye. His fist came down with q
bang.
John. my boy might be wild. He
doesn't know the value of money
He might and has made mistakes
with women, but my boy has never
lied to me- and he is not a thief"
;Alden's voice Numbered the last SEN
tence out as he threw a telegram be-
fore the astonished judge.
John Stivers had never in twenty
years seen his friend assert himseli
so violently. He quickly adjusted hi:
glasses and read:
Peter Alden. sr.
Alden National Bank, San Francisco
Your son missing. all efforts tC
locate him have, failed safe robbed