San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-08

Mr.. Evans smiled tolerant
ly: Come, come, no stalling,
You understand, young lady,
that the theft of $4,000 is e
felony, punishable with long term
in San Quentin"
Nora Lee closed the living room
door. She stood here moment be-
cause of the wild swelling of hei
breath. She held to the knob as
though she would shut from the world
the infamy she felt had come.
"HAND THEM OVER"
Andrews wife had reported the
bonds stolen.
If she surrendered them she would
be branded a thief; if she kept them
she would have to explain why An
drew, having a wife, should give
$4,000 to her.
She cast a frantic look about the
room as though inspiration would
come from its silent walls. She
walked unsteadily to chair and sat
with her hands clasped in her lap.
DO you understand the conse-
quences of stealing such a large sum,
Miss"
Il have not stolen anything. The
bonds were given TO me-"
perhaps the person who gave them
to you stole them. The receiver of
stolen property shares in the crime.
No, Miss VIC don't want to make
things hard for you. You've got those
bonds. You've admitted having them.
Best thing you can do is to hand them
over. May save yourself a lot of trou-
ble."
e The bonds were given to me by
the person who owned them. They
are mine and no one else's."
who gave them TO you?"
WHO OWNED THEM?
She repeated, desperately, her heart
flying to her throat: The person who
owned them"
That so? The person who owns
these bonds has reported them stolen.
So you see, your story won't hold. Bet
ter not try this game, Miss. Better
come clean"
Her young pride flashed. This raw
faced fellow thought she was a thief.
He meant to insist on it. She said,
burningly: mo! / know who has re-
ported them stolen. The bonds never
belonged to her. 1t is a false claim.
And she knows it!
Now. sec here, Miss Meadows,
these bonds belong to Mrs. Lily Stew
art. They disappeared from Mr..
Stewards office within few days aft
or his death. We have the goods on
the bonds, all right. and who owns
them. II you didn't steal them, how
did they come into your possession 2"
"Mr. Stewart gave the bonds to me
before he died. Mrs. Stewart knows
this is the truth"
"Why should Mr.. Stewart take COM
munity property a give it to you,
Miss Meadows, when he had a wife-I
an invalid wife who needed
all his money!"
ANDREWS WORDS. q.
Nora Lee stared before her, a fixed
smile on her lips. but the blood was
now afirc in her checks. An impetuous
surge of memories pounded in mad
sea against her brain. : Lily Cor
nish with the pistol lcveled against her
mothers heart; Margaret standing at
the living room window, that look of
immortal grief in her beautiful eyes !;
Andrew with. his head bowed, his
hands cold and shaking as he gave
her the bonds; the altered humminc
when he whispered: II have
thought of her in all / do. I would
give up life to spare her pain. Speak
for me if 1 do not come, now will
you. Nora Lee?"
The love of these two: their sacred
love and its final tragedy was in the
secret of these bonds. How could she
guard it?
1t seemed to Nor, Lee that Mar.
garet stood behind her chair; that
Margaret wrung her hands and plead
ed. Her face had the same look as on
that day when Andrew left them. She
had leaned exhausted against the stone
her clasped hands at her lips
like a white angel weeping. When
Nora Lee said, "Oh, mother, is your
heart breaking?" she had answered
with sobbing laugh.
That day was the end Of life; the
end of happiness for her-dear, mar
tyred saint
And bow she lay in her coffin With
the seraphic and blessed smile carved
from the very spirit on her lips. Who
would believe all this beauty of her?
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