Evening star., 1925-02-01

easier to commit sin than to prevent
IL. That, in my humble estimation, Is
crime in itself. Think! 1t is easier
to commit a murder, or perjury. or to
steal f40,0 than II is to do some
thing really normal, like getting
married or having tooth out. Now
/ should never have the courage to
get married. 1t is all very queer
and enigmatlc--more so, my dear
Pogarty, after one has peeped over
and seen the sunset"
During tho next few days Mr..
Jerold Pogarty negotiated the notes
without a hitch and without raising
the slightest suspicion. The whole
thing was done with the utmost dis
cretion.
On the following Saturday after
noon he made his fall from grace
irrevocable. He dropped a letter into
the pillarbox, a pitiful, pleading let
ter that was addressed TO the board.
He heard the letter drop, and his
heart missed beat, for he realized
that letters, once posted, proceed in
exorably to their appointed ad
dresses No effort of his could re-
gain possession OF that letter.
The letter pleaded for forgiveness,
prayed for a little charity of thought
He was getting old and something
must have gone wrong in his head.
Excuses we're beyond him; he himself
did not know how It all happened
His confession was utter and com
plete. Gambling was not for old
brains; il had demanded subtIer
faculties than he possessed. But he
had just been jolted into sanity; he
had made a slip, a ghastly blunder in
his figure jugglery that made dis
cOvery inevitable. Forgive-and try
TO think we'll of him. 1t was not he,
II was his miserable old brain that
had betrayed him. He was taking
what he humbly ventured to submit
was the bravest course, the course
that would give the dear old bank the
least trouble and pain. He mentioned
one or two little matters that would
require immediate attention on Mon
day morning, and finished the mis-
siVe with the neat little signature
they knew so we'll
Dear me" he reflected. That is
the last time 1 shall ever sign that
name. Most extraordinary, after the
thousands and thousands of times 1
have written that name
* X
THE mail train bore him swiftly to
Portsmouth. He crossed over to
the Isle of Wight. Early in the
morning he booked a bathing cabin
for the day. He went in, donned a
bathing suit, dressed again, lit the
spirit stove, and went out, leaving
his suit case and a flask of hot tea
in the cabin. He hung the key on
piece of string around his neck
He returned to Gosport by motor
boat. In an hours time the great
Rarnncrp~ia l,,n m
smiled when the decayed old gentle
man asked for boat They gave
him one and he left ESQ deposit on II
as he always did-"just in case any
thing went wrong. for he really
wasn't very much of a sailor, you
know. and he wouldn't like them to
lose by IT." He made a round of the
marine store dealers and fishing
tackle shops and bought a couple Of
lead sinkers at each
The boatmen waved him a merry
hand as the old "Cheership Party
sailed off. When well out into the
fairway he took off his boots and
dropped them overheard Then he
took off his collar and tie, waist
coat, shirt, and vest, attached sink
ers to them, and watched them sink
Into the shimmering deeps. Good
bye, Mr.. Pogarty," he murmured, as
they sank out OF sight. Then, dressed
only in jacket, trousers, hat and
socks, but apparently fully clad, he
slid away down Channel till he
came opposite his bathing suit, where
he backed and filled till the Beren-
garia swung into view.
She came on, riding majes ticaily by
in a colossal tiering of decks and
bats and smoking tunnels. He let the
sail fall and stood up to wave his
hat as the splendid thing swept by,
less than so yards abeam. She
passed. Suddenly those on the high
decks clutched at the rails in horror
The old gentleman In the dinghy was
in bad way. He had got caught
in the mammoth suck OF the great
liner and was spinning in the back
wash. His coat was tossing desper-
ately. Horrors, he was overl