Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1926-03-19


blameless, she remembered that
charge against her falthfulness.
Thereafter Michael was more dis
tressed than ever He saw the
Lennon children insufflciently fed,
with plenty next door; he saw them
insufiiciently clad. while his own
daughter had more than she needed
he knew the Lennon Golfer to be emp
ty, while his own useless money piled
up in the bank One evening. how
ever, he came home with a lighter
step than he had known since Dams
death. 's
Il guess you'd better have me to
look after your property" he said
gally to Mrs. Lennon, stopping at her
door.
MY property she repeated won
deringly.
"Yes, your property. A fellow was
down at the mills today hunting Dan
up to see why he didn't pay his In
surance. That was the first the COM
pany knew he was dead, and the first
II knew he had any insurance. Did
you know it?'
She was overwhelmed.
Dan always did keep his money
matters secret" she reflected, how
ever. and she managed to ask how
much It was.
well, it amt lump sum-" MI
chael answered her. 'It's better than
that; he insured himself so as to give
you eighty dollars a MONTH"
81 told the fellow I'd attend to the
business end of this for you" he In
formed her. There's got to be pa
pers signed, and they might cheat
woman. I'll draw your money for
you," and thereafter he did.
III.
And so matters might have gone
on, but that one day Michael made the
misstep which he had escaped through
all his service and got an ugly burn.
For a week he was delirious in the
fever that came OF It, 1t was during
that week that Mrs. Lennon. in the
midst of her nursing of him, happened
to remember that this was the fif-
teenth day of the month. Leaving
her patient in charge Of Nellie Dyer
she made her way to the office Of the
insurance company whose address she
had found upon her policy. As her
introduction she said that she had
come to draw her money, and laid
down her policy.
mo policy was ever issued by this
company In the name OF Daniel Len
non," the clerk informed her. This
paper is rank forgery so clumsy
that 1t would be laughable II II we're
not criminal"
He kept the policy still in his hand
1t was his evident intention not to
give 1t back to her Crushed and be-
wIldered. she turned away, but
thought sent her again to the wicket.
But l have been getting my money
on It for nearly four years. she
urged
''You havel'' said the clerk incredu-
lously. "who has been paying your"
Michael Dyer" she answered. "a
neighbor Of ours.
The clerk looked at her curi0usly
and presently he smiled.
II shall have to keep this policy and
look nm tbe factsn he fold her stIll
With that cprIops smile that had an
unwonted trace Of gentleness In It:
"but don't think lust now that ANY
prosecution will grow out of 1t. II
Mr.. DYER has been handing you this
money, he must have been paying 1t
out of his own pocket"
Now tbot tha c,aw bad baen v,vep
She rrou tbot tho c,arlr,s on,ecture
,on.t ha trua II wos Irte Michael ~
40 tb,s h,1 and versrous tbino-to
rivo rn 10 nor more than a tbird NJ
eII tbot ho earned
~
,ne wen, no,ne W. ~ 80 ~ "
whi'', "nu '.'nins ~ .,e. wi aouse
~ p,e".,lie's pan - .noue",, % pa.
uomn - W u, ~ .s,. 'Uvn o,a ''.,,s has
~. 1.s.o - - ~. .an,,, 80 a,.,ar 80 10 49,,
udices and IDEAS and babits az mental
nrocass that had bedeed abont her
soul she cor,d NOT tell !. bpt NO mat
ter how II came about. she was dif-
ferent woman when. half-hour later
Nellie Over came running over. beam
ing with delight.
. -.