Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-10-17
BeggarS Can Choose

A@NAAASH AJul w III uOtSu hllOW Il We
got this money. Nobody knows, ex-
cept the bank clerks. 1 thought saw
ings account was a private matter.
Will has a studio down near here-if
he could study-if he could go to
Paris"
II know" said Pastano. HE rents
his workroom from me. I've seen
some of his stuff. Well-Loring can
go to jail then, for all of me, and If
you are subpenaed into court, to tes-
tify about things that happened at
Langley lake three summers ago, don't
say 1 didn't warn YOU
He sighed. His eyes were sad and
tired. The tears sprang down Ernes-
tines cheeks.
Don't think l don't appreciate this
Il know that you endanger Yourself
your very life-by talking to me. 1
know enough about all this to know
what you are doing-it's generous, but,
oh, Ruby, it is VIII love-WilI, all
the time"
"Your sister" he objected.
"Why should l sacrifice viii for
Loring and LillianY she said passion
ately. ut will take me long time to
accumulate this money again. And
simply to give it away-to send 1t out
blindly, and not even know where it
goes! Loring has always hated Will
has tried to harm him. And now you
ask me to give up Wills chance. He
can't wait forever. His gift will die,
he'll go STALE"
"Loring has loved you, Ernestine."
She stopped her incoherent speech.
She looked at him with dark eyes, and
her face grew very pale.
THAT time" Pastano said, when
you were ill-when Elaine was born,
we would not have found you, if it had
not been for Loring."
But VIII found me-" she Quavered.
"Yes-after Loring had torn the
town up-had organized a search
had warned me. VIII would still be
wandering about Sheridan Park. And
after Will found you, what did he do?
You might have died there, without
proper care. 1t was Lorings practical
energy and ability-his decision and
his efficiency which saved you"
He got up and moved about rest
lessly. He seemed almost to plead
with her.
THAT'S why I couldn't sleep last
night. 1t came to me all the time-he
loves our Ernestine, fool and traitor
that he is. He would give everything
he has-for her. 1t is her sister, her
family. her family name. She is
mixed in it--she will be hurt by it. So
this morning, l came to town. have
seen the bank ledger from time to
time. l have watched your private
fortune growing with much interest,
and known, or thought, that Will was
ignorant of it. So this morning /
came to town, and carefully 1 have
made this possible. And now, you do
| not see it."
He was putting his watch together
as he spoke, but he left the slip Of
paper in Ernestine's hand.
TITS one O'clock" he said. "The
bank closes at three. Suppose you go
and talk to Will. A woman ought not
take step like this, anyhow, without
talking to her husband"
I'm not going to give Wills money
to Loring," Ernestine said despair
ingly.
Mr.. Pastano opened the door for
her, but did not answer her low
i "good-by."
Ernestine went swiftly down the
stairs and out into the brightness Of
the street.
I'm not going to ask WILL" she
| thought stubbornly. Hell just tell
me to do what Pastano wants. I'm
not going to do it."
She ran for car going north and
| boarded it. She rode as far as Bel
mont avenue, jumped up suddenly and
got out of the street car. A taxi stood
before a drug store across the street.
Ernestine ran across through the
traffic and got into the taxi.
"Please hurry" she said, and gave
| him the address of the old office build
ing near the river, where Will led his
secret life.
She felt that she could not get to
VIII soon enough, now she was
started. She paid the taxi driver at
the door and went quickly into the
dim and dusty doorway.
CTO BE CONTINUED)