Evening star., 1934-11-05
CHAPTER XIV.
MARIAN'S OFFER.
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kTJudithH
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<<Y DIDN'T need to see the man.
- Mr.. McSwain," said Marian.
Il heard what he said, and ]
i understood.
Your fathers daughter"
he sneered. You wouldn't need to
see; you know everything, always"
Il know you gave $4,000 to William
Brown as a bribe. buying protection
for the rotten material you intend to
use in a school building"
You're out Of your senses. Let's
talk this over reasonably: you're too
bright girl to think you know more
than the courts of the law.
He was becoming conciliatory.
In this instance I do know more
than the courts" she returned calmly.
Il was more fortunate than our dis
trict attorney. I found proof"
You what what proof?"
1T isn't necessary for me to tell
you what proof l hold. I'll produce
it If you do not change your plans
on that school building"
You think a bit of a girl can tell
me how to run my business, eh?"
| Il know I can force you to build
according to the specifications. or I
can take a letter 1 hold written by
Cliff Hondon to your daughter before
he attempted suicide"
"Intercepting the mails. can
have you put in the Federal prison."
oh. no you can't" countered
Marian. Silver gave me the letter
to read only, there was one
page she overlooked, page which
tells of how you got the money to
pay to Brown"
Gave you the letter to read. eh?
know If you'd had the letter in
your possession you would have
turned it over to Earle's crowd
they'd have paid you well for such
thing"
Il have the letter" Marian insisted
Some one stuffed it into my coat
pocket thinking it was my note paper.
l found 1t there, reread it, discov-
cred this discriminating page. I knew
I could do no good by exposing you
then"
McSwain was convinced, Marian
could tell that by his attitude. He
sat down on a rustic bench which
circled a magnolia tree in front OF
the Summer house, mead supported
lightly by one arm. The mention OF
Cliff Hondon. the one man besides
Brown who knew OF his duplicity, had
convinced him.
Where is that Letter nGW?" he asked
at length in a 'ow voice.
I'm a safe place" MaIian answered
I'm keeping it there l had Intended
giving 1t back to Silver soon after I
| found it, but she disappeared from the
city. I've only known since this after
oon where to reach her"
And now you're returning it?"
mot after what I heard tonight.
I don't feel I have the right to. You
weren't satisfied with sacrificing Cliff
Hondon, you we're going right on with
your criminal plan to build an unsafe
building which would house children,
just SO you could save yourself finan-
cially"
Again the silence, Marian, looking
over her shoulder was conscious again
OF the mountains presence. the brood
ing quietness of it. protective quiet
ness. Her temper had cooled as she
talked. now she was wondering II she
had done right in telling this man Of
the letter.
Young lady" he said, still in that
low voice, you know what it means
to be desperate. I've been desperate
lot of builders have these last
few years. This business slump has
hurt us worse than any other trade
We've had buildings We thought were
sold come back on us. white elephants.
new contracts based on credit
never cash. I've had a hard life I've
fought every step of the way and I've
come up from a stratum Of living
you've never known. couldn't compre-
hend. I've never intended putting up
a building that wouldn't hold .
wasn't safe. Our restrictions here in
this State are unusually severe .
foolishly severe. I only intended to