OCR Text |
Show SYNOPSIS. Howard Jeffries, banker's son. under tho evil influence of Robert Underwood, fellow-student at Yale, leads a life of dissipation, dis-sipation, marries the daughter of a gambler gam-bler who died In prison, and is disowned by his father. He Is out of work and In desperate Btrait3. Underwood, who had once been eng-aged to Howard's stepmother. step-mother. Alicia. Is apparently in prosperous prosper-ous circumstances. Taking advantage of his Intimacy with Alicia, he becomes a sort of social highwayman. Discovering his true character. Alicia denies him the house. lie sends her a note threatening suicide. Art dealers for whom he acted as commissioner, demand an accounting. He cannot make good. Howard calls at bis apartments In an intoxicated condition condi-tion to request a loan of J.WO to enable him to take up a business proposition. Howard drinks himself Into a maudlin condition, and goes to sleep on a divan. A caller Is announced and Underwood draws a screen around the drunken sleeper. Alicia enters. She demands a promise from Underwood that he will not take his life. He refuses unless she will renew her patronage. This she refuses, and takes her leave. Underwood kills himself. The report of the pistol awakens awa-kens Howard. He finds Underwood dead. Howard is turned over to the police. Capt. Clinton, notorious for his brutal , . e n;.-.,.m-a nuta TTnwnrrl through the third degree, and finally gets an alleged confession from the harassed man. Annie. Howard's wife, declares her belief in her husband's innocence, and calls on Jeffries. Rr. He refuses to help unless she will consent to a divorce. To save Howard she consents, but when she finds that the elder Jeffries does not intend in-tend to stand bv his son, except flnan-ciallv. flnan-ciallv. she scorns his help. Annie appeals to Judge Brewster, attorney for Jeffries, Sr.. to take Howard's case. He declines. It is reported that Annie Is going on the stage. The hanker and his wife call on Judge Brewster to find some way to pre. vent it. Annie again pleads with Brewster Brew-ster to defend Howard." He consents. CHAPTER XVI. Continued. - "Ah! I begin to understand. Tou knew Robert Underwood? Howard knows your voice he heard you talking talk-ing to him Oh, Mrs. Jeffries! Are you the woman who visited his apartments apart-ments that night?" The banker's wife bowed her head and collapsed on a chair. "Yes," she murmured in a low tone. Annie looked at her in amazement. "Why didn't you come forward at once?" she cried. "Think of the pain which you might have spared us!" Alicia covered her face with her handkerchief. She was crying now. "The disgrace the disgrace!" she moaned. "Disgrace!" echoed Annie, stupefied. stupe-fied. Indignantly, she went on: "Disgrace "Dis-grace to you? But what of me and Howard?" "Can't you realize what It means to be associated with such a crime?" she walled. "Disgrace!" cried Annie contemptuously. contemptu-ously. "What Is disgrace when a human hu-man life Is at stake?" "It seemed so useless," moaned Alicia Al-icia "a useless sacrifice in the face of Howard's confession. Of course j if I'd known if I'd suspected what ! you tell me I'd have come forward j and told everything no matter at j what cost." Tearfully she added: I "Surely you realize the position it puts me in?" j A new light shone in Annie's eyes. What was this woman's misery to her? Her duty was to the poor fellow fel-low who was counting the hours until she could set him free. His stepmother stepmoth-er deserved no mercy. Utterly selfish, self-ish, devoid of a spark of humanity, she would have left them both to perish in order to protect herself from shame and ridicule. Her face was set and determined as she said calmly: "It must be done now." "Yes," murmured Alicia In a low tone that sounded like a sob. "it must bo done now! Oh, if I'd only done it before if I'd only told Mr. Jeffries the whole trulh! You speak of Howard's How-ard's sufferings. If he didn't do it, he has at least the consciousness of his own innocence, but I the constant con-stant fear of being found out is worse than any hell the imagination can conjure con-jure up. I dreaded it I dread it now it means disgrace social ostracism my husband must know the whole world will know." Anuie was not listening. Still bewildered, be-wildered, she gazed with the utmost astonishment at her companion. To think that this mysterious woman they had been seeking was Howard's stepmother. "So you're the missing witness we have all been hunting for!" she said; "1 can't believe it even now. How did it happen?" "He and I were once engaged. I broke it off when I found him out. After I married Mr. Jeffries I met Underwood Un-derwood again. Foolishly, I allowed the old intimacy to be renewed. He took advantage and preyed on my friends. I forbade him nty house. He wrote me a letter in which he threatened to kill' himself. I was afraid he meant It I wanted to prevent pre-vent him. I went to his rooms that night. I didn't tell Mr. Jeffries. When the truth is known and I acknowledge ac-knowledge that I visited this man-can man-can you see what it means? what a fuss there'll be. Everybody will put the worst construction on it" "Trust them for that!" said Annie srimly. She was sorry for the worn-'n's worn-'n's distress, yet, being only human, lie felt a certain sense of satisfaction I ccLaUIXS KLEIN Y y ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAY WA1STLR$ COPYRIGHT, 109, tY C.W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY In seeing her suffer a little of what she had been made to suffer. "They'll say that I God knows what they'll say!" went on Alicia distractedly. dis-tractedly. "My husband will be dragged through the mire of another public scandal his social prestige will oh, I dare not think of it I know my duty is to that unfortunate boy. I mustn't think of myself." "Have you the letter that Mr. Underwood Un-derwood wrote you?" demanded her companion. "Yes I've never been, able to destroy de-stroy it. I don't know why I kept it, but thank God I have it!" Moaning, she went on: "The disgrace! the disgrace! it's ruin degradation! It's . the end of everything: the end of everything!" Annie regarded with contempt this poor, weak, wailing creature who lacked the moral courage to do what was merely right. Her voice was not unkind as she said: "I don't want to disgrace you or ruin you. Cut what am I to do tell me, what am I to do?" "I don't know," moaned her companion com-panion helplessly. , " TT r m x f (1 m 11 c t Yia oornrl " "Yes." "Will you tell Judge Brewster or shall I?" "Judge Brewster! Why should he know?" cried Alicia, startled. More composedly and as if resigned to the inevitable, she went on: "Yes, I suppose sup-pose he must know sooner or later, but. I" She broke down again and burst into in-to tears. Annie watched her in silence. si-lence. ' "It's tough isn't it?" she said sympathetically. sym-pathetically. "Yes," sobbed Alicia through her tears, "it's it's tough!" Rising, she dried her eyes and said hastily: "Don't say anything now. Give me a few hours. Then I can think what is best to be done." Annie was about to reply when the office 'door suddenly opened and Judge Brewster entered. Addressing Alicia, he said: "Pardon me, Mrs. Jeffries, I hope I haven't kept you waiting." Noticing her agitation and traces of tears, he The clerk retired and the banker, completely Ignoring the presence of his daughter-in-law, turned to his wife and said: "I regret, my dear, that you should be subjected to these family annoyances." annoy-ances." Judge Brewster came forward and cleared his throat as if preliminary to something important he had to say. Addressing the banker, he said boldly: bold-ly: "Mr. Jeffries, I have decided to undertake un-dertake Howard's defense." His aristocratic client was taken completely by surprise. For a moment mo-ment he could say nothing, but simply sim-ply stared at the lawyer as if unable un-able to believe his ears. With an effort, ef-fort, he at last exclaimed: "Indeed! then you will please consider con-sider our business relations to have ceased from this moment." The lawyer bowed. "As you please," he said suavely. The banker turned to his wife. "Alicia come." He offered his arm and turned toward to-ward the door. Alicia, in distress, looked back at Annie, who nodded reassurinelv to her. .Tlldp-e Rrewster I rose and, going to the door, opened it. The banker bowed stiffly and said: "Pray don't trouble. Good morning, sir." As Alicia followed'-her husband out, she turned and whispered to Annie: "Come and see me at my home." When she had disappeared the judge came back into the room and sat down at his desk. "Well, that's done!" he exclaimed with a sigh of relief. Rummaging for a moment among his papers, he looked up and said with an encouraging encoura-ging smile: "Now, if you please, we will go over that evidence bit by bit." CHAPTER XVII. The news that Judge Brewster would appear for the defendant at the approaching trial of Howard Jeffries went through the town like wildfire, and caused an immediate revival in the public interest, which was beginning begin-ning to slacken for want of hourly Each Was Absorbed In His Own Thoughts. looked surprised. He made no comment com-ment but turned to Annie: "I have been talking to Dr. fcern-steln fcern-steln over the 'phone." Annie approached him softly and said in a whisper: "I've told Mrs. Jeffries that you have undertaken Howard's defense." Judge Brewster smiled at his wealthy client, almost apologetically, Annie thought. Then addressing her, he said: "Y'es, I've been quite busy since I saw you. I have put three of the best detectives we have on the trail of the woman who visited Underwood that night. I don't think the police have been trying very hard to find her. They're satisfied with Howard's confession. con-fession. But we want her and we'll get her " "Oh!" gasped Alicia. The judge was proceeding to tell of other steps he had taken when the door opened and the head clerk entered, en-tered, followed by Mr. Jeffries. "I told Mr. Jeffries that Mrs. Jeffries Jef-fries was here," said the clerk. "You might have told him that there were two Mrs. Jeffries here," laughed the Judge. stimulation. Rumor said that there had been a complete reconciliation in the Jeffries family, that the banker was now convinced of his son's innocence, inno-cence, and was determined to spend a fortune, if necessary, to save hlra. This and other reports of similar nature were all untrue, but the judge let them pass without contradiction. They were harmless, he chuckled, and if anything, helped Howard's cause. Meantime he himself had not been Idle. When once he made up his mind to do a thing he was not content con-tent with half measures. Night and day he worked on the case, preparing evidence, seeing witnesses and experts, ex-perts, until he had gradually built up a bulwark of defense which the police would find difficult to tear down. Yet he was not wholly reassured reas-sured as to the outcome until Annie, the day following the Interview in his office, informed him breathlessly that she had found the mysterious woman. The judge was duly elated; now it was plain sailing. Indeed! There had always been the possibility that Howard's How-ard's confession to the police was true, that he had really killed Underwood. Under-wood. But now they had found the one Important witness, the mysterious mysteri-ous woman who was in the apartment apart-ment a few minutes before the shooting shoot-ing and who was in possession of a letter in which Underwood declared his intention of shooting himself, doubt was no longer possible. Acquit tal was a foregone conclusion. So pleased was the judge at Annie's find that he did not insist on knowing the woman's name. He saw that Anuie preferred, for some reason, not to give it even to her legal adviser and he let her have her way, exacting only that the woman should be produced the instant he needed her. The young woman readily assented. Of course, there remained the "confession," but that had been obtained unfairly, illegally, il-legally, fraudulently. The next important impor-tant step was to arrange a meeting at the judge's house at which Dr. Bernstein, Bern-stein, the hypnotic expert, would be present and to which should be invt ted both Capt Clinton and Howard's father. In front of all these witnesses the judge would accuse the police cap tain of browbeating his prisoner intc making an untrue confession. Per haps the captain could be argued intc admitting the possibility of a mistake having been made. If, further, he coulc be convinced of the existence of doc umentary evidence showing that Un derwood really committed suicide h might be willing to recede from his position in order to protect himself At any rate it was worth trying. Tht judge insisted, also, that to this meet ing the mysterious woman witness should also come, to be produced al such a moment as the lawyer mighl consider opportune. Annie merely de manded a few hours' time so she could make the appointment and soon re turned with a solemn promise thai the woman would attend the meet ing and come forward at whatevei moment called upon. Three evenings later there was an Impressive gathering at Judge Brewster's Brew-ster's residence. In the handsomely appointed library on the second floor were seated Dr. Bernstein, Mr. Jeffries Jef-fries and the judge. Each was absorbed ab-sorbed in his own thoughts. Dr. Bernstein Bern-stein was puffing at a big black cigar; the banker stared vacantly into space. The judge, at his desk, examined some legal papers. Not a word was spoken. spo-ken. They seemed to be waiting for a fourth man who had not yet arrived. ar-rived. Presently Judge Brewster looked up and said: "Gentlemen, I expect Capt. Clinton in a few minutes, and the matter will be placed before you." Mr. Jeffries frowned. It was greatly great-ly against his wish that he had been dragged to this conference. Peevishly, Peevish-ly, he said: "I've no wish to be present at the meeting. You know that and yet you sent for me." Judge Brewster looked up at him quickly and said quietly yet decisively: Mr. jennes, it is ausottueiy necessary nec-essary that you be present when 1 tell Capt. Clinton that he has either willfully or ignorantly forced your sou to confess to having committed a crime of which I am persuaded he is absolutely innocent." The banker shrugged his shoulders. "If I can be of service, of course, I I am only too glad but what can I say what can 1 do?" ''Nothing," replivd the judge curtly. "But the moral effect of your presence is invaluable." More amiably he went on: "Believe me, Jeffries, I wouldn't have taken this step unless 1 was absolutely ab-solutely sure of my position. I have been Informed that Underwood committed com-mitted suicide, and to-night evidence confirming this statement is to bo placed in my hands. The woman who paid him that mysterious visit just before his death has promised to come here and tell us what she knows. Now, if Capt. Clinton can he got to admit the possibility of his being mistaken it means that your sou will be free in a few days." "Who has given you this information?" informa-tion?" demanded the banker skeptically. skeptic-ally. "Howard's wife," answered the judge quietly. The banker started and the lawyer went on: "She knows who the woman is, and has promised to bring her here to-night with documentary docu-mentary proof of Underwood's suicide." sui-cide." "You are depending on her?" he sneered. "Why not?" demanded the judge, j "She has more at stake than any of us. She has worked Jay and night on this case. It was she who aroused Dr. Bernstein's interest and persuaded persuad-ed him to collect the evidence against Capt. Clinton." The banker frowned. "She is the cause of the whole miserable mis-erable business," he growled. The door opened and the butler, en tering, banded his master a card. "Ah!" ejaculated the judge. "Here's our man! Show bim up." When the servant had disappeared Mr. Jeffries turned to his host. With a show of irritation he said: "I think ynu put too much faith In that woman, but you'll find out you'll find out." Judge Brewster smiled. (TO UK OONTIN'UKD.) |