Show A POOR OR V W I 1 investment N V ity 1 mm by TU anmie pV it lt was a criep crisp wintry day the few pedestrians who preferred a brisk walk in the open to a halfhearted half hearted at tempt at keeping warm in an over crowded car were hurrying down Broa broadway dAay the snow crackled under their brisk tread and the cold north wind crept in behind high coat collars and mischievously nipped hiding ears earn in the stenographers era room at the peoples bank miss niles ramsey eat sat by the low radiator trying to thaw as she be expressed it the while she sorted the accumulation of yesterdays correspondence As she worked a corn com tort fort ablo feeling of contentment stole stale over aver her of a truth her lines had fallen in pleasant places the bank was perfection in all its appointments the duties which came under the stenographers ken were neither arduous nor unpleasant stocks hoods deposits and investments were eo so familiar that they almost wrote themselves as her fengers traveled over the keys but not the least pleasant of her surroundings were her associates hose those officials and minor incumbents aho abo made up the working force tho living iving furniture of a P well appointed j establishment there was the preal president pent few ot of libers coulie boast an employer so affably courteous so thoughtful of at others so no near the ideal as the lion mortimer belding president of the peopled peoples bank ho commanded the unbounded respect of the entire force and as for miss ramsey to her he was as the embodiment of all the graces stat could be bottled up tip in one employer then there was tho the presidents eon son who occupied tho the dual role of cashier of the li bank aud and the ardent admirer of annetta armsey and euch such Is the fral lity of human nature to this frank open hear d carefree care free scapegrace miss ra rat ey had bad given her whole heart keart A halt half mile smile flickered at the corners of her mouth as she thought of jack belding she remembered his advent into the office more potent still was the recollection of his fathers righteous indignation when jack came canto home from college in dire dis grace it was the old story of mis ap to lator glory so of am ercy was ila n hr h r au 3 as 0 t 14 41 teral gace I 1 as buy bu y it too bings that make your one were the s park anc hourn she grin of the ragged newsboy as he moved away from corn a certain bench in order to leave cupid a clearer field musing in this happy fashion annette finished her task and answered sered an with alacrity the call from the presidents sanctum his pleasant good morning harmonized perfectly with her genial mood and the days quota of correspondence ran smoothly on under his friendly supervision you 4 1 no father I 1 have forgotten notting nott ing 11 mry leave the letters on my desk for signature miss annette he said As the dictation ended 1 I shall be away the greater part of the day straight ening out that walters deposit matter miss ramsey went back to her room rovin and wa was soon busily transcribing out in the bank mr bolding belding was giving mome final directions looking in as he finished to say to annette take your time and go home early then ho he went out and tor for the rest of the morning work claimed the undivided attention of the entire force noon cam 4 quickly and the halt half hour lun clion at a downtown cafe was over all too soon for the pair fitting ft f t a corner table drinking their coffee in quiet contentment As they went back to the bank jaak seemed unusually preoccupied it la Is nothing dear he be assured annette only a little matter of at business and a premonition for which I 1 cannot carnot account his tits words lingered with annetto annette aa as she re entered her altti room and prepared to finish her tusk but as yet et they were only of Import Im portie Ae in fact sho she had almost forgotten them as her typewriter clicked busily and the last very truly yours was duly appended to an unusually long document this done she carrini carri hi the little pile of neatly written letters into the private office standing by the window a aa as she turned to come out to watch atch the crowds now beginning to throng broadway reentering her own sanctum she gave a little cry of dell bated surprise tor for jack belding at r f d by her window gazing abstractedly down the street at aba LUO sound of her voice he turned and without a word stretched out his arms with a woman ii quick intuition she divined the anu unu unusual bual sam berness of his mood and gazed tenderly into the face eo so close to hers aa as if she would read therein tho the inmost secret secrets of his soil dearett De aresi and bis his voice broke a attle the there reh a paper it o 0 father fathera desk that I 1 muse must see without delay shall wo we look for it together it ob alac jack ck fa it necessary to touch hie his private pa papers kaperst can you not wait until his return he lie la to so particular about everything belonging to him replied the eirl airl ats Y aquette Ao Ana uette ette I 1 must have that pa per at once or and there he be 1 stopped topped I come dear and then wa w will ill go eight seeing uptown up town towo he be add cd ed reassuringly and drow draw her with him into his fathers private office outside sleigh bells jingled musically annette alood by the desk as jack quickly examined the different compartments the minutes seemed lengthened into hours as bo he rapidly searched aery crack and creale then with a sigh of disappointment he be stood erect only to encounter lila tits fathers eyes fixed steadily on him from the doorway doo surprise filial love and distrust struggled for the mastery as he took a step forward encircling annetta Annet td waist a hd ba dl did eo 80 ills ilia father stared frowningly at the pair standing at andic before him Is it my own son who into his father fathers s private papers and Is in it miss ramse ramsey who accepts with equa equanimity nimit the at tent lons of at john helding he said scathingly bis his axing hotter as the pair stood moti motionless onles by the th desk miss lumsey ramsey will ou u go to your room I 1 will talk with this young man alone and be he took a step toward thera them the big clock in the corner ticked monotonously and still jack stood motionless be fore his father then in a FL voice husky with suppressed emotion he aid father miss bliss ramsey baa promised to be my wife ife whatever you have to say to me must be sad sald to both now indeed was mortimer belding righteously indignant you have evi dently forgotten your socia stand ing my son ison he said and Ann ettea cheeks burned at the implied taunt no father I 1 have forgotten nothing not even tent package of ties missing from our vaults jack thoroughly aroused at last A shadow of fear crossed mr beld ings face he tried to speak but the words died on bis his lips for his son to towered ered above him accusingly and annette ramsey gazed with ith wide open yes eyes first at the father aud rad then at jack there was silence for a moment and the shadows of a winter after noon encircled them then jack spoke again father they have searched all morning for NY that pack age I 1 saw you take tako it out tomorrow to morrow there will be an investigation do not eink sink that too on wall street I 1 tried to find it in your desk and thus save my father from public exposure I 1 am not a thief without a word the president of tho the peoples bank strode over to his desk and pressing a socrat spring drew draw out the package oi 0 securities and gave it to jack then a he bowed his head the two stole tole out and quietly snut saut the door in the solitude of her own room that night annette ramsey said to herself with a sigh for her shattered ideal man at best Is a poor investment human nature Is never a safe bank of deposit |