Show r r f II Yi 4 i 1 M T 7 f f U c r. r f. f 1 ll ff e Fighting Dope t j I Novelized by From the Play by by b Y VIRGINIA UBI LEILA IA WENTZ I WILLIAM J. J HURLBURT URT I I 1 r r J 1 fiThen fj Then The Temple T mPle c came me in His Ills face tace and P hK bearing told her more plainly than that he h had Just won a great Miss Dale you wont won't mind Im I'm y r ure ure re Mr lir fr Craven r ven and I have some Important private business business to discuss j e fJ ri Temple turned y to tC Craven 1 Iti saU its it's Grangers Granger's rn ers er's own own wD Tetter letter See Seel I He Hei i h held ld out a letter whose torn tom fragments bad nd been heen neatly pieced and pasted t tot toc to- to c t tether ether cu Q r sh sheet t of Dt p paper per Bv nr Jove Tove ejaculated the old law rj yer t tremblingly grabbing the letter I wait waita a minute cried Tem Tem- Temy y ll boyishly clutching him by the L. L shoulder houlder Let me explain first what n escape weve we've had Crane c ime across it this morning In an en m me s Just y ol fill file He vas looking over Bradys Brady's shoulder Brady reading It with an i oath tote tore It ft up Then Crane told him F wanted him on the phone K y out I tc Go lo ni on go go on on on exclaimed Craven delightedly t j c J and d when when Brady B dY went Crane Cran crabbed the pieces bless blesa him and andr r t hur hurried d out out of ot the om office e never to return re re- re- re 5 turn a again I 1 dare a ersa says says' say it 1 Hang It it t all tiu as as if it I cared what he does now Craven Craven read aloud from fromI l I the the letter fiercely exultant l t Dear ear Mr r. r r. r Brady Brady himself you t t. t see gee T Temple Your Temple Tour letter In regard to 4 certifying check for tor to be drawn on Gotham Gotha Trust company received also 4 i i yo your r proposition to writer noted f. f I t 11 i Guess Gues s j that's hat s plain pain enough laughed laugh laugh- k ed Temple k C Craven v with a nod pursued t- t It If Temple refuses to certify an ol old friends friend's check I 1 wont won't Til ru accept yourt your you t proposition I t own will certify the check Yo You You are to make good With the funds by th the and I am to receive for said Bald service services Q the sum of Se Send d the check in th the Jr it will wUl go through O. O OKli I In 3 spite of Temple Very truly yours 7 ROBERT GRANGER l t Measly Measly little Measly Weve We've got him t v Weve We've got Elm cried Craven wIth will t fierce erce g gladness dE fool what what hat beastly b little s What a a. tool a tool fool be oe w was s no to put that all down h In was Temples Temple's only comment writing reflectively ely Huh said Craven re Oh I l dont don't know Pretty s sl stick ck I think That agreement covered conred ins li lit In t s wr writing i 1 i you see see- see did the the Job made him bin Well wi we we sure of o getting his mone wont won't need d that Information about the thi 4 New v York Central stock now will we old boy boy- boyThe The woman In the case an and a all 1 ot other er such little things are ar superfluities super super- now eh t. t S Sure they're t eyre superfluities agreed Temple smiling Theres no call ti to tc rub It In on the poor villain Temple lock this gilt edged precIous preciou thing up at once said Craven en bandIng hand band handI I r Ing tag him the letter Cant take an any t chances with this Your Tour good name there und understand under under- r i r your honor onor is there there- stand lItand i t Temple crossed with the letter over ove over to his big safe then paused r It Hang liang my memory he be said If It 1 1 haven't tor forgotten otte the combination Hon a as usual Ca Call l. l Miss ri Dale Wt Anna Wl en Anna Granger entered calm businesslike as ever ver ever neither of they the thi i hint In which y men me got g a of ot the way her nerves nerves' nerv nerves s' s were tingling nor of tb the volcano of emotion raging back ol ot of those quiet JT gray y eyes i A Awfully IY sorry florry to disturb rb you again Miss MillS Dale D b but t you see once on e more morl that thai f 11 1 pesky combinations combination's clean escaped me Its It's of ot vii vi vl J We must lock up this letter i tl tal import She bowed not trusting herself ton to tc n speak and walking over quietly un unlocked un un- f locked the safe Temple put the tM let letter letter let and locked the safe sate himself J ter ter In W We e win wn MIss Mss Dale we win he ht f f j c tiled cried like a Joyously excited boy Then When his voice became tender and nd V i ve I want to talk to you a little i- i ter he said Will you mind wait waitIng Ing for tor me here Come Craven Ester Esterbrooks l is outside and we we have to tc toi brooks brook's man send down by i f eign some papers to him bim t I t l 1 When the door had closed behind themen the themen themen I men Anna stood for tor a second stock Ff still the pupils of ot her eyes blackening Tern Tern- strangely Of vital Importance pies pie's words rang In her ears It t probably probably S. S S ably meant her ber husbands husband's freedom hex het childrens children's Inheritance Should she Could she Wasn't this Just what she it for tor you had come for tor Ill get b i e Robert she said Throwing back her slender shoulders shoulders swimmer to breast the th ders as os n a strong knees beside beti be be- dropped on her waves aves she ti side the safe sate and rapidly worked the th thee r e co She drew out the let let- raised it so J 7 teri ter Still kneeling she window fell that the light from the th I Y across it w At first Roberts Robert's well wen known chirography that she could not raphy danced so read read his words but all aU too soon the r itself and a d the words steadied 1 S. S dancing of ot damning stared s ared out in deadly lines guilt t Twice thrice she read it drawing sharply across her eyes as asIf asu her fingers Then a aur tile u If to ward off ort the lightning w way opt from tr m ur gasping cry rent reI t way her ber verY heart t very now Her IIer hus bus husband u It was all so plain thiefS thief band was not only a n liar hut hurt a E- E S f 1 r o ht ht 1911 by American Press Pren Association children children e wO 1 a Tie lie e l branded life lite as the children of a thief thief thief-oh oh God Godl Cato yawned She looked toward the fireplace and started An In Impulse came to her ber a fierce swift Impulse Impulso such as red Indians have The tigress tigress ti U- gress was awake in her her the the tigress fighting for her offspring And like mee n a nery very ery tigress too agile swift as an nn arrow she glided to where the little flames beckoned and anil held the letter close E. down clown to them The paper writhed and curled as at the fire caught It H adroitly Ill save you vou boys save boys save you la ht spite of ot your father tather in spite of myself my my- self elf she breathed the breath coming hard through her open dry lipsIt lips Ups It had n II will of Us itc own this naper 5 LW S I l I I J SAVE FOYS YOU l IV SPITE OF YOUK B IN OF and fought the Ute inimical flames dames bravely brave brave- ly as they encroached l upon its territory terri terry tory tort The woman oman her fingers scorched scorch scorch- ed brown brown held beld it until it fell away In charred glossy scraps watching It t wall 1 a sort of ot charmed awful interest Interest Inter inter- est With an effort she raised herself to her feet The gaping doors of ot the opened safe stared nt of her Mechanically MechanIcally Mechanically cally she crossed over closed them and locked the combination Then Inevitably her eyes sou sought ht the fireplace The mocking Ing flames flameR stung her ber like so many scorpion scorpion pion tongues Was it wild fancy f or r rw was w s Cato ato really watching her with that dumb dumb awful reproach h In iri his bl eyes God in heaven What had she done donel If It she had destroyed the proof of ot Roberts Robert's Roberts Robert's Roberts Robert's Rob Rob- erts ert's guilt Ut she he had also destroyed the proof of ot Burton Temples Temple's Innocence Of that she bad had not thought thou ht rhe the had hadnot hadnot hadnot not had time to think The telephone bell rang rang In her dazed distorted condition It seemed far away She did not move to answer an an- answer it at once Ill take It Ill It-I'll Ill I'll take th the message Miss Mss Dale D le called Temple cheerfully blowing bl Into the th room at this second record d. d His face tace wore an unclouded look of ot lightness as he picked up the receiver er II Hello llo Yes Yep What's that you rO say lay Esterbrook the district attorney wants me on the on-the the wire All rl right ht Tell Tel him to step up here I 1 am And then to the district attorney You want to see sl that Granger letter letter letter let let- ter personally tonight Yes wh e wheAt wh At your home Very well Ill I'll fetch it down myself tonight Goodby Miss Dale he said turning to his I secretary I think If It you'll get me that letter out of the safe sate Ill I'll take the next train for New York The room seemed to be darkening She made a few steps toward the safe tottered and fell upon the divan With Witha a long shudder that relaxed all nil her bet young limbs her senses left her Poor little woman she's been wontIng wording wontIng wont wont- Ing too hard I ought to have ha thought Temple rang ra rab 1 the bell for tor Mrs Irs Mason then bent above her In a tender absorption absorption absorption ab ab- sorption sp speaking to her as he be might have spoken to a child calling her comforting and rousing her ber His Ills deep voice bad had an enchanters enchanter's sweetness wooed Her lier ber back to toj and aDd gradually g It j She did not know what he was Wall saying to her but she responded Her lien white lids fluttered she moved a deep sigh lifted her breast 4 pt M that door to Mrs Ma a- a 4 I sons son's s 's hand escaped her ber and swung to Mrs Mason is that you said TempIe Tern Tem pie without looking around Will wm ou on come here Poor child Tm rm afraid sh h needs your pare care Anna nna raised herself herselt by an effort Her first half halt conscious impulse was to tp throw hEr herself elf Into the arms of ot the woman standing by her Then as she perceived Mrs Mason Iason clearly as her hot reason came back and her gaze stead led lcd the impulse ded died That was a dowdy dowd sort of ot thing to ta tado todo todo do said she apologetically with a faint taint smile She rose to her ber feet Did 1 I turn up my eyes to ht heaven cn once and overwhelm lm you Mr Ir Temple tv seen een It ft done like that on the stage It looks melodramatic Im I'm sorry orry She was talking frivolously frivolously against the awful blackness of ot despair In the background of ot her mood Now Mrs Mason Temple said Miss Dale D ll with big bl kindliness help belp I to her room lock 1011 h her r in if It need h be and dont don't let her show sho shoher her fire fare until tomorrow at noon noon Strict orders l. l you understand he hl added ly o Oh and Miss USI Dale Im I'm so 80 sorry son sonto to trouble you but just one money t before you go 10 Would cu ou giving Jd me ml that combination so that I ran tm In Jot it down flown Suiting the action altion lo to the wor words s. s he hp pulled outa out a book of memoranda I 1 In very pry bewildered pathetic fashion Anna Annn Grangers Granger's er I hands bands l went up to her hei heavy heR masses mas of hair Its my dizzy dizzy head Mr Ir Temple saId aid sill she I Im I'm Im I'm afraid I 1 cant can't tnt remember remember re rp re- re member the combination Just t now Well Vell never mind returned he bp gently Theres a It later Inter train I can tale take and when lf it comes ome to vou Just lust send It down by bv Mrs l Ma Mason on Good Goo evening and sleep well tonight Ive I've lots to say to you tomorrow Miss Dale he called after them In downright downright down down- right boyish fashion Ills burden of ol months had ha been lifted and he was wa was coming to hi his l own 8 again l Om Once e in th the privacy of hoi l own room Anna told s Mrs Irs Mason In e everything Slip She hp sat there thore now tw twisting and untwisting her hands hand l In ue e her het face en er white her pupils wide wl 11 and black And now sh she began heJan dully I I shall have to go before the man 1 I have wronged and make my mr awful confession lon I 1 shall have e eto to fa i a the tilt first big bg look 1001 of ot incredulity incredulity sweeping t tf ht of billon bi bl over o him then thell the lion llon lip and lastly perhaps the pity III of ht Ms his eves es eT Oh J I cant mft 1 I cant can't mt I 1 Incer never knew before that I was 1 n a or 01 ard But ut I am I am amI ventured Mr Mrs Ir Anyhow dearie dean e done duty toward tow Mason yo youve yoe e your yur your Sour children you children jou have ha cleared Clear d their name name Not really I 1 ha ent not really and truly Why Mrs fr Mason Ive I've jl Just t tot toM you their fathers father's guilty guilty-guilty guilty guilty n no hell And to think I shall have to tl p fin I back again to Westfield and take u my life with that man Tier Her brow twitched hed and she trembled Yes Yet pursuE pursued l the stern old tan who because ofa of ot a peculiar twist tw-ls of ot conscience e could see the r only from one side Ride Its the d deb debI hl you owe ow the boys Anna Anne No o woman has any right to give helpless s sorts Ml the wron wrong father And when the of ot reckoning comes omps Its It's she miss mus pay not the children she's betrayed inn Int life lite Oh look here herel H Here's Heres fO I 1 was just going to bring bring when Mr Ir Temple rang the bell be 1 for TJ m roS I H sta t J had Just come In the p post From her rev er pocket Mrs Mr Mason rp an envelope out of ot which she took two enclosures I they hey sent them to me as I told them she explained to the wan mother mothen moth moth- er en handing her the childrens children's letters Harold writes pretty well for tor five doesn't he Mrs Mason MasoD observed ob Anna with pride opening the younger younger boys boy's missive first And she read real aloud aloud- Dear Mother Mother When When n are you coming carnine home I am w will well n I 1 hope you are well wellI I had a stomach ache The cat h had d kit kit- tens Are you coming home next week Robbie Rabble says he Is Is' going goine to be president lies He's been it every ever day this week Wont Won't you please make Robbie Hobble not be presIdent every day right along lIe He lets me me be b be vice president but that's no fun When are y you u coming home bome Very r respectfully your son son HAROLD GRANGER And what does Robbie's Bobbies letter tetter say pay asked Mrs Mason as Anna stopped to wipe the th foolish little mother moth r tears tear from her eyes eves My My Dearest Muddle she began wit witia a sorrowful pride in her voice Bobs ha never left oft off calling me Muddle Muddie Mrs Mason Dont Don't you jou ou think It Its It's dear and an pretty of him Do Do not worry Ever Everything Every Every- thing is quite all right Harold had the stomach ache but that's all aU right too old liar misses you when we go to bed bcd but I dont don't not till after Harold Harolds a got to sleep Your Tour ran rm ROBERT GRANGER NO 2 2 He signed It Robert Hobert Granger Ko o o. o finished she drawing 2 the second a a long Ion sobbing breath Oh m my boys my boys Whatever can I do to scotch the tbt criminal traces of of Robert Granger the th first that may be running in iq your blood Mrs Mrs Mason considered it the moment mo mu- Roberts Robert's obe ts t's betie be be- meat ment for tor interfering on oj J half hat ne tie He just made one terrible mistake Anna that's all aU I dont don't know said Anna slowly shaking her bead head I dont don't dont much tM think that rem temptation ration deelo develops a s any W y qualities good or bad not a temptation tion at least that has any deliberate consent of ot the will No It doesn't develop |