I6q)
1
MW DEGREE
CHARLES KLEIN
AMD
ARTHUR HORNBLOW
ILLUSTRATIONS BYRAYWALTEH?
arrwtmr. im. r t.w. ou.urifiAfi conDAnr
CHAPTER XV!.
"Now, my dear young woman," said
iudge Brewster, when the astonished
ead clerk had withdrawn, "if we are
going to get your husband free we
sitiBt get to work, and you must help
His visitor looked up eagerly.
"I'll do anything In my power," she
aid quickly. "What can I do?"
"Well first of all," said the lawyer
with some hesitation, "I want you
ts see a certain lady and to be ex
ceedingly nice to her."
,. "Lady?" echoed Annie, surprised.
"What lady!":
"Mrs. Howard Jeffries, Sr.," he re
plied slowly.
"Howard's stepmother!" she ejacu
lated. A clerk entered and handed his em
ployer a card. The lawyer nodded
"Show her In." Turning round
ugain, he went on: "Yea Howard's
xtepmother. She's out there now. She
wants to see you. She wishes to be
of service to you. Now, you must
conciliate her. She may be of great
mw to us."
Annie's face expressed considerable
doubt.
"Perhaps so," she said, "but the
door was slammed in my face when I
called to see her."
"That's nothing," answered the
Judge. "She probably knows nothing
fcbout it. In any case, please remem
Iter that she is my client"
She bowed her head and murmured
obedlontly:
"111 remember."
The door of the office opened and
Alicia entered. She stopped short on
seeing who was there, and an awk
ward pause followed. Judge Brewster
Introduced them.
"Mrs. Jeffries, may I present Mrs.
Howard, Jr.?"
Alicia bowed stlffl and somewhat
haughtily. Annie remained self pos
eessed and on the defensive. Address
ing the banker's wife, the lawyer said:
, "I told Mrs. Howard that you
wished to speak to her." After a pause
lie added: "I think, perhaps, I'll leave
9011 together. Excus we "
He left the office and there was an
other embarrassing silence. Annie
w4ted for Mrs. Jeffries to begin. Het
attitude suggested that she expected
ttomething unpleasant and was . fully
prepared for It. At last Alicia broke
Nine silence: . .
"You. may think it. .strange that I
Liive asked for this interview," she
ftgan, "but you know, Annie" In
terrupting herself, she asked: "You
don't mind my calling you Annie, do
your
The young woman smiled.
., "1 don't see why I should. It's my
name and we're relatives by mar
tinge." There was an Ironical ring
In her voice at she went on: "Rela
tives! It seems funny, doesn't It, but
we don't pick and choose our rela
tives. We must take them as they
eome."
Alicia made an effort to appear con
ciliatory. "As we are what we are let's try
to make the best or it."
"Make the best of It?" echoed An
nie. "God knows I'm willing, but I've
hud mighty little encouragement,
'Mrs. Jeffries. When I called to see
you the other day, to beg you to use
your Influence with Mr. Jeffries, 'not
at home' was handed to me by the
liveried footman and the door was
lammed in my face. Ten minutes
Inter you walked out to your carriage
and were driven away."
"I knew nothing of this believe
me," murmured Alicia apologetically.
"It's what I got just the same," said
the ether dryly. Quickly she went on:
"Put I'm not complaining, understand
I'm not complaining. Onlt I did
t'ulnk that at such a time one woman
might have held out a helping band
4o another."
, Alicia held up her hand protest
ugly. "How could I?" she exclaimed.
"Now, be reasonable. You are held
responsible for Howard's present po
rtion." . "Yes by the police," retorted An
fie grimly, "and by a couple of yellow
journals. I didn't think you'd believe
all the gossip and scandal that's been
printed about me. I didn't believe
what was said about you."
Alicia started and changed color.
I, "What do you mean?" she exclaimed
haughtily. "Wbat was said about
iue?"
"Well, It bas been said that you
married old Jeffries for his money
and bis social position."
'"Old Jeffries !'" protested Alicia
indignantly. "Have you no respect
Tor your husband's father?"
"Not a particle," answered the oth
er coolly, "and I never will have till
he acts like a father. I onl.- had one
interview with him and it finished
lilm with me for all time. He ain't a
father he's a fish."
, "A flsh!" exclaimed Alicia, scandal
kited at such lese majeste.
Annie went on recklessly:
: "Yes a cold blooded "
"But surely," interrupted Alicia,
""you respect his position his "
. "No, mm; I respect a man because
mnimmmim holts
he benaves line a man, not Decause
he lives in a marble palace on River
side drive."
Alicia looked pained. This girl
was certainly impossible.
"But surely," she said, "you real
ised that when you married Howard
you you made a mistake to say the
least?"
"Yes, that part of it has been made
pretty plain. It was a mistake his
mistake my mistake. But now it's
done and It can't be undone. I don't
see why you can't take it as it Is and
and"
She stopped short and Alicia com
pleted the sentence for her:
"and welcome you Into our fam
ily" "Welcome me? No, ma'am. I'm
not welcome and nothing you or your
set could say would ever make me be
lieve that I was welcome. All I ask
is that Howard's father do his duty by
bis son."
"I do not think pardon my saying
so," Interrupted Alicia stiffly, "that
you are quite in a position to Judge
of what constitute Mr. Jeffries' duty
to his son."
"Perhaps not. I only know what
I would do what my father would
have done what any one would do If
they had a spark of humanity In them.
But they do say that after three gen
erations of society life red blood turns
into blue."
Alicia turned to look out of the win
dow. Her face still averted she said:
"Wbat is there to do? Howard has
acknowledged his guilt. What sco
nces we may maxe wm oe vnrown
away."
Annie eyed her companion with con
tempt. Her voice quivering with In
dignation, she burst out:
"What is there to do! Try and save
him, of course. Must we sit and do
nothing because things look black?
Ah! I wasn't brought up that way.
No, ma'am, I'm going to make a
fight!"
"It's useless, murmured Alicia,
shaking her head.
"Judge Brewster doesn't think so,"
replied the other calmly.
The banker's wife gave a start of
surprise. Quickly she demanded:
"You mean that Judge Brewster has
encouraged you to to "
"He's done more than encourage me
God bless him! he's going to take
up the case."
Alicia was so thunderstruck that for
a moment she could find no answer,
"What!" she . exclaimed, "without
consulting Mr. Jeffries?"
She put her ' handkerchief to her
face to conceal her agitation. Could
It be possible that the Judge was go
ing to act, after all, in defiance of her
husband's wishes? If that were true,
what would become of her? Conceal
ment would be no longer possible.
Discovery of her clandestine visit td
Underw6od's apartment that fataJ
night must come Howard might still
be the murderer, Underwood might
not have committed suicide, but her
visit to his room at midnight would
become known. Judge Brewster was
not the man to be deterred by dlffl
culties once he took up a case. He
would see the importance of finding
the mysterious woman who wSnt se
cretly to Underwood's rooms that
night of the tragedy.
"He consulted only his own feel
ings," went on Annie. "He believes In
Howard, and he's going to defend
him."
Alicia looked at her anxiously as If
trying to read what might be in her
mind. Indifferently she went on:
"The papers say there was a quar
rel about you, that you and Mr. Un
derwood were too friendly. They Im
plied that Howard was Jealous. Is
this true?"
"It's all talk," cried Annie Indig
nantly "nothing but scandal lies!
There's not a word of truth in it.
Howard never had a Jealous thought
of me and as for me why I've al
ways worshiped the ground he walked
on. Didn't be sacrifice everything for
my sake? Didn't he quarrel with his
father for me? Didn't he marry met
Didn't he try to educate and make
lady of me? My God! do you sup
poRe Id give a man like that cause
for Jealousy? What do the newspa
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into a woman's heart,
without giving it a thought, without
knowing or caring whether it's true
or not, as long as It Interests and
amuses thelc readers. You you don't
really believe I'm the cause of his
misfortunes, do you?"
Alicia snook her bead as she an
swered kindly:
"No, I don't Believe me, I don't.
You were right when you said that at
such a time as this one woman should
stand by another. I'm going to stand
by you. Let me be your friend, let
me help you." Extending her band.
she said: "Will you?"
Annie grasped the proffered hand
It was the first that bad been held
out to her in her present trouble,
lump rose In her throat. Much
fected, she said:
af
"It's the first kind word that" She
stopped and looked closely for a mo
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
"It's the queerest thing, Mrs. Jeff
ries, but It keeps coming Into my
mind. Howard told me that while he
was at underwoods that dreadful
night he thought he heard your voice.
It must have been a dream, of course,
yet he thought he was sure of it.
Your voice that's quer. isn't it?
Why what's the nutter?"
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
stascered against a cluur. Annie run
to Iwr aid, thinking she was ill.
"It's nothing nothing!" stam
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had suid something to
hurt her feeling, Annie said sympa
thetically: "I haven't said anything anything
out of the way have I? If I have I'm
sorry awfully sorry. I'm afraid 1
I've been very rude and you've been
so kind!"
"No. no!" Interrupted Alicia quick
ly. "You've said nothing done noth
ing you've had a great deal to bear
a great deal to bear. I understand
that perfectly." Taking her compan
ion's hand in hers, she went on:
Tell me, what do they say about the
woman who went to see Robert Un
derwood the night of the tragedy?"
"The police can't find her we don't
know who she is.", Confidently she
went on: "But Judge Brewster will
find her. We have a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt. Clinton ac
cused me of being the woman you
know he doesn't like ''
The banker's wife was far too buey
thinking of the number of detectives
'I Believed Howard Guilty. Why
Shouldn't IT"
employed to find the missing witness
to pay attention to the concluding
sentence. Anxiously she demanded:
"Supposing the woman is found.
what can she prove? What difference
will it make?"
"All the difference in the world," re
plied Annie. "She is a most 1m
portant witness." Firmly she went on:
"She must be found. If she didn't
shoot Robert Underwood, she knows
who did."
"But how can she know?" argued
Alicia. "Howard confessed that he
did it himself. If he bad not con
fessed It would be different."
"He did not confess," replied the
other calmly. "Mrs. Jeffries he
never confessed. If he did, he didn't
know wbat he was saying."
Alicia was rapidly- losing her self-
Alicia could contain herteir n ion
er. Her norves were on we pwii
giving way. She felt that If she could
not confide her secret te some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor,
she cried:
"What am I to do? What am I to
do? I believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't I? I had no reason to doubt
his own confession! Every one be
lleved it his own father - included.
Why should I doubt It. But I see it
all now! Underwood must have shot
himself as he said he would!"
Annie started. What did Mrs. Jef
fries mean? Did she realize the tre
mendous significance of the words she
was uttering?
"As he said he would?" she repeat
ed slowly.
"es," said Alicia weakly.
Annie bounded forward and grasped
her companion's arm. Her face
flushed, almost unable to speak from
suppressed emotion, she cried:
"Ah! I begin to understand. You
knew Robert Underwood? Howard
knows your voice he heard you talk
lnsr to him Oh. Mrs. Jeffries! Are
you the woman who visited his apart
ments that night?"
The banker's wife bowed her bead
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, stupe
fled. Indignantly, she went on; "Dls
grace to you? But what of me and
Howard?"
"Can't you realise what It roeane to
be associated with such a crime?" she
walled.
"Disgrace!" cried Annie contemptu
ously.. "What is disgrace when a hu
man life is at stake?"
"It seemed so useless," moaned Al
Ida "a useless sacrifice in the face
of Howard's confession. Of course
If I'd known If I'd suspected wbat
you tell me I'd have come forward
and told everything no matter at
what cost." ' Tearfully she . added
"Surely you . realize the position It
puts me In?"
A new light shone In Annie's eyes
What was this woman's misery to
her? Her duty was to the poor fel
low who was counting the hours until
the could set him free. His stepmoth
r deserved no mercy. Utterly self
lsh, devoid of a spark of humanity
she would have left them both to
perish in order to protect herself from
hanie and ridicule. Her face was art
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
be done now! Oh, if I'd only done It
before If I'd only told Mr. Jeffries
the whole truth! You 6peak of How
ard's sufferings. If he didn't do It,
he has at least the consciousness of
his own Innocence, but I the con
stant fear of being found out Is worse
than any hell the Imagination can con
jure up. I dreaded it 1 dread it now
It means disgrace social ostracism
my husband must know the whole
world will know."
Annie was not listening. Still be
wlldered, 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;
'I can't believe It even now. How
did It happen?"
"He and I were once engaged. I
broke it oft when I found him out.
After I married Mr. Jeffries I met Un
derwood again. Foolishly, I allowed
the old intimacy to be renewed. He
took advantage and preyed on my
friends. I- forbade him my house.
He wrote me a letter In which he
mreaienea to Kin nimseir. I was
afraid he meant it I wanted to pre
vent him. I went to his rooms that
night. I didn't tell Mr. Jeffries.
When the truth Is known and I ac
knowledge that I visited this 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
grimly. She was sorry for the wom
an's distress, yet, being only human,
she felt a certain sense of satisfaction
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 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 lujow
my duty is to tnat uniortunate boy. 1
mustn't think of myself."
"Have you the letter that Mr. Un
derwood wrote you?" demanded her
companion.
."Yes I've never been able to de
stroy It. I don't know why I kept It,
but thank God I have It!" Monnlng,
Hhe 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, walling creature who
larked 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. But what am I to do tell
me, what am I to do?"
"I don't know," moaned her com
panlon helplessly,
"Howard must be saved."
"Yea."
"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 sup
pose he must know sooner or later.
but, I"
She broke down again and burst In
to tears. Annie watched her In si
lence. "It's tough Isn't It?" she said 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 sntd:
' "Pardon me, Mrs. Jeffries, I hope I
haven't kept you waiting." Noticing
her agitation and traces of tears, he
looked surprised. He made no com
ment but turned to Annie:
"I have been talking to Dr. Bern
stein 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:
"Yes, 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 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 bead clerk en
tered, followed by Mr. Jeffries.
"I told Mr. Jeffries that Mrs. Jef
fries was here," said the clerk.
"You might have told him that there
wsre two Mrs. Jeffries here," laughed
the Judge.
The clerk retired and the banker,
completely Ignoring the presence of
bis daughter-in-law, turned to his wife
and said:
, "I regret, my dear, that you should
be subjected to these family annoy
ances." Judge Brewster came forward and
cleared his throat as tf preliminary to
something Important he bad to say.
Addressing the banker, he said bold-
"Mr. Jeffries, I have decided to un
dertake Howard's defense."
Ills aristocratic client was taken
completely by surprise. For a mo
ment he could say nothing, but aim
ply stared at the lawyer as If un
able to believe his ears. With an ef
fort, he at last exclaimed;
"Indeed! then you will please con
sM'jr our business relations to have
you wanted somathing different, you can ex
change it without expense. No so with out
of town goods. Then again if you buy it and
any time feel you did not get your money's
worth, come and get your money back.
That's fair enough, isn't it. These suits come
in blue serge, Buster Brown ages 3 to 7 and
gray and brown mix D. B. coats in ages 8 to
15. They're handsome little suits and only
$2.95 cash. What do you say?
G, E, Wescotfs Sons
THE HOME OF SATISFACTION
cnasea trom tms moment.
The lawyer bowed.
"As you please," he said suavely.
The banker turned to his wife.
"Alicia come."
He offered his arm and turned to
ward the door. Alicia, In distress,
looked back at Annie, who nodded
reassuringly to her. Judge Brewster
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, be
looked up and said with an encoura
ging smile:
. "Now, if you please, we will go over
that evidence bit bv bit."
(Continued Next Issue.)
GREAT THINGS IN STORE
FOR IHEJfllSSDURI PACIFIC
New President Promises to Make
It a Model and 8tandard
for Other Roads.
A special from St. Louis, under
dale of May 1, says: Hcnjamin F.
Hush, president of I lit Missouri
Pncillc railway, arrived here this
mi Mil i ii k and went to work al tho
road's headquarters. "I intend to
make the Missouri I'acillc a model
and standard for other roads,"
Mr. Hush said.
The Railway Ago Gazette, in a
recent issue, said that if Mr.
Hush is given a free rein and fur
nished a sufllcienl amount of
money he will make a good rail
road and a big money-earner out
of . the Missouri I'acillc. This
same authority, however, express
ed the feeling thai with the
(ioulds still in control of the
property. Hush will not ho given
a free hand and that he will not
be permitted to accomplish what
he, desires to do.
Mr. Hush has made a record
with one run down and bankrupt
Gould property. He took it when
it was in bail nhysieial condition
and built it up until it became a
paying property.
Missouri Pacific men would
have been better pleased had tho
offer made to Howard Elliott have
been accepted. When John F.
Stevens quit the Hill roads in the
west, many Missouri Pacific men
hoped that lie had resigned to
take charge of the Missouri Pa
cific It is probable that, both men
foresaw the continuance of Gould
control.
Everybody's friend Dr. Thom
as' Eclectic Oil. Cures toothache,
earache, sore throat. Heals cuts,
bruises, scalds. Stops any pain.
A Boy's
Knickerbocker
Suit for
Before you take the train for
Omaha or mail that letter to a
catalogue house, just stop in and
look at this boy's suit bargain
right here at home. You can look
it all over and try it on the boy
without expense and if you should
buy it and conclude next day
WILL WE HAVE
II
It Is About Time Some Movement
Was Being Made In That
Direction.
The great natal day is not
far distant, and if Plaltsmouth U
going to have a big celebration it
is time we were donning our
hustling clothes. The Journal
believes that the Commercial club
should take hold of the matter
and push the same to a success
ful end.. Everybody knows that
the club is composed of the busi
ness men of the city, and that they
generally make a success of
everything they undertake.
Everyone can work in harmony
and a celebration had that would
be equal to or surpass anything
of the kind ever held in Plaits
mouth. Such celebrations are a
big advertisement for the city,
and when the people know that
the Commercial club has the man
agement of the affair they will
come here to celebrate from a,
radias of at least ten miles east,
west, north and south. The Jour
nal hopes the Ciyninercial "club
will act on the matter just as
soon as possible.
Cass County Soil Fertile.
The Cass county soil is fertile
for many feet downward Is evident
by the rank growth of full wheat
on the lot of .1. E. MrPanicl, ad
Joining the M. E. church property
on the west. The soil on the lot
is pure clay and in its natural
strata lay twenty feet below the
black loam which was removed in
bringing the lot to grade. Last
fall Mr. McDaniel sowed wheat on
the lot to prevent it from wash
ing, and at this time it has mad
such a heavy growth that it is
falling down. There is littU
wonder that Cass county farm;
are selling at a good figure, tha
soil is inexhaustible.
A Burglar's Awful Deed
may not paralyze a home so com
pletely as a mother's long illness.
Hut Dr. King New Life Pills are
a splendid remedy for women.
"They gave me wonderful benefit
in constipation and female
trouble," wrote Mrs. M. C. Dunlap,
of Leadhill, Tenn. If ailing, try
them. i!5c al F. G. Friike St Co.
Mr. J. P. Shroeder of Cedar
Creek, foreman of the Newell
gravel pit, was in the city yester
day and called on Judge Newell,
finding the judge recovering from
the effects of the accident of a few
days ago and feeling very much
better, although his foot is quit
painful yet.
GELEBII?
xawraMaTiii