The Scarlet Feather

FORD I

ual bedroom, lying on his ebony bed. A sudden impulse had seized him to be moved to another portion of the house, where he could see a fresh section of the grounds. He needed a change, and he wanted to spy out

nothing whatever to do with the neglect of the park, and a display of energy and mental activity surprising in one of such advanced age. H

ank, the old man lost all in

have come to tell me that I must sell something. Nothing is more important in lif

ho contrived to make it very unpleasant for any representative of the bank sent up to his bedroom to get documents signed, and was therefore surprised t

t, Mr.--? I didn't q

nby,

rnby. You've come to

unpleasant m

till falling? Ah! It's the war, the war

amily mat

th 95 my money-ha! I guess why you've come.

so,

ebts, overdrawn ac

resented some weeks ago, signed by you, one for two thou

for months." This was true, as the miser's creditors knew to

ry Swinton, and presented at the bank, and c

r five d

usand dol

you I neve

it had been altered, having been originally for two dollars; and, in the second check, made out to

himself on one hand and extending th

retched, every finger q

sir. That is your corre

ver signed them. Take the

ubtedly yours. Do you remember signing

gave her two-yes-and I g

g the glass some distance from the eyes, that the ink of the major part of the check is different. When Mr. Swinton presented thes

bad end-but I never believed it-never believed it. Let me look again. The rascal! T

costs, the fact that it was Herresford 97 who had been swindled, and not the bank. They knew the man they were dealing

't alter the checks. You ought to keep your eyes open. If swindlers choose to tamper wit

not. A member of

e's no child of mine. He's the son of that c

take it that you would not desi

ilege of being robbed, sir? No, sir. I entrusted you with the care of my money. You

is you

he sort. He i

some

h, sir? Are you in my confidence, sir? Have I ever to

not. I beg your pa

presum

n, little old man was besting and flurrying hi

you wish us to prosecute you

ome here pretending that you're not respon

and over again, and I believe

nt from your bank instantly-I'm the best customer you've got. Prosecut

es. The second amount he took partly in notes, and paid the rest into his account, which has since gone down to a few dollars. Of course, it may have been done by-er-someone 99 else

my daughter-my daughter-sir, would

metimes condone the faults of their sons, and-

of my daughter. If she was fool enough to let them pass into the clutches of her rascally son, she must take

nal opinion of the forgery was that it might just as well have been done by Mrs. Swinton as by her son. In fact, after a close perusal of the second check, to which he had brought some kno

hat you would not have us prosecute if it were y

ant to hear anything more about the matter. What I do want is a full statement of my balance

views before Mr. Ormsby. There is no nee

natural, because he knew what he was dealing with. I knew my own flesh and blood. Like her mother-couldn't hold a penny. Yet, married a beggar-and ruined him, too-ha, ha! Goes to church three times on Sundays, and casts up her eyes to heaven, pleading for sinners, and gambles all night at bridge. Now, she'll hav

nothin

for? Get back to your bank