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that Merton had secured through an swering an advertisement calling for a writer and compiler. It had led him to apply at a bachelor's quarters in a high-class apartment house, There he had been set at work by Mr. Wil liam Worthington. After working for him fpr a week Merton knew no more as to his business or connections than on the first day of his engage ment. His work comprised going over many volumes and newspaper clippings dealing with statistics on crime. ' ' "I think Mr. Worthington is prepar ing a volume on criminology," Mer ton told Eva. "He leaves me to my work daytime and evenings, gives me a key to his rooms and his desk and seems to place absolute trust in me. Often I do not see him for days. Yes terday he left the city and said he would be gone for a week. He has left me in entire charge of ' his. apart ments." Merton had certainly been made at home in his new position- At the re quest of Mr. Worthington he now slept nights at the room of the latter. After he had left Eva on that particu lar evening he met an old journalistic friend whom he had not seen for years, a man he very much liked. "See here, Hull," spoke Dudley Cragin, "I'm leaving in the morning. Can't you put in the time showing me around the bid clubs 'we used to go to years ago?" Reluctantly and from courtesy on ly,' Merton agreed tb join Cragin at his hotel an hour later. -He went to Mr. Worthington's rooms, put his writing aside, donned his best hat and tie and prepared to leave to keep his appointment. A memory of old time late hours caused 'Morton to open a drawer where he had noticed a revolver. He took out the weapon and as he did so he was somewhat startled to notice a little package of fresh new bank notes. There were ten of them, eaclrf for one hundred dollars. . At first flush the thought that came to Merton was of the risk and care- lessness involved on the part of his employer in leaving all this money in so unprotected a situation. He started to place the money in the safe. Then a whimsical idea came in to his mind. He was inclined to make a show of prosperity with Cragin, who now lived in his home. town. Mer placed the money in his pocketbook. "The bills are, safer with me than in that desk drawer' he reasoned'. "I will masquerade as a Croesus for one evening at least!" That evening was rather a bore and a burden to Merton. This was because there was some drinking in the liter ary clubs they visited. In this Merton did not partake and was not in har mony with the old-time revelry. He jsaw that his reformation produced a good impression on Cragin, and as he flashed the one hundred dollar bills promiscuously Merton was assured that he would be reported on the road to wealth, and smiled whimsically over the idea. It was after he had reached the Worthingfon apartments that he made a dismaying and fearful discov ery. His pocketbook was gone. Lost or stolen, it was out of his possession, and Ruin! disgrace! perhaps arrest! All night long he tossed on a sleepless bed. He wandered the streets aimless- i ly all that day. At eventide, wretched, haggard, desperate, he went to Eva and told her all the truth. She was only sorrowful. The ques tion of replacing the lost money was the course honorable, inevitable. She made Merton draw his savings from the bank, she added enough of her own to make up one thousand dollars. Then Merton purchased ten new one hundred dollar bills and placed them in the desk drawer. The luckless twain bore their sej cret burden courageously. C Eva was more lovable than ever, but Merton never for a moment ceased to re proach himself for his foolhardy exploit