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my father's death obscured."
Somehow Vernon Whyte all the
way home eould-not get the beautiful,
self-reliant Neva out of hie mind.
Then, two days later, In looking aver
some papers in Mr. Whyte'B bpx in
tbsLvault, her made a discovery that
maae him quail and brought to his
mind with renewed intensity the sfer
ter and brother at Coke'ton who had
so. interested him.
It is incredible it is inexplicable J"
be fairly gasped as he glanced over,
andocumerit! jn.hi hand.
u"I have something of importance
to say to you, sir' he announced to
Mr. Brooks, entering his private of
fice. "Quite by accident in searching
for an important receipt, I came
across a d6oumnt among your pri
vate papers, it shows that the prop
erty at Coketon supposedly yours, is
really owned by the heirs of Martin
, Bonis." '
."Where where is the paper?"
quavered the millionaire, springing
to his feet f ale as ashes.
"It proves mdre," proceeded. Whyte
iacisively. "There has been forgery,
misrepresentation, robbery in the fic
titious transfer of that property to the
company."
John Brooks broke down. His
cringing nature was manif ested-as. he
admitted fraud, as he excused, it on
the ground of bu&ne&s policy.
"Don't be a fool, Whyte," -he said,
'Your salary will e five thousand at
rthe next directors' meeting. To re
trace our well, our mistake, would
mean a criminal admission: We can't
1 -c,. do that, you know."
"You must, in all fairness and
honor" -
"We must not and will not We
are powerful to crusth. where we bet
Be careful!, Don't spoil yotif bright
business career by giving way to 4eo
timjant Forget the incident, There
there is Portia, top."f
But Portia, made awareof the b
cumstancee, briefly, coldly informed
her loyer that sh would fide with
Jr father. The engagement yrsml
broken and White, while disappoint
ed, was thankful that he had fathom
ed the cruel nature of Portia Brooks
in time.
"I' suppose you will insist upon
making ua trouble?" observed Bnk&s
somewhat uneasily.
"No," replied Whyte quietly. "I
simply resign my position, xetum.you
the incriminating document andjeave
it to your conscience as to future
action in the premises."
That was the end of the business
dream of Vernon Whyte. He had
Siought it all over and had made a
oble resolve. Within a week he was
employed as an office clerk at a town
two miles, from Cokeon, his first step
taken toward coming into -the Hfe of
the defrauded Dorrie family in a prac
tical way. . ,-
Within another week he had man
aged it so that he was a boarder at
the new small but neat home of which
Neva Dorris was the mistreae. It
came about so naturally that there
seemed no "purpose in it. Then began
a life in which Whyte cheered the
Jowiy existence of the stetejr. and
brother and learned to forjps the
past, and learned nore of the rare,
soulful nat&e Of the girl he. was be
ginning to" love.
And one fair svfppner eve be told
Nevt that She wak-,aH ia,the world
to him. She cried pip his &oulder
as she realised how much $at Meant
to her. And the man Wbje had de
termined to make up to bjif all of the
comfort andjusury the stolen land
might have brought her, felt repaid
for hfc efforts.
How thfcy planned for the future!
How happy was fteva in comtemplat
ing an humble but happy home! And
then great news came from the mine
one day. Brooks had visited it and
got caught amidst the fire damp. He
was dreadfully burned, hie eyesight
gone forever., but Ills life was saved.
Poor, crippled Gabriel Ijad born
the senseless victim on his; shoulder
through a mile of tunnels, bringing
fom at last to the surface.
