The Sport of the Gods | Page 5

guilty of such criminal carelessness."
"Don't stop to accuse yourself. Our only hope in this matter lies in
prompt action. Where was the money?"
"In the oak cabinet and lying in the bureau drawer. Such a thing as a
theft seemed so foreign to this place that I was never very particular
about the box. But I did not know until I went to it to-night that the last
time I had opened it I had forgotten to take the key out. It all flashed
over me in a second when I saw it shining there. Even then I did n't

suspect anything. You don't know how I felt to open that cabinet and
find all my money gone. It 's awful."
"Don't worry. How much was there in all?"
"Nine hundred and eighty-six dollars, most of which, I am ashamed to
say, I had accepted from you."
"You have no right to talk that way, Frank; you know I do not begrudge
a cent you want. I have never felt that my father did quite right in
leaving me the bulk of the fortune; but we won't discuss that now. What
I want you to understand, though, is that the money is yours as well as
mine, and you are always welcome to it."
The artist shook his head. "No, Maurice," he said, "I can accept no
more from you. I have already used up all my own money and too
much of yours in this hopeless fight. I don't suppose I was ever cut out
for an artist, or I 'd have done something really notable in this time, and
would not be a burden upon those who care for me. No, I 'll give up
going to Paris and find some work to do."
"Frank, Frank, be silent. This is nonsense, Give up your art? You shall
not do it. You shall go to Paris as usual. Leslie and I have perfect faith
in you. You shall not give up on account of this misfortune. What are
the few paltry dollars to me or to you?"
"Nothing, nothing, I know. It is n't the money, it 's the principle of the
thing."
"Principle be hanged! You go back to Paris to-morrow, just as you had
planned. I do not ask it, I command it."
The younger man looked up quickly.
"Pardon me, Frank, for using those words and at such a time. You
know how near my heart your success lies, and to hear you talk of
giving it all up makes me forget myself. Forgive me, but you 'll go back,
won't you?"

"You are too good, Maurice," said Frank impulsively, "and I will go
back, and I 'll try to redeem myself."
"There is no redeeming of yourself to do, my dear boy; all you have to
do is to mature yourself. We 'll have a detective down and see what we
can do in this matter."
Frank gave a scarcely perceptible start. "I do so hate such things," he
said; "and, anyway, what 's the use? They 'll never find out where the
stuff went to."
"Oh, you need not be troubled in this matter. I know that such things
must jar on your delicate nature. But I am a plain hard-headed business
man, and I can attend to it without distaste."
"But I hate to shove everything unpleasant off on you, It 's what I 've
been doing all my life."
"Never mind that. Now tell me, who was the last person you remember
in your room?"
"Oh, Esterton was up there awhile before dinner. But he was not alone
two minutes."
"Why, he would be out of the question anyway. Who else?"
"Hamilton was up yesterday."
"Alone?"
"Yes, for a while. His boy, Joe, shaved me, and Jack was up for a while
brushing my clothes."
"Then it lies between Jack and Joe?"
Frank hesitated.
"Neither one was left alone, though."

"Then only Hamilton and Esterton have been alone for any time in your
room since you left the key in your cabinet?"
"Those are the only ones of whom I know anything. What others went
in during the day, of course, I know nothing about. It could n't have
been either Esterton or Hamilton."
"Not Esterton, no."
"And Hamilton is beyond suspicion."
"No servant is beyond suspicion."
"I would trust Hamilton anywhere," said Frank stoutly, "and with
anything."
"That 's noble of you, Frank, and I would have done the same, but we
must remember that we are not in the old days now. The negroes are
becoming less faithful and less contented, and more 's the pity, and a
deal more ambitious, although I have never had any unfaithfulness on
the part of Hamilton to complain of before."
"Then do not condemn him