Helen."

Helen hesitated perceptibly before taking the envelope and tearing it
open. She handed the securities to her father.

"Here is father's forged confession," she said as she took the remaining
paper from the envelope.

"It is a marvelous imitation of my handwriting," declared McIntyre,
looking at it carefully, then tearing it into tiny bits he flung them
into the scrap-basket and pocketed the securities.

"And to think that I aided Sylvester's plot to gain the securities by
engaging him as our clerk," groaned Rochester.

"It was clever of him to seek employment here," agreed Kent. "But like
many crooks he over-reached himself through over-confidence. Must you
go, Colonel McIntyre?"

"Yes." McIntyre walked over to Helen.

"My dear little girl," he began and his voice was husky with feeling.
"How can I show my appreciation of your loyalty to me?"

"By being kind to Harry and Barbara." Helen smiled bravely, although
her lips were trembling and for a moment she could not trust herself to
speak. "My romance is over; Barbara's is just beginning. And, father,
will you and Margaret come home with me--I am so lonely;" then turning
blindly away she fairly ran out of the office.

"Go with her," said Rochester, a trifle unsteadily. "It has been a
terrible ordeal; God help her to forget!" His voice failed and he swept
his hand across his eyes as he held open the door into the corridor and
followed McIntyre and his wife outside.

Kent turned impulsively to Barbara, and his arms closed around her as
she raised her eyes to meet his, for she knew that the promise they
spoke would be loyally fulfilled, and that her haven of love and
happiness was reached at last.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Red Seal, by Natalie Sumner Lincoln

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