Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-20
CHAPTER xxx.
rRILLIoN's CONSCIENCE RETURNS.

Trillion, at last, in spite of his armor of
selfishness and stoiciSm, was touched in a vital
part. His dreams of wealth had vanished
into air. The confederate in whom he had
trusted had only made him dupe Blindly
following out his agreement, he found him
self saddled with load of railroad shares,
useless for any purpose, and all of his con-
vertibe property gone. The consciousness
that he-the man of all others who prided
himself upon his sagacity-had been so easily
overreached was quite as humiliating as the
idea of ruin itself. He remembered Whit
and's appeals, also, and now cursed his own
stupidity in refusing to aid him There he
had overreached himself; it was his own
stocks which he had thrown down to the
"bears." And now, heaviest stroke of
all, Trainor, his intrepid and chivalrous
agent, who had stepped into the breach
for him, had paid for his indiscretion with
his life. The thought gave him pang he
had never felt, not even when he followed
his wife to the grave. Homeward he went,
but slowly and almost without voltion. He
recognized no acquaintance that he met, but
walked on abstractedly, fixing his eyes on
vacancy with a look mOurnful his iron
features could wear. In his ears still rang
those thrilling cries. His hand, that had
CROPPED over that motionless heart, still felt
creeping chill; it would not warm. And
constantly an accusing voice asked, "Why
didn't you come down! '-and conscience re-
peated the question i'll tones like those of a
Judge arraigning criminal He reached his
house and gave orders that no one should be
admitted. In his room he passed the
day alone, drifting on an ocean of re-
morse, full of vague purposes of repent
ance and restitution. Dinner passed I'M
needed, and still he paced the silent
chamber. With the approach of evening his
terrors increased; he rang for a servant and
had the gas-burners lighted Still, in all
the blaze, shapes would haunt him; they
crouched at the foot of his bed they lurked
behind his wardrobe-door. He dared not
look over his shoulder, but forced himself to
stand up and face what he so dreaded to see.
He rang again and babe the servant bring a
screw-driver and take down the coat-hooks
from the wardrobe: the garments hanging
there seemed to be men struggling in the
agonies of asphyxia. The slender thread of
sound from the gas burners seemed
to be changed to low, mournful
cries, as of a woman over the dead.
He turned the gas down a little;
then the shadows of the cannel-coal fire
danced like spectres on the ceiling. he
jumped up and raised the lights again; again
the low, dismal monotone sang in his ears.
He stopped them with his fingers: again the
persistent voice asked, why didn't you come
down l' Flakes fell off the coal in the CRATE
shaped like collins; the flames seemed to dart
at him with their fiery tongues. He rang
once more, and when the servant came he
babe him drink enough strong tea and then
take his chair by the fire
"Touch me, if l groan, said he to the as
tonished John. keep awake yourself, and
hold your tongue. If you go to sleep or leave
me, I'll murder you"
Then wrapping himself in his dressing
gown, he settled down in his easy-chair for
the night
The night passed, as all nights will, and in
the morning Mr.. Trillion was calmer The
first intelligence he received after breakfast |
was in message from Sponsor, delivered by
a servant
"Plaze, Sir, Mr.. Sponsors compliments, |
and he says the Treasury will buy fourteen |
millions of bonds and moneys TO be aisiern
"Send after Mr.. Sponsor; overtake him, |
and ask him TO come back / want to see
him.
Sponsor returned, and they had a long |
conference. 1t now seemed probable that |
stocks would be more buoyant and the bulls |
would have their turn. ANY considerable |
rise in shares would place Trillion on his feet |
and enable him to resume payment Most OF |
his time contracts had been met, and the /
change would be Of the greatest service to 4
him. He placed his shares, therefore, in |!
Sponsors hands with instructions to sell /
when prices advanced. He then looked over /
the amount Of his liabilities, and saw, with |
some of his old exultation, that if he could !
effect sales at the rate he expected, he should 1
have at least two hundred thousand dollars !
after paying all his debts Ambition again /
whispered TO him, that he might now take 1
his old place in the business world, and per-
haps might more than retrieve his losses /
But he thought OF the last night, and shrank |
from encountering new brood Of horrors. /
Firm in his new purposes, be dismissed the
broker and sent for his counsellor.
my son, he meditated, lis a lawyer in
good practice He needs no fortune. Twenty
thousand viii be enough for him; more than
had, which wasn't a penny. Ny daughter
S married rich Didn't mean to have any
pauper Son-in-law to be plaguing me. The
,anne for her. The rest win square those old
,ccounts-aDd the new one, too on the book
Up yonderi Best to fix it now, while / can
muster the courage II / once get the
money, Tn afraid l shouldn't do it So my
will shall set all these matters right; and it
hall be drawn and signed to-day"
That night Mr.. Trillion needed no servant
% watch with him The ghosts were laid