Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-09-20
CHAPTER XVIII.

IDENTIFY kept her discovery to herself.
- -
- CHAPTER XVIII.
CHANCE CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM.
Trainor rose next morning betimes, after a
night of fitful and undressing slumber. In
his dreams be had sought Trillion in vain;
that substantial person seemed to have be-
come a new Proteus, and to escape, when
nearly overtaken, by taking refuge in some
unexpected Transformation. Sometimes the
scene changed and it was the dreamer that
was flying, while Norcross, shod with swift
ness, pursued him, swinging a lasso, and as
often as the fierce hunter whirled the deadly
coil Trainor awoke with a suffocating sensa-
ton, and a cold sweat trucking from his
forehead. At breakfast his wife noticed
with intense anxiety his sharpened features
and his evident preoccupation Of mind. IL
hurried off, snatching a kiss from tho baby
and from the mother who held it, and walked
toward Trillion's Office. He knew Trillion
was an early riser, and he felt sure of being
able to see him before the usual hou of com
mencing business. But the Office was not
even opened, and, looking through the glass
door, he saw that there was no fire in the
CRATE. What was the meaning of this
Going into the street, he met Sponsor near
the post-ofice. At the first sight of the
brokers face Trainor's heart seemed to STOP
beating.
"Good- morning, Trainor. Bad business,
this. suppose you've heard. Trillion went
to protest yesterday. Hope you got wind Of
it in time, and made all safe"
"Trillion failedr' exclaimed Trainor,
through his chattering teeth. "Then Pm a
ruined manla
But a sudden thought struck him, and he
asked eagerly:
"But, the money have you got 1t stillg
"No-paid 10 over yesterday"
"Well, the shares thenf'
"No-sorry to say, Trillion's clerk came for
them not ten minutes before l heard of the
protest."
20 God" groaned the unhappy man, @there
is no hope! But you, Mr.. Sponsor, you are
my friend; help me out of thisl You can
raise the money"
"Ten thousand dollars. It's q pr etty large
sum. I'm afraid / couldn't get it."
"Try, my friend-you shall never regret
it.n
Sponsor hesitated, and Trainor's spirits
rose. He watched the brokers' composed
face with eyes that might pierce a mum
my.
@what is the collaterslYr asked Sponsor,
slowly raising his wriukled eyelids.
"Trillion's notes for $17, 900"
And Trillion zone to protests"
SHE'LL come up again.
"Perhaps; but while he is down, I can't dc
anything with his paper. The truth is
Trainor, you ought not to have dvanced the
money for him. Remember, l warned you
when yon were about to do it,"
Trainor did not look as though he found
the Balm of I~-told-you-so" very consoling.
Sponsor continued
"Now, il / were in your place, | would &c
and make a clean breast Of it to Major. II
was wrong, though | know you didn't NEAR
any BARN. He may be angry, but he won'l
touch you. You can't raise $40, 600 in these
times-not to save your soul"
keep your advice, and your money, too
said Trainor, in sullen despair. II ask fol
bread, and you give me a stone. Your
moral lecture won't pay my debts"
He turned away abruptly and went again
to Trillion's Office. 1t was still closed. De.
termined at oil hazards to see the man fol
whom he had risked so much, he went to his
house on Fifth avenue. The servant said Tril
lion was not at home. Trainor did not believe
it, but the door was closed in his face be
fore he could send a more urgent message,
and with sinking heart he retraced his steps
towards Wall street.
The horror of his position was now fully
before him. He could not conceal his defal.
cation, and there was no longer a shadow oil
hope of replacing the money. Many a time
he had taken the risk of lending large sums
to brokers and others; but who would trust
him, a man without estate, in a time like
thisl In his terrible anxiety about the new OBJ.
legation, he had forgotten the old, until he
CHANGED to observe Norcross on 1.-THE opposite
sidewalk, s~trolling ~leisurely towards the bust.
ness quarter of the town. The ex- secretary
made a barely perceptible bow, and, drawing
out his watch, significantly turned the face to
ward his debtor. Ii was enough; there was
no need of words. 1t was q little after IL
o'clock; the fatal letter would be delivered
at Ill Trainor crossed the street and accosted
NorcrosS, though without trepidation; for he
shuddered like a swimmer within reach Of
a shark, as he encountered those cold and
pitiless eyes.
"Come to the Office, Mr.. Norcross, at IL
he sold. "The affair will be settled then, and
forever
Mr.. Norcross nodded and walked on,
Trainor, meanwhile, quivering with agony,
hurried to his employers Office. He scanned
each face sharply as be entered, and felt sure
that the loss had not yet been discovered.
Going to his desk, he wrote and sealed a let
ter, and then went out, saying he had some
business with a lawyer overhead. 8
Mrs. Trainor grew momentariIy more un-
easy, after her husband left the house. A
vague sense of coming evil oppressed her,
until at length she could bear it no longer.
l. - - lsll --sAl
walking to the nearest stand, took a car fol-
Wall street. On the way she recalled again
and again the muttered words she heard dur.
ing the night; she thought Of the silent, com
fortress breakfast, the hurried gooi-by; she
felt again the pressure of his trembling lips
upon her own. Full Of apprehension she
nsked the coachman to call her husband tc
the door. Answer was made by a clerk that
afr. Trainor was out on business, but was
expected back presently. So she waited,
boxing out of the carriage-window-a SAD
face to seel The hands of the clock pointed
at IL, when Mr.. Norcross punctually made
his appearance-smooth, cheerful, and witt
a slight exhilaration. in prospect of the two
thousand dollars. Almost at the same mo
ment Trillion came also; for Sponsor, fear
ing that Trainor would take some desperate
step, had been to the surly bankrupt,s house
and insisted upon his coming down to see hi
unfortunate agent. just at the office
door, and opposite the carriage, met the
two bankrupts, the disgraced ahull' anC
the ~vanquished shear" 1t was an odd lool
of recognition that was exchanged between
them; and if there was a shade of triumph ii
Eorcross' face, it was not to be wondered at
They stood at the door, each m~otioning th.
ether to enter FIRST when an unusual SCUM
trom the adjoining entry caused both OF
them to stop, and one of them, at least, to
siaiver. 1t was the sound of slow and hesi-
tating, shufiing steps as of men carrying q
burden. The steps anne nearer. Both Tril-
lion and Norcross moved hurriedly to the
spot. The men stopped in the doorway with
their burden, and in a moment, with frantic
shrieks, Mrs. Trainor rushed in and fell upon
the body of her husband.
Good Godp what's thisF' exclaimed Tril-
lion. sDead@ He stopped down and thrust
his hand under the waistcoat. The heart
was still He shuddered convulsively and
drew back, covering his eyes. "Deadlp
Mr.. Norcross seemed frozen to the TIRES
hold in speeches. horror. There was his