Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-04


Mack, who knew that his friend IS skill
in reading faces amounted almost to mi
raculous insight, turned, after pause,
and then burst into fit of hearty laugh
ter. 'YOu blessed old humbug - he
said, "you We missed it this time. Why
| that's David Nugent, some day, l hope,
to be my respected papa-in-law.
Gwen, - said Proudfoot slowly, 81
may be mistaken; l suppose am, but
L III swear at any rate that the man he is
talking TO is rascal. and tricky one
at that -
Wrong again, most noble clairvoy-
ant. That is Lemuel Strange, his conf
Dental clerk, and the incarnation of
faithful probity. -
HIM. said Proudfoot. ''Thar's
very odd - and the two men left the
cafe, Harold to whirl down. town to
Newspaper Row, and Jack to the ball
room upstairs.
CHAPTER II-MASTER AND MAN.
When David Nugent came East and
bought with few days profits of the
"Lucky Shot, mine. of which he was
the sole owner, an ugly but expensive
house in Fifth avenue, he saw good
deal of a certain junior clerk in the office
of the real estate agent through whom
man, who showed tact and devotion to
his employer IS interests, as well as a sort
of Difference TO the customer which fat
tered the Westerner IS vanity, found him.
self Installed in a well-paid position in
the office Mr.. Nugent took on Broad
street, more for the name of the thing
than FOR actual use. As years went on
Lemuel Strange, for that was the name
OF, the former real estate agents
clerk, became more and more
necessary to the mine owner, until at
the present time he practically man
aged for his principal the whole
of the affairs and transactions,
which had now become extensive. He
was fair haired man with gray eyes
and light eyelasheS and a face clean
shaver save for pair of neatly trimmed
side-whiskers while a thin-Iipped mouth
and Sunken cheeks completed his not al
together prepossessing appearance,
which seemed to be in accord with his
deprecating manner and low, precise ut
terance. AS on this evening he sat fac
ing his employer, the thin lips were ner-
vously twitchiug and the knuckles of the
long, bony hand, which grasped the
wooden arm of the chair, were white
with the force of the muscular contrac-
work to keep his temper, and no wonder:
for the red face of David Nugent was
flushed to Il deeper crimson, the coarse
veins on his forehead stood out in bold
relief, and his grizzled beard wagged
ominously to and fro as he punctuated
his angry remarks with heavy broad
nailed forefinger.
"Set beggar on horseback and he'll
ride to the devil, - he was saying, "and
that has been your history, my friend
took you up when you were a miserable,
half-starved clerk, and I've done my
best to fatten you, and now you think
you own me, don t your"
81 assure you, Mr.. Nugent, - said
the other, in his soft, almost whining
voice, 81 meant no offense. -
"No offense! Good Godl Is it no
offense for fellow like you, a paid SER
want of mine, a man who would black
my boots tomorrow if l only raised his
salary high enough, to come to me with
his SNUG looks and his hat in his Internal
hand and ask me if he may marry my
daughter? My daughter, by God!' and
Mr.. Nugent looked as though an apo
pIectic fit were not very far off.
''We1, sir, - though the mouth
twitched and the knuckles grew whittier in
contrast to the honeyed accents,
''I'm sure I'm very sorry to have an
noyed you. 1t was only my Overpower-
ing affection which emboldened me to
speak. Forget what 1 have said, and
think no more of my presumption, - and
he smiled a somewhat unpleasant smile.
''No, sir, that is not the kind of man
/ am. When l lose faith in a man I've |
no further use for him. - (NIr Nugent's |
expressions were sometimes of the mine, |
miney). "I've lost faith in you, Lem |
lel Strange, and l I'm bound to tell you
that from this night out I've no use for |
you. -
''N-n-no use for me? What do you
mean, MIR. Nugent?' with look of ap- /
prehension.
81 mean just what I say. Tomorrow
at 10 o CLOCK IL be at the office
and l want you to hand over to me all
the accounts and statements up to date |
III pay you six months salary in lieu of
notice, and then, MIR. Strange, we say
goodbye TO each other.
The look Of apprehension was now ex-
changed for one of absolute tear. "And
10 you mean to say Strange STAN
nered ont, ''that after serving you
for nearly fifteen years you are
going to turn me off at moments no
ice? You are surely joking -
''YOu II find it as dull a joke as you
ever heard, my lad, before noon to-
morrow. If l had been in the habit of
other peoples feelings 1
shouldn't be the owner of the
Lucky Shot' to-day. People say
m q hard man. l am, and by this
lime you ought to know it about as well
Is any one else. I'm a man of my word
90, and when once l say thing 1 stick
o it. -
And Mr.. Nugent beckoned to a waiter,
,aid his check, and without another
Vord slowly rose and slipped on an enor-
nous sable lined overcoat. As he drew
n ms gloves he said TO Strange, who sat
,ale and silent and shiveTing slightly
Well, m going to take stroll up the
venue TO blow some OF this cigar smoke
way, and then II go and see how my
little girl is enjoying her dance. Good
light, Lemuel. IN see you at 10 o cloek
harp tomorrow morning, and the big
healthy looking man
made his way out Of the room, which was
low considerably less crowded.
Lemuel Strange simply inclined his
ead III answer and remained otherwise
5 motionless as though he were statue,