San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-16

Yes, sir; this morning. and Uer'y d,nk-
lCGrd GCds, too"
The "Old Man" was waiting when
Stevens entered. all aglow, and the die
tation began at once. The secretary
nerved himself for the task, and fol-
lowed the quick, crisp speech of the
magnate as we'll as he could, but the
strain was too great Soon he made one
blunder and then a second and third;
and finally he dropped his pen in des-
peration and threw himself on the mercy
Of the court.
II can't write; I'm too excited" he ex-
claimed. burying his face in his hands.
Whats up now?' asked the magnate
sharply.
why, I've just asked Windward Bas-
sett for his sister, and he is talking about
it with the mother now, suppose, was
the reply.
1T strikes me you've left ont the girl"
said the magnate dryly. However, tell
me how matters stand.
This was a service much more to the
secretary's mind just then, and he at
once launched forth into a turgid stream
of doubts and hopes and fears.
Afraid of Buttons, are your inter
rupted the odd Man" Il guess that is
all right. Did you give her some fowers?"
Yes, sir: this morning; and very
awkward was, too"
That's right; the awkwarder the bet
ter. On, she won't elope to. night with
Buttons. Don't get excited. guess
you'll get her, and if you don't I'll intro
duce you to some other nice girls just as
| good rs she is "
This certainly was a new and dread
fully practical way of looking at it, but,
somehow, it was a wonderfully consoling
way. 1t comforted Stevens more than
| he would dare admit to himself. A
reasonable, and yet very soothing,
thought flashed through his mind that
the protege of an arch millionaire might
properly consider himself as belonging
| to that class known to mammas as eligi-
BILE young men. No doubt, the magnate
| could, if he chose, introduce him to
some exceedingly nice girls-but out
upon such baseness and disloyalty! And
| out they went, but they left his nerves
quoted, and he could now do his work.
There" said the magnate, when the
evenings budget was fnised, now I'll
put my thinking cap on tonight, and
| we'll see what can be done about the
girl. You give her some more flowers in
the morning. Come tomorrow night as
usual. Good night, sir"
Once alone the magnate touched the
call bell. 1t was Immediately answered
by a servant vino had learned ere this
the pecunisgy val1e of pro,0ptness.
'eGet me Baltimore paper" he said.
1.-THE stand is closed, sab" was the re-
ply.
"Get me a Baltimore paper" thun-
dered the king in tones that made the
darby tremble and woke up a man in
the next room.
eyes, sah," exclaimed obsequious
darkness, and fed down stairs to the
clerk with the message that the gentle
man in No. - wanted Baltimore paper
shuah. And the clerk got one.
When the boy brought it up the mag
nate took it hurriedly and turned to the
amusement advertisements. He ran
down the list, reflected moment, and
then sat down at his desk and scratched
off half dozen short dispatches.
"Here, boy" he said roughly to the
servant, take these to the Western
Union Telegraph Office. Here's dollar.
See you do it right and quick or I'll have
you discharged"
''Yes, sah!'' said Hopeful Africa, with
an obeisance and grin, and disap-
peared.
Cant buy 'em, heyP' muttered the
king, as he paced the floor. We'll see
about THAR
He crossed the carpet few times, a
smile in his eyes and mouth that made
his harsh features kindly and winsome.
Then he stopped abruptly, seated him
self at his desk, brushed aside the litter
of business and taking a well worn pack
of cards from the drawerplayed solitaire,
according to mis- invariable habit on re-
firing, an hour by the clock to compose
his brains and thus fight off that vam-
pire that feeds on NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MIA.
1t may have been the cards, or it may
have been from some other cause, but
that night the king slept restfully and
sweetly.
CHAPTER XIII
evening Stevens rusneu oa-sA ~ -
bouSA and Soupht ont his friend whom