The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-29

the letter and began TO rip open pile Of
others in a manner that betrayed how an
CRY he was.
will it be before you forget that ne'er-do-
well Chiffon? Where is the name he
boosted of making? Bah! l should not be
at all surprised to hear that he is displaying
his talents 10 penny show.
'If you do not like him there Is no need
TO insult him." Alma retOrted, rising.
Yet even as she left the room she seemed
TO be calm and imperturbable.
81 cannot make her out" Sir Joshua
mCttered. What on earth can she see IN
the fellow, when there are hundreds OF men
who would give their ears to gain smile
from her lips. ! have great hopes IN Cap
! tain Warriug he has openly inquired
about Alma, and-well must leave it all
just now"
In the evening Captain Warning arrived,
just in time 60 dress for dinner. In appear
ance there was nothing of the warrior
about him. He was a simple, gOOd-natured
! young man, with a great fondness for his
neatly trimmed muStache. and his ey'glaSs.
of which he was q complete master.
81 suppose. Sir Joshua" he said, during
the conversation, that You do not often. 90
to the theater?"
'No. 1.-THE Baronet replied. severely; more
patronized puppet show"
You are little too hard on the profess
sion" Captain Warning returned laugh
ingly. Last night l looked in at the
EiysIum, and saw remarkable performance
on the part Of q man who calls himself Leo
SardOu All London is talking Of him ami
asking Who he really IS, and where he has
sprung from"
From the middle classes, undoubtedly"
sneered Sir Joshua.
Oh, there are all sorts Of good people 60
ing on the stage now" Captain Warning
said. "NeU, l was going TO tell You about
this Young actor The piece was called An
Unnatural Foe Sardou played the part of
the lover and hero, and the style in which
be gave II 20 the finly-heaTted father of the
girl he had proposed 10 melted the very
stalls and drove the pit and gallery frantic.
At the end of the piece he was called three
times before the curtain, and even then the
audience did not seem inclined 10 let him
GO"
Sir Joshua, begui,ed into smiling at what
he considered such an aOSuTdlty, happened
to ance at Alma.
She was all excitement Her eyes were
bright aud her lips were ptrted, as If
yeaTning for further particulars of the sue
cesSful young actor.
But Captain Warning had other news TO
tell, which was not particularly welcome to
Sir joshua May.
He had made up his mind to marry at
last and gave the happy lady's name upon
which Alma heartily Congratulated him,
and looked quite happy
Two years after, one gloomy afternoon in
November, the street newSbOys tore madly
about, shreking aud yelling: Panic in
the city Failure Of a great city bank!
Alarm I'M financial cTCles!'
The firm IF May, Milton & Goliing had
closed their doors at the very moment when
the public believed every member Of tie
bank 20 be n millionaire. Rage aud fury
filed tie hearts of investors Ruin stared
them in the face and they hurried TO and
fro with paiIid faces and bated breath
anxious for any scrap Of news which passed
from mouth TO mouth.
Hundreds Of kilograms reached Sir
Joshua May, many of an inQuirjng natuIe,
some lnsu ting, but few Of q sympathetic
nature his own house was even besieged
by men who declared that he had purpOSely
mis- ei and robbed them. There were even
TumOTs Of forgery on the part Of one Of the
firm, and every edition Of the papers teemed
with paragraphs, many of which were as
authentic as the story OF tie man IN the
moon.
Tu KEY had succumbed to Russia. and
the bonds issued by the Porte were worth
little more than the paper they were printed
upon. THIS was the rea cause Of the crash,
for Nav Milton & Golding had invested 10
face 10 face with ruin.
Sir Joshua knew only too well that the
bank could not Tie over Itself
a week or so later on Il noisy meeting
was held. The firm could nos conceal that
Il was h0pelesSly bankrupt. and such was
the feeling against tie members that they
scarcely escaped from the room without
moestatiOn.
Sir Joshua sat in the library of the house
which he must soon leave. Resting his
hands upon his knees, he thought of the
past, and his heart was full Of bitterness.
What ayailed all his haughtlness now So
called friends had flown from him, and
there was but one I'D all the world to whom
he could look FOR love and CamlOrt-Alm4.
She sat at his side IN tile growing dark
ness, and listening 10 the rain as il ratified
and spiaSLed against the windows.
Papa size said, "y0u must not sink
under the blow. Even if the worst should
come we shall be able to live as thousands
live. l am not afraid Of poverty; | can
W0Tk, anu VIII engage myself either as
goyeness or a companion. Come, rouse
yourself, papa, dinner is ready"
He did NOT seem TO hear her. as he re-
NAMED silent with 1ar-awdy expression in
his eyes.
4 knock came at the door. and in obedf-
dIeuce to the Stere0typed reply, a servant
entered bearing card on a salyer.
Alma, taking it in her hand, glanced at
1t careies'Iy, aud then let 1t hutter to the
ground.
'.Mr. Leo Sardour' she exclaimed. "Whv.
be must be the same gentleman Captain
Warning spoke 10 Us about Where IS he,
James"
In the drawing-room, miss"
Il viii 60 10 him." Alma said, rising and
glanCIng at her father, who she knew was
IN no mood TO receive visitors. Removing
the tears which had welled into her eyes,
Alma walked slowly down to the drawing
room.
SIR. Sardou did not hear her approach.
lie was examining some splendid work of
art and his back was toward her.
y Oh Will pardon sir Joshua" she began;
and then, as the visitor tur ed, she uttered
a wild cry, and threw herself into his arms
Jack! Jack. Is it you? Have you indeed
returned 70 me, after all this long, weary
time?"
81 have come back to claim You as I
said | would, before all the world" he re-
piled, kissing her lips and brow. ID mt
cry, Alma, DON'T DONE CRY like that
Like the rest Of the world. / know what
has happened, and l have returned to re-
new my vow and 10 near yours again.
Alma, there are shadows over this house,
but there are none between US. IOu are
mine forever and for aye"
He then told her Of his success under an
assumed name on the stage, and how with
It had come another lucky turn Of the wheel
Of fortune. A distant relative had passed
away and left him ample means for indie
pendence.
"Where is your father?" he asked. hold
Ing Alma 70 his heart. If l cannot pay
his debts, l can offer him a home and
make him comfortable to the end Of his
days. Alma, l have forgiven and FORGOTTEN
the past. 10 err is human"