The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-16

What have they got for dinner, any
way?"
"a nice roas' Of mutton"
1.-THE very thing, Joe Serve it ina
medi2tely, an here, you folks buy
something more for yourselves. We
mustn't keep the guests waiting"
he hanaed the darby dollar and the
cid fellow slowly pocketea it.
Serve luncheon at once" ordered
Mr.. Barker, who was becoming iupa-
tent. What are you waiting forP"
"Lookahere. Mars Charles" said the
old man, slowly aad deliberately. 'Hey
you any ijeo what that mutton cost?''
81 can't say have. dollar, per-
haps"
The izn'anee of some people," con-
tinred the darky, is incomprcn'siblc.
That mutton's worth ten dollars II it's
worth red cent, but seein' as how you
don't want it"
lie was turning away when Mr.. Bar
ker stopped him. 1t began to dawn
upon the young man from Twenty
third street that he was being black
mailed
Here's your ten dollars. you black
rascal"
lie took the money from his pocket
and handed 1t to Joe.
Bring us up couple Of bottles Of
claret," he said.
I've got to buy 'em, sab. That'l
cost you five dollars more. It's mighty
good wine and cheap. sab"
You black rascal"-he began again.
That expresshnn win cost you just
two dollars Mars Barker. Doan' you
call 'specible servant no black rsscle.
You'd better put up de cash. lunch
an wine, and dem tings Is apt to rise
mighty quick in this house under some
circumstances.
Barker saw he had to alter his tao
tics. He put UP another Eve dollars
without murmur.
Mr.. Hanson and his wife had de-
parted upstairs to wash their hands.
tits awful" murmured Evelyn as
she passed him on her way to the Ia
bic. Mamma ran right onto one of
the Van Lith franks in the front
room"
ITO VI AAo AFO-0SldL "lhO hOCh-
lessly to gain courage. Old Hanson sat
and gorged himself on the ten-dollar
lunch. Mrs. Hanson, he thought, eyed
him suspiciouSly: and old Joe served
them with broad grin on his ebony
cOuntennnce.
If this kind Of thing keeps up for
week ! GIN ruined" he said to Evelyn
as the dag finally closed, and at last
lie saw his wife's parents safely re-
tired for the night
I've an idea mother already suspects
something" said Evelyn. I've good
mind to take her into my confidence
and confess it all"
But this proposition alarmed him
more than anything else.
Don't do that. I've got four hundred
left yet Let's stick 1t out At say
forty dollars day, how long can we
hold the fort?"
just ten days."
And in ten days then, it is either
fight, the North river, or the morgue."
Ten days is good long time" re-
piled Evelyn. ~ shan't worry myself
SO far ahead. Good night I'm of to
sleep"
Eight days of the ten had elapsed.
The Bankers, with a courage born of
desperation, had stuck it out" They
had become accustomed to their new
position, and. despite their failing
means, Charlie sometimes even fancied
himself rich.
The Hansons were delighted with
their new son-in-law. No words in the
English language were expressive
enough to sing their praises. They
had driven here and there. been taken
to all the theatcrs and fcted every day
on the fat OF the land. They had been
made to feel theh Importance. The
HanSons, of Denver, had never en-
toyed themselves SO much In their
lives.
Barker was nearly crazy. What
would he not have given TO 90 back in
Twenty-third street, and, if he must be
shot for running away with old man
Hanson's daughter, At least have the
satisfaction of dying like an honest
mGn.
On the morning of the ninth day he
Old man Hansen was there with his
famous appetite, eating eggs which
had cost ffty cents apiece and ham
which had been purchased from the
blRckmailer's st dollar q slice.
The letter was from his father in Bos-
ton and read Gs follows:
MY DEAR CHARLBs-Your mother has tust
learned from Mrs. Stewart, who arrived II Bcs-
ton from New York yesterday. Of your late
good fortune in wall street l always knew you
would fall on your feet, ans you can now afford
70 laugh a. those who have hitherto called
you the fool OF tbs family Meantime you
may expect US by IN early train tomorrow,
as we are anxious TO our new daughter.
Your aGect.oE&ts father,
HORACE D BARKER
p. 81 send this 70 your new house In Fifty
seventh street, which Mrs. Stewart tells Us you
purchRs0d OF the Van Lith estate Sac says IL
Is Z sPIeacid property. hope you got bargain
Il ives the last straw. Unable to re-
press his fe elings, the miserable
Barker uttered loud groan and
rushed from the room. nor did he stop
until ne had reached his cham Der.
Throwing himself into chair. he
buried his face il his hands and re-
manned for some time Ia a condition
almost approaching stupefaction.
lie was aroused by light touch on
his shoulder and looked up to find the
door closed aud old Joe standing over
him.
Don't you be blamed fool. Marse