The state herald., 1892-04-01
THE MAN In POSSESSION.

y
oycning?" Griffin Stenlake inquired Of
his better half
II am. Oh. I don't want your es.
cort! I'm going with Mrs. jackson.
I'll take cab and call for her on my
way"
"All right my dear. I'll turn into
my den us have some writing to do. ="
So to his particular sanctum in the
front basement (most families would
have made it housekeepers room)
ho betook himself In due course. Not
TO write, however but to the compan-
ionshlp OF strange bby-genteel
individual. who was consuming
whisky and water and smoking u pipe,
and OF whose presence in the house
Mrs. Stenlake had not tho faintest
conception.
1t should be explained that Grifiith
Stenlake had married a young widow
with two littlo girls. They had not
been very happy during the last year
Their attitude toward each other
might uptly be described as an armed
neutrality. Each drifted their own
way. The lady was n votary OF pleas
ure and must havo money at any cost.
Her husband was man OF weak
character. hence he supplied the need
ful meekly and concealed his difficulties
from her, knowing that she in her
turn would only upbraid him for his
folly.
So IL came about that till now he
had successfully secreted from her the
shabby man in his den (Which she
never intruded upon), the said shabby
individual being no loss person than
q man in possession. Griffith. in his
indoient fashion, was student OF
character. This man amused him and
he resolved to spend the evening in
his company until Mrs. Stenlake's re-
turn. lie found him peepinp between
tho venetians apparently trying to
get glimpse of that lady US she went
out at tho front door.
Don't let yourself be seen. for
goodness sake!" exclaimed Griffith.
'All right sir; I'm sure | don't
want TO be. tho brokers man replied
very quietly. but us he turned STEM
lake noted n strange look in his face.
"1our wife, sir? She's IA very pretty
woman"
I'm glad you think So"
oh. don't mind mo sir She
brings back to my memory some one
once knew.
"A ilameP"
"ies-well no. / suppose you'd
bo astonished to hear I'd ever been
different from bum bailiN?"
NO, Mr.-by tho way, what is
your nameP'
''Sangster-Bill Sangster That
will do well enough for me at present
J suppose you'd be surprised to hear
I'd been n solicitor onccP"
Il should indeed"
We'll. / was And that I'd beou
struck OF the roll?"
No. ] shouldn't bo surprised at
that"
'Ah. well. that's just what wnsn' Z,
simply sank gracefully into oblivion.
Only about four years ago the final
crash took place, mind you, and all
because l was too trustful for this
world"
"a conflding lawyer!'
"Ah. you muy well laugh. But
paid denrly for my experience bar
tered away both fortune and happi-
ness and now believe in no ono"
lie sat for moment pulling at his
pipe and then continued;
.'lt was all through n lady who
came TO me representing that sho was
entitled TO large fortune. Sho told
mo she did not wish TO take proceed
inCs in tho matter ut once. us there
WINS young man in love with her
who would not propose TO her II he
knew it lest It might bo thought ho
wanted her for her money. | bo-
lioved this romantic tale and ad-
ynnced hcr-wcll. nearly every penny
had In tho world.
Then she lcvantod. and / had to
face my wife and little children und
tell them they were bcggars. Shc
was furious and jealous. too for sbo
thought there was more in tho matter
than would confess TO. i pleaded
excuses thon; | can find none now. [,
was n cowardly pieeo OF folly on my
part She loft me. taking tho little
ones. don't know how they Jared.
! bccnmo n pcnnilcss wnnderor with
out home without friends. sank
lower and lower until | have found
my level. Experience has taught mo
cunning. caro- has mudo mo drink; so
havo become brokers man"
lio stopped speaking. Griffith was
thoughtful and ,hero was n long 81
lonco between them.
Mr.. stcnlnkc coughod and winkcd.
Tho man In possession did tho same.
The room was full OF smoke n great
denl moro smoke surely. than could
possibly have beon caused by tholr
pipes. Griffith opened tho door Tho
pnssngc was full OF smoke. too. and
nj tho snmo moment tho servant maid
came positively dying down the stairs
wildly shriokingi
"iirol firci'
.'iinlloa," said Bill snnRstor start
Ing up. his ui,ornnco n llttlo thick
for he Ind absorbed nearly rs much
whisky M was good for him. What q
thisP What's upp Il this somo
dodgop"
Il know no moro what's tho matter
,hnn you do"
And tho childrcnl Whore nro
thoy'" cried Bill. passing his hand
over his eyes.
''ln tho ,op.fron, room" Stonlnkc
replied. mechanically. lio was not n
person gifted with presence OF mind.
but tho idea struck him Mt tho Tina
how cid this man know there were
children In tho housoP Ho Ind no,
eecn them. and no ono had told OF
them. lBu, sangator had not stopped
TO think. iIo hnd rushed upstairs
md Grinlth. going after mot him
coming down ngain. Tho fires In
,hcre he oxolnimodi 'tbo doors
lockod Ny God. they'll bo burned
nlivn-tha poor little rhitdrpni