San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-14
THE WAY
MISS EPINGHAM CHEATED THE
-"COMPANI -

! written LOT IHe LlDhA ny h'0"" iSS0i
There is always the last resort Of
suicide open, "said Charlie" and ]
don, know hut it might be q good
thing. Nobody would care.
His pretty cousin, sitting opposite
gszed at him with an expression o.
horror
sSOh! Charlie, how can you talk In
that trighttul manner? 1t sPoils my
visit, it makes me perfectly wcetched
II Uncle Hi knew you had been
gambling at the club-it woald Kill
him"
well Bertha, you see it is a 'ques'
ton Of killing anyway-betser me
than father"
"How much would help you how
much do you kneed? How much did
you actually gamble away"
well if L could get three hQDdred
dollars before ten o'clock tomorrow II
would prevent the affair from getting
out"
Bertha sighed. Her quick intellect
tried to realize q situation wholly
new to her. The daughter of wealthy
parents, 8 proverbial spoiled child OF
American luxury, she knew nothing
OF money except to-spend it.
On this visit to her uncle she found
the spectre OF financial anxiety every
where present, although the daily
life OF the hands some house went tor
ward with Its accustomed splendor.
Her aunt was evidently worried ana
her uncle wholly absorbed in bust
ness, successfully stavlng Oft an i'm
pending crisis. Her reck less cousin,
Charles, blind to the details of pater-
nal affairs, was the only one 1T MS
ease. He took her to germans and
theatres and made AN ideal escort;
pursuing his idle, vicious way with
1.-The boys" until he learned by
chance his fathers real condition.
Then it struck him with q sense of
helpless horror, and he confided his
own embarrassment to his cousin.
Bertha was to leave tor home on
the morrow. Her trunks were packed,
most of her farewell visits paid. and
the bouquets ordered which Rdmiring
men would bring her to the train.
"Oh, Charlie, I havn't got the
money I shall have to pay for my
ticket, but will see what 1 can do.
Mrs. Reynolds lie coming for m lis
morning, and don't know how 4 can
talk pleasantly to anyone, with this
Oh my heart. Papa would never let
me be introduced to her in Cincinnati,
but both of us visiting in this small
town makes 1t different"
Charlie answered in the blatant
vernacular of his "set," which clings
grotesquely to the fast young man,
even when his inner CONSCIOUSLY ss
is sad (he would lain seek dignified
expression. but finds none):.
"Well, Bertha, she is rather q ru m
old GIRL something of q tough GUS
toner 1 can't blame Uncle John for
his objection, but she's visiting the
Van Burgs-and OF course here -"
The speaker was able TO proceed no
farther, Tor the object of his condem
nation arrived. She was q handsome
blonde, saved from any suggestion of
loudness by the perfect taste of her
attire. She greeted Bertha with q
great impressment and presently
carried her off In the Van Burg car
rage.
As result of this drive-Miss
Bertha Eppingham handed her
Cousin Charley nearly three hun
bred dollars in hard cash. /"
She secured it by taking q risk and
learned the bitter lesson that those
who dance must pay the fiddler.
From Middleton to Cincinnati the
distance is many miles, and the time
consumed In traversing it two days
and one night. The farthest section
of the Pullman car was occupied by
q young lady, travelling alone. She
was very pretty, very slender, with
the most appealing dark eyes and
brown hair that curled in soft ten.
drills round her small grey hat. With
all Der girlish gentleness she seemed
quite self possessed character, and
fully able to take care of herself.
George Doromsn found her more in.
teresting than his novel and fell to
specializing upon her. He no
ticed that the conductor seemed
to take particular care of her, and re.
solved to ask that tunctionary for in.
formation.
He found his opportunity in the
smoking car.
| "Oh! the lady at the end of the car
that is Mrs. barry Reynolds, of Gin
cinnati. 1 understand she is q pro-
fessional beauty. She's travelling OIL
| a pass signed by the president"
Mr.. Doroman gave q whistle which
rivalled the performance OF the engine
and then eDquired:
"Does she 90 about this part of the
country much-traveling on-on pass
esp"
II never saw her before. This is ,
new run for me, but know the presi
dent. She is said to be q great frienC
of his"
The stolid face of the conductor as
sumed such a knowing look that Mr.
Doroman understood him.
"She don't look like she was q ga,