The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-09-02
CHAPTER Il

CHAPTER Il
Mr.. Lispenard sank into one Of the
rich chairs. 1t CHANGED to be u Vene-
tian piece Of furniture, and his gaunt
frame and elderly visage, both 50 clear
l. touched By modern meanings, made
an odd contrast with the velvet and
carvings OF this archaic seat.
You said-horrible newS-Uncle
Crawford?''
Alonzo dragged forth the words while
his gaze wandered among the tumultu-
Gus beauties of the room, though it
possibly did so without seeing one Of
them.
Yes. my boy. The firm has gone,
It's been Chichester's work No one
knew. think some woman has been
dragging him into the whole horror-a
I71iddle-aged man like that! He's drawn
enormous sums and gambled them
away. II must have been going on for
a good while. You see, was careless
about the books ! left all that to
Chichester. my confidence in Aim was
SO perfect. l might. Of course, have
suspected. I knew that he lived high,
belonged to fashionable clubs, enter
tanned troops OF friends. But there was
so much money for his share that I
never dreamed he could even spend his
own income from year to year. And all
the while he was plunging into your
money, into your sisters, into mine.
There's one Wall street operation alone
by which he must have lost two mil
lions. And he's been so internally
crafty with it ALL Even in dying he
showed a certain devilish shrewdness,
waiting till the very last enjoyable mo-
rlent before he killed himself"
KILLED himself" echoed Alonzo.
Haven't you seen the evening
papers?'' replied his uncle. '>Chiches-
ter was found in his bedroom at two
o'clock to-day, shot through the head,
and evidently by his own hand"
There was now a silence. during
which Alonzo stole up to his uncle's
side and began to stroke that gentle
mans grayish locks and pat one of his
shoulders with affectionate iervor..
Uncle Crawford" he said, ''you
mustn't let this awful thing affect you
too much. Now that look az you
closer I see just how jaded and upset
You are. I'm SO sorry for you-indeed,
indeed | am
Crawford Lispenard's eyes filled with
tears. He was called by the world
rather frigid old celibate, and he was
known 70 live lonely and loveless life.
Perhaps in thirty years he had never
really wept until now
You're sorry for me, LOnz?" he muir
INJURED. And you don't think OF your
self? you don't think"
''Oh, yes, l do" the nephew broke in.
He went and touched a bell, coming
back to his uncle's side, with faint,
futtered laugh leaving his lips That
is, I'm beginning to think of myself.
But it's all so strange, 50 dazing, don't
you know"
When his bell-touch was answered he
said few words to the servant, who pres
emily brought q goblet of champagne,
which he insisted on having his uncle sip.
Then, when Mr. Lispenard had evident
" felt the aiding effects of the stimu-
liant, Alonzo went downstairs with him
10 his carriage. II must turn up
among my guests he explained, ''or
they'll think this one of my rankest
capers, and I'm always cutting up ca
pers, at least everybody tells me so.
There-go home, and I'll join you be-
tween now and ten o'clock, surely. Don't
worry too much. Things may not be
SO frightfully bad for Us, after all"
tTo BE CONTINUED.