The record-union., 1893-03-10

clearing, and while his son blanketed
and tethered the team old Solon ad
vanced to the verge. The exhilarating
air stirred the enthusasms of youth
WITHIN MIN. All, serene panorama of
ioyellness. He outStretched his arms as
II ne would claim and maintain it. And
SO, indeed, he might. The Kingdoms of
the earth, they were his; his, the match
less shades and sparkles: his, the smiling
helds, the smoke-wreathed hamlets, il he
put Wllled it.. What a man he was, or
rather what god, since-he heard not
stealthy tread nor quick compressed
painting. He stood exalted, fascinated,
There was rush, low cry of triumph:
a scream of terror, and old Solon Briggs
/ fell down, down to the jagged rocks that
grlmly offered him the charity of his
past.
That scream startled young Solon
Briggs from his task. he ran to the
brink and stopped, bewildered. There
was solitude, there was silence Oh,
| what was it, and where was his father?
lie threw himself on the ground and
peered over cautiously. Far below he
distinguished, he recognized. dark out
lines. With quakings of flesh lie rolled
backward and lay powerless. Then, re-
! echolng that scream, he sprang to his feet
and dashed tor the team, and away they
sped down the steep, uneven road as if
| the avenger We're III pursuit. At the
| bend he refined his trembling horses, and,
securing them to Sapling, crept through
the thlcket to where his father lay. The
old man was crushed, bleeding, dying,
but conscious. He drew his sons hand
to his lips and kissed it. "My dear boy"
he faltered. You are sorry, aren't you?
Always my pride, my comfort! l have
met my fate, as l've felt / would. 1t was
no matter; / can't blame him much.
Hasten Tor help. You haven't the
strength TO bear me, and l couldn't en-
dure The attempt. I'll survive your re-
turn, never fear. My love will keep me
alive"
Patiently old Scion Briggs lay as the
hours dragged by. Soon his son would
return TO him. Under his tender care he
might recover, or if not he would die
blessing him and receiving his kiss. But
when the sting of :he western sun
aroused his CONSCIOUSNESS that presence,
which is either the compensation or the
curse of the dying, revealed the truth;
he was deceived, despised, deserted.
His boy, the hope, the ambition of his
life, knew that he was spent, and turned
from him as from dog. Why was he so
stony-hearted? Did not the regard of
years deserve better requiting? Yet,
what indeed should he have expected
from himself, from his own? Could men
gather grapes of thorns? All, the bitter
ness OF unavailing regret! All, the an
gulsh of possibilities no longer possible!
| with the darkness came death to old
Scion Briggs. The Kingdoms of the
earth faded rom his view, and in the
presence OF eternity he comprehended
! his own littleneSs.
| Two days thereafter there was excite
ment in the metropolis; there was panic
on its exchanges. The report came that
Scion Briggs, the great capitalist, was
| dead. First it was said that he had COM
| hnT hot ha
murdered, and that the assassin, half
| craZed wretch whom he had ruined years
| before, had been arrested by the astute
! Bayles and boasted of the crime The
Briggs stocks fell, and amid their thun-
| derous crash resounded the groans of the
ruined. The world of finance rocked to
| and fro from the loss of him who had
been its main prop.
| AT ponce headquarters BayleS and the
| Chief were in secret consultation. Pm
| glad you have sent for him. said the
| former. We've got the right man safe
enough. Pve watched him for years, and
here are the details of his confession.
! But there's mystery. 1t is certain that
Scion Briggs and his son drove out to-
gether Sunday morning, that the young
man returned alone and reported that his
father had received q sudden cali to the
| city and had taken the train at Chelsea,
and that he must follow that evening,
W A-ICh lIc illli. NOW nG LluSI nave NJ least
known that something had happened,
and yet he kept it secret. Could he have
been privy-'
At this instant the door opened, and
young Solon Briggs entered.
BE seated, my dear sir,'' said the Chief
suavely, land rest assured that what
transpires here shall be strictly confiden-
| tial. But we feel that an explanation
from you will be-ur-more satisfactory
to-ur-all parties concerned"
You see," concluded young Solon,
with an injured air, after he had related
the occurrences of Sunday morning, 81
knew that the old man was dead, and that
such chance to bear the market wouldn't
happen again in lifetime. So | did
what he would have done, by Jove, and |
think it's hard lines that my mourning
should be thus disturbed about it. /
kept my mouth shut and sold stocks
right and left, and Pm half million
ahead on the operation
A