Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-03-30

ITdDlt tnihh OF liIlDdhhlNfnthss
had he known with what indifference
this man looked upon the proprieties Of
life. how little respect he had for him.
self or for the rights OF others Pos
sessed OF a certain physical attractive.
ness, the man had from the start gained
a strange ascendency, amounting al.
most TO n fascination, over Kate, whom
he had married Eve years before In Bos-
ton, where she was living with her
mother, who died short time after
this union, the consequences Of which
were destined 10 be so distressing
Hates property would have been quite
sufficient 10 support them both N bar.
ker hadn't preferred the devious to the
straight paths But such was not IN be
the case Having wasted goodly por.
ton Of his wifes fortune, Lew BARKER,
already In bad financial odor. resolved
10 leave the city ~ Boston On the
Pacific slope, In ar entirely new coun.
try whittier his nous reputation
would not be likely - follow him. he
hoped TO find chances which were now
denied him In the cast
Kate. who now had an inkling Of her
husbands true character. made haste to
agree TO this proposition, for she was
anxious TO leave Boston. where invidi
Gus comments had already become eur
rent, and she rcjoiced also at the pro.
posal Of meeting her only living rela-
tive
Barker had now become n resi-.
dent OF San Diego for three years, and
yet so skillful had he been In Disgusting
the crooked nature OF his transactions
that not breath OF suspicion mad at
tached to him Such were the circum
stances which had brought about the
reunion Of the two cousins at n time
when Molly had not w. become Mrs
John Allaire
The closest intimacy sprang up be.
tween the young wife and the young
girl, and although II would have seemed
more natural for Kate To exercise an
ascendency over Molly. yet II was the
contrary that took place Molly was
resolute. Kate was weak. and the young
girl soon became the strong prop Of the
married woman Kate rejoiced greatly
ut the projected marriage Of her cousin
10 the young captain marriage
which gave no promise Of ever rcsem.
bling her own, and what sweet conso-
lation and comfort could Kate not have
drawn from the sympathy Of the young
couple, could she have brought herself
To uncover her hidden sorrow
As for Lew Barker. his position be-
came more and more complicated A
crisis was at hand The last scrap OF
his wife's fortune which he had hasti.
ly collected upon leaving Boston would
soon be exhausted This man. by
nature a gambler. or rather recSlcss
Spectator. was one OF those who re-
| gard chance NJ their only drnondrn''
and who are always ready TO risk every
thing on single throw Such a pro-
pensity absolutely uncontrolled by
the dictates OF reason, could not do
otherwise than lead. and did lead. TO do
plorable results
Upon reaching San Diego Barker had
! opened an Office In Fleet street, one OF
those bureaus which II were more APP
proprate 70 cull dens, In which any
scheme. good or bad becomes the start
ing point Of a fraud Very skillful In
depicting the possibilities of n combine
ton. utterly INSCRIPTIONS as To the
means resorted TO an adept in the art
Of persuasion, with very shadowy no
lions Of meum ct tuum. he plunged
heahlong into twenty speculations, all
/ OF which went To pieces. but the bitter
himself did not escape unbtten, for he
now found himself literally on the
street almost without the nccessaries
Of life Still. as his operations had
been entirely secret. he had some little
credit left and made use Of II To launch
new schemes and secure new victims
This condition OF affairs, however,
could not last Any moment there
might be an outburst. and the schem.
ing Yankee who had transported his
peculiar business methods To the Pacific
slope might find himself Obliged to
leave San Diego rs he had left Boston.
And vet. IN an intelligent community,
genuine center of commercial activity
whose Importance increased from year
To year any man OF honesty and In.
tegrity would have found many ave-
nues Of success open To him But there
were necdful something's which Lew
lIarkcr didn't have moral rectitude,
straightforward ideas and mind free
from guile
II IL important TO note here that
neither John Allnire, Andrew Hollister
nor anyone else had any suspicion Of the
true condition Of Barlters matters. In
Industrial and commercial circles there
was no inlSling that this ndventurer-
and would TO Heaven he deserved nc
hnrsher name was Fastening TO hi,
ruin. And even when the crash SHOULD
come. possibly they would be inclined
to look upon him simply rs an unlucky
business man and not a man utterly
devoid OF moral sense, to whom al
methods are permissible provided the,
lead TO fortune And John Allaire him
self. although he had never beer
specially attracted by the man, was n
this moment not In the least inclined
To distrust him, and therefore was
that during his absence he woul,
count upon his wife's being the re
cip,ent OF Lewis and Hates kind OF
fees. Should the emergency arise
should Molly stand in need Of their on,
stretched hand. she would not call on
$ 10 them In vain. Their house woul
he open To her and she would find
n welcome there-not only the one due :
e u friend, but 10 sister.
, les,des, how could there possibly b
q any suspicion Of Kate Rarker's sincerit
/. ~ uffectionp Her love for Molly was a
v great rs II was unscltlsh, and, far froI
4 striving 20 set bounds to II, Lew Barke
G had encouraged IT, no doubt with som
Y sinister motive, some shadowy vision {
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