The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-26
A DEAL ON CHANGE.
A Tale of Revenge.
ny ROBERT BARE.


DnHnlCtl the hNlI-Dlin0eu NlhltOTs cunning III Out
Of the bright light, TO knock over gracefully q
5000 vase that had come from japan TO meet
disaster In New York.
In a corner of tho room wos seated, In n deer
and luxurious armchair, n most beautiful wo.
man. She was the wife OF the son OF the richest
man in America; she was young; her husband
was dcyotedly fond OF her; she was mistress of
. palace; anything that money could buy was
hers did she but express the wish; but she was
weeping and had made up her mind that she
was the most miserable creature In all the land.
II a stranger had entered the room he would
hrst have been impressed by the fact that he
was looking at the ~prettiest woman he had ever
seen; then ho would have been haunted by the
idea that he had met her somewhere before. II
he were a man moving in artistic circles he
might perhaps remember that he had seen her
face looking down at him from various can
vases In picture exhibltions; and unless he were
y stranger TO the gossip of the country he could
hardly help recollectlng tho dreadful fuss the
papers made, as II It were any business of theirs,
when young Ed bruce married the artists
model. celebrated for her loveliness.
Every one has read the story Of that marriage;
goodness knows the papers made the most Of It,
IL 10 their custom. Young Ed, who knew much
more Of the world than did his father, expected
stern opposition; and, knowing the unlimited
power unlimited wealth gave TO the old man, he
did not risk an interview with his parent but
eloped with the girl. The first inkling old man
bruce had of the affair was from q vivid, sensa-
tional account OF the runaway In an evening
paper. He was pictured in the paper rs an i'm
plaoable father who was at that moment search
ing for the clippers with q shotgun. Old bruce
had been too ofton the central figure of a Journal
istic sensation TO mind what tho sheet said. lie
promptly telegraphed all over the country, and
LIT IL -ta
him electrically as q favor to bring his young
wife home, and not make . FOOL Of himself. SO
the truant pair. much relieved. came back to
New York.
Old bruce was a taciturn man, even with his
only son. He wondered at first that the boy
should have 30 misjudged him as TO suppose he
would raise objections, no matter whom the lad
wished TO marry. lie wat bewildered rather
than enlightened when Ed told him he feared
opposition because the girl was poor. What
difference on earth did that maker Had he not
money enough for.all of them ? II not, was there
nny trouble In adding to their store? Were there
railroads TO be wrecked; stockholders to
be fecccd; Wall street lambs TO shorn2 Surely
man married to please himself and not to
make money. Ed assured tho old man TINT
cases had been known where a suspicion Of mer-
cenary motives had lowered around q matri-
monlal alliance, but bruce expressed tho ut
most contempt for such n state OF things.
At first Ella lad been rather afraid OF her
silent fathor-in-law, whose very name made
trent BILE and thousands curse, but she
soon discovered that the old man actually stood
in awe Of her, and that his apparent brusque-
ness was the mere awkwardness he felt when in
her presence. He was anxious TO please her,
and worried himself wondering whether there
was anything she wanted.
n,a, Iay 10 fup,hltprlv Jron,aJ q ,No,I- a..
million dollars In her lap, and, with some ncr-
vous confusion, asked her to run out, like n
good girl, and buy herself something; il that
wasn't enough she was to call on him for more.
The girl sprang from her chair and threw her
around his neck, much to the old mans
embarrassment, who was not accustomed TO
such a situation. She kissed him in spite of
himself, allowing the check to nuttcr to the
around loose in America that day.
When he, reached his Office he surprised his
son. He shook his fist in the young fellows
M you ever say a cross word to that little girl,
do what I've never done yet, I'll thrash your
The young man laughed.
All right, father. III deserve a thrashing In
he Thought OF his pretty daughter-in-law. My
little girl" he always called her. At first, Wafl
street men said old bruce was getting into his
dotage, but when a nip came in the market and
they found that, as usual, the old man was on
the right side OF the fence, thew were conn
PEELED reluctantly to admit. with emptier peck
cts, that the dotage hnd not yet interfered will
the financial corner OF old Druce's mind.
As young Mrs. bruce sat disconsolatciy in her
drawing room the curtains nartel gently md
her law entered stealthily, as IL he
were n thief, which indeed he was. and the very
greatest OF them. bruce had small, shifty,
piercing eyes that pcercd out from under his
gray bushy eyebrows like two steel sparks. lie
never seemed 10 be looking directly NJ any one.
and his eyes somehow gave you the idea that
they were trying 10 glance back over his Shout
der, as IL he feared pursuit. Some said that old
bruce was in constant terror OF ASSASSINATION.
while others held that he knew the devil was ON
his track and would ultimately nab him.
~ pity the devil when that day comes young
Sneed said once when some one had made ths
usual remark about bruce. This echoed the
general feeling prevalent in Wall street regard
Ing the encounter that was TO be inevitable.
The old man stopped in the middle OF the
room when he noticed that. his daughter-in-law
was crying.
Dear, dearv' he said, what r. the matter?
Has Edward been saying anything cross 4"
mo, papa" answered the girl. "Nohody
could be kinder TO mo than Ed il. There IL
really the matter" Then to nut the
truth OF her statement beyond ali question. Size
began to cry afresh.
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