The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-03-23

The girl had Seated herself. She
spoke in a quiet, collected, level voice:
II am not in love with you. But,
from the things Oscar Searle has let
drop inadvertently about you from
time to time, l have formed a certain
idea of your personality. And thai per-
sonaIity interested me because it coin
cided with my own, with my own tent
per, with my mode Of thought. AS soon
as 1 heard you speak last night had
seen you before and studied your face,
for Mr.. Searle pointed you out to me
on more thar n OccasiOn-l saw that
1 had not been mistaken in this view
I had conceived Of the manner of man
you were. Well, this being SO, l hav
come to make a bargain. I think it
quite to your advantage. I shall state
it as briefly as possible. Few words
are needed"
She paused, and her magnificent eyes
were fixed upon him with q piercing
keenness in place of their customary
n%onchalence. Hammond had listened
with growing attentiveness. What sort
Of a woman was this? In appearance,
a lovely girl, whom he had regarded as
such the night before, and in no other
way. In speech and manner, at this
moment, definite, t%renchant, seeming
to command an inviolnble situation by
right of some enormous, inherent, I'M
suspected force of character.
Go on" he said.
She continued to look at him steadily,
with a glance that never wavered or
fickered or sank. Then she spoke:
II can give you information-inside
in "mation-concerning the shares in
Il re bank, which, if you have the
daring financial spirit l take you TO
have. will make your fortune or launch
YOU on the way to permanent ana colos-
sal success"
Hammond raised his eyebrows.
"Ah!!-Searle?"
Exactly, Searle. He told me-beins
infatuated with me, and thinking a
woman could make use of no such ois-
closures. He ought not to have trusted
70 that. of course. But Mr.. Searle Is
a fool. You thought 1 loved him. She
shrugged her shoulders. Il consented
to marry him because his position was,
at least, not poverty-genteel poverty
the worst Of all. But l want to be rich,
7 want to be powerful. / want to see
the world at my feet.
POSSIBLY, 1 think, probably, you are
the man who could do these things.
Therefore, my bargain. l communicate
Mr.. Searle's information-Whlch ne was
a fool to give-on consideration that
you marry me-
The two faced each other a moment.
Hammond's brain was working Win
lightning rapidity.
'Of course, Searle may be suspected.
He will lose his position. This VIII
brand him-ruin his chances forever
Again Adrienne Eastlake shrugged
her shoulders.
Il am sorry-I would not willingly
harm him. But in the struggle for lie
the weak go to the wall. 1t IS the
law"
Half an hour longer this man ana
q. this woman were ,closeted. Wheh Eah-
mond walked with his visitor 10 the
door. the information had been given,
the bargain struck.
Before him, Hammon1's insatiate in
ner eve saw stretching the feverish
vision of success, no longer afar OIL
and dimly uncertain, but near, close,
within the grasp of his hand.
Yet. IN all the exultation of that mo
ment, a thought, bringing with 1t a
smile of confirmed cynicism, shot
through his mind. Who was it had
said that a woman, ,nce given over 10
the luxury of this world, could be
more INSCRIPTIONS than any man.:
s.
Searle to-day is a poor man. Fol ten
years past he has been an unsuccessful
one. That tide in the affairs or mel
which, taken at the flood, led Ham
mond and his beautiful wife on to
fortune, has left him stranded. ne
lost hts position in bad odor. line
same unwelcome repute has hung
about his name ever since. But Ham.
mond bulls and bears the market. Ano
I. Adrienne has attained her ends; enjoys
the fullest fruition of her ambition.
, To the general world she represents
triumph incarnate, secure. The re"
VIII know see her drive by, as l 40
with wonder and a question as to IN.
| possible final end Of an earthly III
umph.