The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-26
TILE SALT LAKE HERALD, SATURDAY, DECEMBER ze,


of rattle in his throat
"Adkemar's downfall?" he said: my
own downfall. YOU mean
oh, come now, not so bad as all
that" answered Jervois cheerfully, not
knowing for the moment half what his
own or Belliar's debts were; mot so
bad as that, old fellow. I'm pretty we'll
broke myself" he went on with that
pleasant equanimity born of knowl-
edge that you're nothing of the kind,
or that if you are, there is always q
landing net in the shape of a soft and
forgiving father to fish you out of all
difficulties next day; I'm pretty dead
broke myself
Yes. -pretty-dead-b
yourself" echoed Dan, stupidity
You e-pretty-dead-" He broke off
with a start and caught himself up.
Yes, indeed, continued Jervois,
amiably, and I feel rather inclined
to go and drown myself-theres place
nice and handy, built as last re-
source for stonebrOke turtles"
Dan stirred, and a curious awaking
sensation crept through hint seemed
as if he had been asleep all this time,
and had only awoke to hear Jervois'
last words.
He looked far and away-far across
and over the moving, mixed crowd
(amid which some special excitement
oCClilCo " NC lOuSCQJs Ofci llic SICcl
sweep of meadows till they blurred
hazily into the blue-and he saw be-
yond all that far more than Jervois
would have seen had he too looked.
Yes; all hope of reconciliation with his
father was worse than useless to him.
Such an overwhelming drowning wave
was surging up to where he stood-a
wave that would as surely engulf Liza
and the child as well.
BY JOVei BeIlairS is a whole SIGHT
younger than l am, for all that he's
got a wife and baby-he can't take bad
luck a Bit" thought Jervois as he
watched the beardless face in perfect
ignorance of the state of Dams finances.
Dams lips moved, but he had to
moisten them before any sound came
from them; they were awfully white
and he shivered as if it hadn't been a
blazing hot day.
It's a pity Adkemar didn't come in
first, Jervois.''
PITY? PHYS not the word-it's
damnable, Dan, old man." with sympa-
thetic gloom: land then, oh. Lord the
paying up of it ALL.
An added pallor swept over Dams
face and such a look of sudden anguish
shot into the boys dark eyes that Jer-
vols in pity turned him away.
How do you stand old chaD-lost
your all? Can 1 help?"-
NO." answered Dan slowly, and with
the far away mist still in his e-es,
mo, not all; 1 have Liza and the boy
still-Lia"- A horrid sensation crept
up his. throat; in a woman it might
have changed to sobs, but it only
changed to a sharp pain that stabbed
each breath as he drew it. His face
gave sudden twitch, and he passed
his hand impatiently across it. 1t
seemed hard that he might not possess
the w ,-iOhf of cfr-oi inc h -
feelings in y,ublic. He wheeled sharp
around
'Hallol'' shouted Jervois. Whats
the row at the paddock? I'm off,
Dan went to the refreshment tent
and called for some champagne. Half
way through he put it down with the
thought of what an utter waste
Then he walked away.
A few minutes later Jervois rushed
up to where Liza still sat-
Mrs. Bellairs, do you know where
your husband is? I've been looking
everywhere for him. There's awfully !
good news for us-there's been some
thing false in Scotia's weight. His
amount has been weighed and found |
wanting by several pounds; can't !
think how he managed it. There's no |
end of a row over it. Anyhow, Scotia |
is disqualified and Adkemar of course, |
comes in best
Il am so glad" said Liza sweetly.
Dan will be so pleased, as, 1 think, he
bet money on Adkemar,'' she added, |
with a pretty absence of the usual pro-
fessional slang. DO go and find him |
and bring him to me and let me tell |
him the good news, will you? Do
Jervois went off like shot
Il say, have any of you seen Bel |
lairs?" he asked, addressing a knot of /
four or five men standing round the |
bar.
Haven't the pleasure of his acquain-
lance. What is he like? Who is he? |
If he's a dark fellow in a light over
coat and has a fit of blue devils on,
I'm at liberty to state that your friend
-Bellew? Bellairs?-has gone in the
direction of the lake. Go seek his
Jervois turned sharp around without
a word and set off at a run. A run?
He dashed along at the quickest rate
he'd ever gone in his life. He clinched
his teeth and drew his breath sparing-
ly. He knew pretty we'll the next few
minutes meant life or death, and had
he asked himself why he went the
pace he did, he knew the answer would
be an ugly one. The memory of Dams
hopeless young face as he had last seen
it, and the thought of Mrs. Dams I'M
conscious happy one sent the blood all
gathering round his heart. He Won
dered whether he would come too late.
What a fool he had been to joke Bel
airs about the lake.
And Dams hat and stick lay beside
his coat on the grass.
And the. boy himself? Well, it's the
same with most things in the world
JervoiS had come too late and Dan
was dead, His quiet face was very
white and still and stern. Lying turned
up there, it seemed like some dumb
accusation flung up to its Creator, and
the solemn light cast over it gave a
look of age and dignity to the young,
handsome features. But not all LAS
kisses laid on his half-closed lids
could make them open as in life, nor
part the cold lips again. The dark eyes
had an odd, hopeful look in them. and
the boys mouth had ever so faint a
smile, as if kiss had just rested upon
it. Was it as well that Jervois was
loo late?