Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-11-13

"Oh, impossible" says Sir Christopher.
ut camc-tO hundreds, you know; and he
hadn't a farthhg. Well, good-by; I'm Off.
EXPECT me and the bon-bons about din
ncr hour"
lie mods to Portia and Julia. who smile
at him In return. and, kissing Dulcc, quits
the room. Fabian. following him. goes
on TO the library. aud. having desired one
of the mon to send the secretary. Slymc.
to him, sits down ut one Of the tables and
turns over lcsurcIy the pages of accounts
that lie there.
After n brief examination he tells him
self impn ticntly that they are somewhat
mudilcd, or have. at least, been attended
10 in n most slOvcnly manner. lie has
Just discovered a serious mistake In the
row Of figures that adOrn the end of the
second page, when the door opens slowly
and Gregory Slymc comes In.
"wait n moment, Slymc." says Fabian,
without looking up from the figures be-
fore him. a moment passes In utter ST.
lcncc. Then Fabian, still with his eyes
upon the account, says somewhat sharply:
"Why, Il II altogether wrong. 1t has been
attended to with extreme carelessness.
Did you, yourself. see TO this matter OF
Youngc'sT
lie waits apparently for an answer
but none comes. Lifting his eyes. he fixes
them scrutinizingly upon the old man be.
fore him. and having fixed them. let's
them rest there in dsplcased surprise.
Slyinc. beneath this steady gaze, grows
| visibly uneasy. His eyes shift uncOm-
| fortably from one object In the room 10
| another: his limbs arc unstcady--thc hand
resting on the tablet near him II shaking.
| His face bctrays vacancy mixed with u
| cunning desire to hide from observation
the hcavincss and sluggishncss that Is
| Ovcrpowcring him. The old man muttcrs
something that II almost unintclligiblc.
NO thick and husky are his tones. His
eyes grow more rcstlcss--mcchanicall y,
and Rs though unconscious Of the act, he
leans his body stupidity against the book.
ease near him.
"lou are drunk" says Fabian, with
slow scorn-'lcavc the ROOM"
II assure you. sir" began Slymc. But
Fabian will not listen.
"Go," he says. briefly. with n disdainfu
motion Of the hand. and In tone not "a
he ,lisOhcycd. Slymc moves toward the
door IN his usual slOuching fashion, but
ms he reaches II. pa,iscs for one instant
lifts his heavy eyes. and let's them res,
upon the young man ~ the distant table
This one instant reveals his thoughts
In his glance there II fear. distrust, and
above all, malignant and undying hat
rcd--such u hatred ~ might project itsell
from the eyes of the traitor upon his vic
tim. There II. too. upon Slymes face q
contortion Of the muscles. that Il woult
he sacrilcge TO call n smile. that II 70
venucful. and somehow suggests the pos
sibili;y that this man. however impotcn
he may now appear. has IN some stranR,
fashion, acquired II hidden and terrible
power over the young man. who momcn
since had treated him with such scOrn nn,
contunlely.
The old sccretary's countcnRncc for thi
fatcful moment is ono brilliant. IL wicked
phantasmagoria. In which the ghosts o
long.sustaincd thoughts appear and disap
pear. going from fear and It's brother
hatred. to lasting revenge. Then all van
ish: the usual soddcn look returns to tn
mans face; he opens the door, and one
more. instead Of the evil genius he locke,
sccpud ago. a brokcn.down, drunken
old creature crosses tho threshold. sham
} blcs over the hall, and II lost present.
! among the many passages.