Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-02-25
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV
If any man more miserable and de-
jected than John kenyon lived in the
broad Dominion of Canada he was, in
deed, a person to be pitied. After hav-
ing sent his cablegrum to Wentworth
he went to his very cheerless hotel, and
next morning when lie woke up he knew
that Wentworth would have received
that message, but that the chances were
ten thousand TO one that he could not
get the money in time, even if he could
get il at all. Still lie resolved to stay in
Ottawa, much as he detcsted the place,
until the hour of option expired. Then,
he thought, he would lool, around
among the mines, and see if he could not
/ get something to do in the management
Of one of them. This would enable him
to make some no. N,nd to help pay
of the Indebtedness which he and
Wentworth would owe in London as a
result of their disastrous speculation.
/ lie felt 50 depressed that he did what
most other Englishmen would have
done in his place; he took long walk.
He stood on the bridge over the Ottawa
river and razed for little while at the
Chandicre falls, with the mist rising
from the chasm into which the waters
plunged Then he walked along the
other side of the river among the big
sawmills and huge interminable piles of
lumber, with their grateful piney smell.
r 1 L : -.
try, and then the forest closed in upon
the bad road on which he walked. New
ertheless he kept on and on, without
needing where he was going. Here
and there he saw clearings in the woods,
and log shanty, or perhaps n barn.
The result Of all this was that, being a
healthy man, he soon developed an
enormous appetite, which forced itself
upon his attention in spite of his de-
preston. lie noticed the evening was
closing around him, and so was glad to
come to a farmhouse that looked better
than the ordinary shanty he had left
behind. Here he asked for food, and
soon sat down TO plentiful meal, the
coarseness of which was more than
compensated for by the excellence of
his appetite. After dinner he began to
realize how tired he was. and felt aston
ished 10 hear from his host how far he
was from Ottawa.
You can't get there tonight" said
the farmer; 'it is no use your trying.
You stay with us tonight, and I'll take
you in tomorrow. I'm going there in
the afternoon" And 50 Kenyon re-
manned all night, and slept the dream
less sleep of health and exhaustion.
1t was somewhat late in the after
noon when he reached the city of Otta-
wa. Going toward his hotel he was as
tonished TO hear his name shouted after
him. Turning round, he saw man
rushing toward him whom he did not
recognize.
"Your name is Kenyon, isn't it?'
asked the man, somewhat out Of breath.
"Yes, that is my NAME"
81 guess you don't remember me. |
am the telegraph operator We have
had dispatch waiting for you for some
time, cabIegram from London. We
have searched all over the town for you,
but couldn't find YOU"
''Ah," said Kenyon, is it important?'
"Wcll. that / don't know. You had
better come with me to the Office and
get it.. OF course, they don't general
ly cable unimportaut things. Ircmcm-
ber it said aomething about you keep
Ing yourself in readiness for some
thing"
They walked together TO the telc-
graph Office. The boy was still search
ing for Kenyon with the original diE-
patch, but the operator turned up the
file and read IT, 10 him.
you see it wants an answer" he
said, "that's why 1 thought it was i'm
portant 10 get you. You viii have
plenty Of time for an answer tonight"
John took a lead pencil and wrote
the cable dispatch which Wentworth
received. He paid his money and said:
81 will go to my hotel: 1t is the -
house. ] will wait there, and If any.
thing comes for me send 1t over as
coon as possible"
"All right" said the operator; that
IL the best plan; then we viii know cx-
actly where TO find you. or course,
there is no use In your waiting here,
because we can get you in five minutes.
Perhaps / had better telephone TO the
hotel for you If anything comes"
VERY we'll" said Kenyon. II VIII
leave 1t all in your hands"
Whether il was the effect Of having
been In the country or not, John felt
that, somehow, the cablcgram hc had
received was good omen. He mcdi-
tatcd over the i'll luck he had suffered in
the whole business from beginning to
end. md thought Of old MIR Long
worths favoritc phrase: There's no
such thing as luck"
Then came a rap at his door, and the
bcllboy said: "Thcrc is Il gentleman
here wishes TO speak 10 you"
'"Tell him TO come up" wns the AN
swer, and, two minutes later, Won Brent
entered.
ANY ncwB2" he asked.
John, who was In state OF mind
which made him suspicious Of every
thing and everybody, nnGwered: mo.
nothing fresh"
'Ah, am sorry for that. had some
hopes that perhaps you might be able
W IdLht INC IHDH'J btIDIS - " tlpflA To-
morrow. OF course, you know tho OPP
tion ends at noon Tomorrow
"Ycs, / know that"
Did you know that Longworth wnB
in town."
NO" said Kenyon, 81 have been out
Of town myself"
Yes. hc came last night. He has the
money In the bank, as / told you. Now
| will not accept IL until the very latest
moment. OF course, legally, / cannot
accept IL before that time, and just na
legally | cannot refuse his money when
he tenders IT, ] mn very sorry all this
has happened, more sorry than / can
tell you. hope you viii not think that
! am 10 blame In the matter"
NO. you nrc not IN the sliRhtcat % !
blame. There Ia nobody 10 blame cx-
cept myself. feel that have been
culpably negligent nnd altogether TOO |
trustful."
II wish 20 goodness | knew where |
you could get the money. but, OF course, |
q a. \ a