Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-08-31

affairs of the bank should be settled,
said the solicitor, there would be mon
ey enough to satisfy the depositors aud
! other creditors, with possibly small
dividend for the stockholders. As To
the latter, however, the colonel init
mated that Philip would do we'll 10
leave it out of his plans for the future;
in the meantime, and for present neces-
stiles there were few hundred dollars
which he, the colonel, had taken the
liberty to transfer from Hallam's to
his own bank out of the last semi-an-
nual dividend, which sum was subject
to Philips order.
The same mail brought letter from
Helen. The securities which had been
set aside for her marriage portion were
still safe, and her letter from begin
ming to end was an urgent appeal 10
Philip to divert the settlement to his
mother. Blinded by the dull rage
| which lashes out indiscriminately be-
| cause it's real object is out of reach,
Philip was in no mood to search for af-
fectionate subtleties in letter which
should have stirred his better nature
to its more hopeful depths. He read it
| with unreasoning bitterness; wrote a
formal reply, thanking her for her dis
interestedness, and asking to be re-
leased from an engagement which, in
view of his losses, was no longer sup
portable to him; scrubbed hurried
note to his mother, giving her the
barest outline of what he had done;
and, ordering his horse. galloped off to
Duncan farm to tell Elsie of the new
! misfortune.
He got speech with her alone, for a
wonder, and she listened and answered
with ready sympathy, concluding by
asking him what he would do.
"For the present, and until can get
justice for Kilgrow, just what I've been
doing all summer. After that it will be
for you to say"
II don't understand" shesaid, shrink
ing little from the half-menace in his
reply.
Philip was disposed to be perverse,
and the thought came to him quickly
that Helen could not be so obtuse if she
tried. "You ought to know by this
time" he began, his resentment finding
it's way into his voice. It'll not say it,
though; I'll not say anything now, be-
cause I'm in no frame of mind to meas
ure words with you or anybody. Just
the same, you mustn't begin at this
late day to try to elude the fact that you
are responsible for what I am"
1t was brutal speech, and Thorn
dyke was sorry for it when the ride
back to town gave him time to reflect;
but he had gone to Elsie with the
thought that she would in some way
make haste to set herself over against
his troubles, and he was disappointed
and irritated because she had given
him nothing more than the sympathy
which she might we'll have poured into
the wounds of q father or brother.
Now that the wheels of the retrospect
i've machinery were set in motion,
Philip told himself that Elsie's ardor
had been steadily waning since that
day, three months before, when she
had armed and sent him forth to the
battle. It was impossible that he
should understand that the change in
their relations was inevitable; that
the candle which may suffice to light
the fires of enthusiasm is still a candle
after enthusiasm has become devour-
ing conflagration. Still less could he
grasp the fact that the change was
chiefly in himself; that with new am
billions and returning health he had
outgrown the need for such ministra-
tons as may save the life of sick man.
On the contrary, he blamed Elsie for
not being what she had never been, save
IN his own imagination; he condemned
Helen for withholding the affection
which his letters to her had steadily
discouraged; and he ended by throw
ing himself with keener desperation
than ever before into the quest which
had become the imperative motive of
his existence.
Dismounting ut the steps of the hotel,
he met Protheroe.
"Haye you seen Sharpless?'' the en-
gineer asked.
NO"
HE is looking for you; I believe he
left note inside.''
'What does he want?''
II don't know. He had his judicial
scowl on, which is a polite way of say
ing that he looked ugly"
Philip intimated that Lawyer Sharp
less moods and lenses were of the least
possible consequence.
II know" Protheroe said. Hes one
of my employers, but that's no reason
why shouldn't tell you to look out for
him. I've known him ever since the in
cubation of this tinsel city, and he's
bad lot. I don't pretend to guess ut
what you've been working on all sum
mer, but if your scheme includes
Sharpless, either as partner or a COM
petitor, he'll bear watching-and not
less in one case than in the other.''
'"'Thank you," said Philip, going in to
get the note. It was brief and per-
emptory:
"Dear sir,"@it ran-'You will consult
your own interests by comforting with me at
once. Come to my office, or let me know
when and where can meet you:
III. G.. SHARPLESS."