The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-09-25

NO
Every well. / will wait half an hour
for him. and if he is not in by that time
l will go to his club and have my talk
with him there"
Old Mr.. Saunders sat grimly down
with his hat still ON and crossed his
hands over the knob of his stout walk
ing stick, watching the clock that licked
slowly against the wall. Under these
distressing circumstances the old wom-
an lost her presence of mind and did
the very thing she should not have
lone. She should have agreed with
him., but instead of that she opposed the
plan so made it inevitable. It
would be a cruel thing, she said, to
shame their son before his friends, to
make him a laughing stock among his
acquaintance. Whatever was to be said
could be said as well tomorrow night
as tonight, and that in their own home,
where, at least, no stranger would over
hear. AS the old man made no answer
but silently watched the clock, she be-
came almost indignant with him. She
felt she was culpable in entertaining
even the suspicion Of such a feeling
against her lawful husband, but it did
seem to her that he was not acting ju-
~diciously toward Dick. She hoped she
might turn his resentment from their
son to herself and would have welcomed
any outburst that would be directed
against her alone. In this excited state,
being brought, as it were, to bay, she
had the temerity to say:
You were wrong about one thing,
and you may also be wrong in thinking
Dick-in-in what you think about
Dick"
The old man darted one lowering
look at her, and though she trembled
she welcomed the glance as indicating
the success OF her red herring.
what was l wrong about?"
You were wrong-Mr. Hammond
knows Dick is a member of tine club.
He is a member himself, and he insist
ed that Dick join. That's why he raised
his salary"
"a likely storyl Who told you that?"
dick told me himself"
"And you believe it, of course
Saunders laughed in a sneering, cynical
sort of way and resumed his scrutiny of
the clock. The old woman gave up the
fight and began to weep silently, hoping,
but i'll vain, to hear the light step of
her son approaching the door. The
clock struck the hour. The old man o
without a word, drew his hat farther
over his brow and left the house.
Up to the last moment Mrs. Saunders
hardly believed her husband would
carry out his threat. Now, when she
realized he was determined, she had one
wild thought of flying to the club and
warning her son. A moments consid-
Grafton put that idea out of the ques-
ton. She called the serving maid, who
came, as it seemed to the anxious wom-
an, with exasperating deliberation.
Jane" she cried. "do you know
where the Athletic club is? Do you
know where Center street ISL"
Jane knew neither club nor locality.
II want a message taken there to
Dick, and it must go quickly. Don't
you think you could run there"--
ut would be quicker to telegraph,
ma'am," said Jane, who was not anx-
ious to run anywhere. There's tele-
graph paper in Mr.. Richards room, and
the office is just round the corner"
"That's it, Jane. I'm glad you
thought of it. Get me a telegraph form.
Do make haste"
She wrote with IA trembling hand as
plainly as she could, so that her son
might have no difficulty in reading:
Richard Saunders, Athletic Club, Center
Your father is coming to see you. He will
be at the club before half an hour.
"There is no need to sign it; he will
know his mothers writing" said Mrs.
Saunders as she handed the message and
the money 20 Jane, and Jane made nc
comment, for she knew as little of tele-
graphing as did her mistress. Then the
old woman, having done her best, prayed
that the telegram might arrive befor
T her husband, and her prayer was an.
swered, for electricity is more speedy
than an old mans legs.
Meanwhile Mr.. Saunders strobe along
from the suburb to the city. His stout
stick struck the stone pavement with {
sharp click that sounded in the still
! frosty night air almost like a pistol shot
i He would show both his wife and hi!
I son that he was not too old to be mas
ter in his own house. He talked angrily
8 to himself as he went along and wa!
wroth to find his anger lessening as HI
s neared his destination. Anger must b
very just to hold it's own during a brisl
walk in evening air that is cool ant
Q sweet.
Mr.. Saunders was somewhat abashet
to find the club building a much NOR
imposing edifce than he had expected
There was no low, groggy appearance,
e about the True Blue Athletic edifice. !
" was brilliantly lit from basement to at
n tic. A group of men, with hands il
o pockets. stood on the curb as if waitin,
g for something. There was an air of oc
casion about the place. The old man in
d quired of one of the loafers if that wa
the Athletic club.
Eyes, it is" was the answer car
,e you going in?"
It 81 intend to-"
ID care you a member"
NO"
g. "Got all invitation"
ono"
v "Then l suspect you won't go in
Is We've tried every dodge ourselves"
,e The possibility of not getting in ha,
le never occurred to the old gentleman
10 and the thought that his son, safe with
a. in the sacred precincts of a club, NIGH