The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-12-14


to be opened.
They wanted their money back,
their hard-won earnings, and they
meant to get it. That exclusive news
sold by Elsie Maitland on the previ-
GUS evening to the editor of the
Blackmore Times had caused an ap-
palling run on her uncle's bank.
The doors were opened at last; the
crowd surged in. presenting checks to
the full amount they had deposited in
the bank. They looked astonished
when the gold came over the counter
in their direction. Clearly they had
expected to be turned away penniless.
They thanked their stars for being
the first. The bank could not go on
paying out for long, of that they felt
sure.
At noon Elsie and her uncle drove
up to the front entrance in an open
carriage. He had insisted on her ac-
companying him, despite the fact that
she looked wretchedly pale and ill.
All the way along they had seen
those hideous posters announcing the
robbery.
"How did they get the news?"
John Rivers kept repeating. 'Elsie,
child, how did they get the news? 1t
is mystery to me. If only it could
have been kept from them another
twenty-four hours L could have wealth
cred the storm"
Poor Elsie's heart ached.
81 have done i'll" she cried. "The
fault is mine-minel Oh, Harold, if
only / could have foreseen all this
If only I could have foreseen it allw
III.
AS yet Elsie had not told her uncle
who supplied the news to the paper.
She prayed fervently that she might
be able to keep the knowledge to her.
self forever, safely hidden from the
fond old man who believed in her.
Fate would decide.
For hours she sat- in o little room
over the bank, listening to the per-
sistent clamorings below for gold.
How much longer could it go on?
"Not much longerl" John Rivers
said deiectedly to his suffering niece.
''Not much longer, Elsie, my girl.
They must have paid it nearly all out
by now. Soon they will have to close
the door. Don't cry, child. 1t is the
will of Providence, 1 suppose; but it's
hard to get such blow as that at my
time of lifel''
Presently there were sounds of
cheering in the street. A well-known
millionaire had driven up to the bank.
"My God!" muttered the old banker.
"This is the last straw Reginald
Fairfax has turned against me with
the rest; when he has withdrawn
his money there won't be a penny
ieftl"
60 and see him, uncle" Elsie
pleaded. ''He is so rich he might be
persuaded to leave it"
''No, child. I could not speak to
him or anyone else to-day"
'"Then 1 will, uncle. Oh, do go
and send him here to mel must see
him! Reginald will save usl"
John Rivers went blindly out, and
Elsie waited for Reginald Fairfax to
come to her. Twice this self-made
man had asked her to marry him;
twice she had refused. He was rich,
but he was also coarse. Life with
him would be nightmare, she had
always told herself. She did not love
him.
But now
He was standing there in front of
her, loudly dressed, and looking more
commonplace and vulgar than ever.
How could she appeal to this boorish
parvenu? She must, though; she had
worked the mischief, and she must
right it if possible.
At the end of another five minutes
she was telling him everything-all
about her brother and her selling the
news of the robbery to the editor. He
listened in silence. She humbled her.
self to the dust before him, and begged
him not to withdraw his money from
the bank.
He smiled queerly.
''You twice asked me to be your
wife," she wound up feverishly, "and
1 refused you. Would you still marry
me, Mr.. Fairfax? Oh, do answer! If
I said yes, would you still marry
me?"
The smile broadened.
"Am / to understand that you are
proposing to me, Miss Maitland?" he
asked.
"Don't seek to humble mo any
more; don't, don'tl" she cried. 81
have fallen far enoughp'
eyes," he said; ''it must indeed be
terrible fall for the proud Miss Matt
land to offer herself to mel You offer
to become my wife if 1 will only leave
my money in your uncle's bank. Con-
sidering that l love you-and that you
love someone else-it is rather hard
on me, isn't it?"
"Oh, don't, don'tl If you only
knew how 1 loathe myself for having
said all this to you? You are quite
right to refuse me. How dare / ask
you-or any man-to take me under
such conditions? You are quite right
to refuse me-"
81 don't know" he answered slow
". eff you did not love another man
already it might have been different.