The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-30
A ROUGH Diamond

I
away! Or. dear! Oh. dear!''
Twenty thousand pounds gonel And the
! bank n somewhat embarrassed condi-
/ Con beforel Worst of al. the banker
j h-mself-Eisie's uncle was away.
a step behind her, and q low voice spoke
/ her name. She knew il "a once; it was
I her good-for-notA.ng brothers
Why are you here again, Harold?'' she
cried.
! But he IS away Este" the young man
( answered oreathless.y. GiTAe. you
must help me. just this once. I promise
! solemn.y never 70 worry you again"
You have promised soleunly before.
/ Harold, his sister said. bitterly. Il can
not help you. I say We are ali ruined.
The bank has been robbed
Is il true. Elsie?" he asked hoarsely.
Has the bank really been robbed?''
She told him what che knew, he listen
ing impatiently.
4 must have money, girhe," he burst
out.
I don't possess a single farthing. Ell
therr' she persisted What Is the mat
ter. Harold? Why Is IL 50 terribly neces-
sary for you TO have Blackmore to-
nlght?"
Uncle will be coming back 10 see about
the bank, Elsie" he muttered queerly.
He must not find me here
No, il would only add to the bitterness
of MS return. What could she do?
Il have IL" the desperate brother sud
denly exclaimed. Elsie. this news about
the bank robbery IS still exclusive. The
editor Of the Blackmore Times would give
you any sum Of IT.
But Else would not see II in that light
for q long, long time 1t was not until
her brother had fully enlarged on the
grim necessity of the case not until he
had forced her to plainly understand the
consequences if he did not have money
at once, that she finally consented 10 go
to the editor of the Blackmore Times.
Harold Maitland had smart. cunning
tongue; on this occasion he had indeed
used it well. AS he prophesied, the ed
itor literally grabbed al the copy" es-
pecially after he had fairly convinced him
self that his would be the first paper to
publish the startling news on the morrow.
Elsie went YEARLY home with the much
needed money in her pocket. Harold was
waiting in hiding for her. and bounced
down eagerly on the gold.
One hour after his departure their I'M
cle's manager came to the house. and
asked 10 see Elsie. When he was ad-
mitted into her presence he noticed with
a sharp pang hew wan and desolate her
little face had grown.
He showed her a telegram which he
had received from her uncle,
Returning at once" it said. Keep
news of robbery out of the papers at any
price till 1 see you"
Elsie read the words. or, rather. they
chased each other before her dizzy. ach-
ing eyes. She suddenly tottered forward
and fell in a dead faint.
Next morning huge posters appeared
from the offices of tine Blackmore Times,
making public the robbery.
That exclusive news sold by Elsie Matt
land on the previous evening TO the ed
itor OF the Blsckmore Times had caused
an appalling 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 direc-
ton.
AT noon Elsie and her uncle drove up
to the front entrance in an open carriage.
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 a mys-
terry to me. If only 1t could have been
kept from them another twenty-four
hours could have weathered the Storm
As yet Elsie had not told her uncle VINO
supplied the news to the paper.
For hours she sat in little room over
the bank.
How much longer could IT go on?
Not much longer!" John Rivers said
dejectedly to his suffering niece, Not
much longer, Elsie, my girl. They must
have paid it nearly all out by now. Don't
cry, poor child.
Presently there were sounds OF cheering
in the street. A weu-known millionaire
had driven up 10 the bank.
My Godi' muttered the old banker.
This is the last straw! Reginald Fair
fax has turned against me with the rest;
when he has withdrawn his money there
won't be a penny leftr'
Go and see him, uncle" Elsie pleaded.
''He is so rich he might be persuaded to
leave it,
NO. child, could not speak to him
or anyone else today"
Then, l viii, uncle. Oh, do go and
send him here to me, 1 must see him,
Reginald viii save us,'
John Rivers went blindly out. and Elsie /
waited for Reginald Fairfax to coEle TO
her. Twice this self-mads man had ask
ed her to marry him; twice she had re
fused. He was rich, but he was also
coarse
He was standing there IN front OF her,
loudly dressed and looking more common /
place and vulgar than ever.
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 ST.
lence.
You twice asked me 10 be your wife"
she wound up feverishly. and I refused
you Would YOU still marry me. Mr.. Fair
fax? Oh. do answer. II I said yes
would You stu marry me?"
The smile broadened.
Am I 10 understand that you are pro- /
posing TO me, Miss Maitlsnd?' he asked. 4
Don't seek 20 humble ne any more;
don't. Gou'ti" she cred. 81 have fallen 4
far enoUxal"
Yes" he said: "it must indeed be a ter +
rible fan for the proud Miss Maitland 70
offer herself 70 ne, You offer 20 become /
my wife II I viii only leave my money /
in your uncle's bank. Considering that 1
I love you-snd that you love some one .
else-it IS rather hard on me, isn't it?'
oh, don't, don't II you only knew 4
how / loathe myself for having SAID al I
this to your'
u don't know" he answered slow.v +
IF you d'd no: love another man already /
Il n. ght have been different. But as & = .
yes. certainly won't marry you. Miss .
Maitland; you have humbled yourself % i
me unnecessarily. You can 10: know ne
very Wei when you imagine that 1 had i
cone 70 withdraw ny supOTpt from your f.
uncle AZ such time as tbs. Insteas- /
I had merely come ID place the furths-
sum OF $50 60 20 ny account The publ +
lie knows It already. and the paying into 4
The hank OF such large SUI has restored 4
confidence"
E-e she had tine - speak he was gone
But the bank was saved Ths bank I
was ssvedt A man she had always de-