The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-09-09
His Vindication.

pants of the smoke room followed suite
in splendid style. Neale was generally
considered too lazy even to yawn. so his
action was on this dull November even
ing considered by his fellow clubmen to
be of sufficient import to call for COM
n~nt.
Nou are getting too fat, Neale," ven
turtd his neighbor. Try a motor
cycle. If the exercise won't reduce
Your ponderosity and cure you OF
,yaWns the novelty and etHuvium mixed
will"
Douglas did not this time follow his
seniors lead, but joined in the CONVEX
sation with:
Il did my best to save him from svn-
cope through laziness by challenging
him at billiards, till | found hat the
only vacan table was the one next to
that on which that fellow Pemberton
Wa playing. l don't care to play even
in the same room with him. Why isn't
he at home with his wife, instead OF
~thrustiEg his company upon u.s.
Ny dear fellow, l am glad you were
sparra The double humiliation of de-
feaf, and the witness thereof bv the
ma ,0u choose to dislike. | think,
no ~. Your remarks are at least I'M
e ed. | know l surprise you. but !
II. ;ell you that you are unjust to
him"
20. but look at this ostentatious dis
play OF his !ilthy ~lucre," blurted out
1he youngster. If he can afford to sub
scribe $1,000 to the West Indian relief
fund, he need not make it so public. He
has the bearing of a tradesman, and not
that of Il gentleman"
softly, ny lad" rejoined thereputcd
cynic.
Then. there is the case of poor Gus
Darrell. Ii is talk hat Penn
berton was responsible in some way or
another To-: his downfall" persisted
hi rcien:lssS accuser. Then, those dia-
mouds thai wcre lo~st-there is some
thing very suspicious about that af-
fair"
"Ah. Diamonds. What would you
say if ! told you all about that mystcri-
ous probleiI:." Gueried Neale.
EEery man within hearing jumped TO
his feet 1T this bomb thrown amongst
them. NeaIc knew all about the dia-
monHS stolen from the neck OF Muriel
Ross IN her mothers house. and in the
presence Ui tac donOr-IIOrace ': Penn
bc-Ior-her afianced husband. Here
WAS the material to hand for j splendid
yarn.
"ThouGht that would wake up the
siuE&rrcrs." laughed the cynic. 81
won't dis@gpoiut you. Any man who
vii pledge h, word not to repeat my
story may follow Douglas and myself
to thr private room upstairs. Bring me
whisky and soda and u good cigar, and
II! start - once.
The late lamented Mr.. .AIgernon
Ross left to mourn his loss" said Ncale,
with d preparatory cough. "a widow
with three children. The eldest. Nuricl.
who h"~ lately married Douglass
friend .'sE5rrtOn. i. rs YOU know Il
bc&ui. IL. accomplished The
two ing children are schoClboys
named Sid and Bert. Two greater
Iartars in one house I never met.
This worthy and happy family lived
al ~ oi;-f"~aioEcd house called The
l~!omes.na..' I have called the house
o:r:-f"<n;ansd. but internally ii is not 50
now. for after il seasonahle and rea-
sOrahle Drrird Of mourning Mrs. Ross
turned the old house inside ont, and
with III all Of art decorations and
elrctri" bells she succeeded in pToduc-
in" the most curious of curious an0n-
aif.s-a new Old house.
80 much Tor the house. The chief
attraction IA !: or around it was Murici:
her charms. and the comfortable little
income ii hcr own right. attracted
s~uf5ors hv the score; but there We're
never more than two in the race and
tlrcS" no were Pemberton and Gus
Darrell.
"3a~rt,, WIS the anne age as Muriel.
and firr had l;cen playrsates together.
he as Il Journalist of distinct ability
and ~~eat promise: but promise is a
very ui.<u|Stantial thing TO live on in
iii" rresyn:. and poor Gus suffered from
a chronic shor;nesS Of funds.
'f:it it vas not to be. Pemberton
cam. saw ard conquered. The precise
workings OF the feminine heart and
mind which made the choice of a man
fen wears her senior. inc n reputed
hard. unpublished business man to boot.
m moi able to determine.
IL have heard that, when he cares to
.djsr;av il. Pcmberton can furnish a
standard Ct conversational perfection
that many Il college man would envy.
He has a grasp. too, of subjects which
Won would pardon a man of letters be
inc ignorant of. These accomplish
merfs MAJ furnish the secret of his
success. or they may not-the fact re-
mains tnat he became 4 devoted lover.
ard Moor Gus had to witness the whole
affair with as good Il grace as he could
muster.
..rbe first indication Muriel observed
of pemberton's wealth was a magnifi-
cent diamond pendant she received
from him about a month after the be-
~trotliaI ring. on her twenty-frst birth
day. The ring was simple. but good.
b,,, the pendaut must have cost him
nearly 5000.
.'rhe Homestead was full of people
every day and every evening after this.
1-ba news of the engagement and the