Arizona republican., 1899-01-15

Mir. LlSpcnard sank lnJO one Of the .ich chairs. It charccd to be a Vene-
 ian piece of furniture, and his gaunt
 ,rame and elderly vis2gc, both so clear touched by modern meanings, made an odd contrast with the velvet and
 carvings of this archaic seat. You said-horrible news-Uncle
 -rawfortl?''
 Alonao dragged forth the words while his razc wandered among the tumultu-
 5us bcautic3 of the room, though it possibly did so without seeing one of them.
 Yes. my boy. Tho firm has gone. It's been Chichester's work. No one knew l think some woman has been dragging hin into the whole horror-a rliddlc-agcd man like that! He's drawn enormous sums and garabled them away. IL must have been going on for a good while. You sec, was careless about the books. 1 left all that to Chichester, rcy confidence in him was so perfect. 1 might, of course, have suspected. l knew that he lived high, belonged to fashionable clubs, enter tained troops of friends. But there was SO much money for his share that never dreamed he could even spend his own income from year to year. And all the while he was plunging into your money, into your sisters, into mine. There's one Wall street operation alone by which he must have lost two mil lions. And he's been so internally crafty with it all! Even in dying he showed a certain devilish shrewdness, waiting till the very last enjoyable mo- ment before he killed himself"
 killed himself" echoed Alonzo.
 Haven't you seen the evening papers?" replied his uncle ''Chiches- ter was found in his bedroom at two o'clock to-day, shot through the head, and evidently by his own hand"
 There was now q silence, during which Alonzo stole up to his ilncle's side and began to stroke that gentle mans grayish locks and pat one of his shoulders with affectionate fervor.
 Uncle Crawford he said, ''you mustn't let this awful thing affect you too much. Now that I look at you closer I see just how jaded and upset you are. I'm so sorry for you-indeed, indeed I am"
 Crawford Lispenard's eyes filled with tears. He was called by the world rather fririd old celibate and he was znown to live a lonely and loveless life. Perhaps in thirty years he had never really wept until now.
 You're sorry for me, Lonz?'' he muir mured. And you don't think of your self? you don't think
 ''Oh, yes, I do,' the nephew broke in. He went and touched a bell, coming back to his uncle's side, with faint, futtcred laugh leaving his lips. That is, I'm beginning to think of myself. But it's all so strange, so dazing, don't you l.now!"
 When his bell-touch was answered he said few words to the servant, who pres cntly brought a goblet of champagne, which he insisted on having his uncle sip. Then, when MT. Lispenard had evident ly felt the aiding effects of the stimu- lant, Alonzo went downstairs with him to his carriage. "I must turn up among my guests" he explained, ''or they'll think this one of my rankest cGpers, and I'm always cutting up ca pers, Ut least everybody tells me so. The-e-go home, and I'll join you be- tween now and ten o'clock, surely. Don't worry too much. Things may not be SO frightfully bad for us, after all.' And he insisted on going with his uncle down the stoop bareheaded into the bit ing air and closing the carriage door with his own hands.
 Then he returned to his guests, who were wondering at his absence. He heard a voice whispering in his ears above the gay strains of the music.
 You've lost evcrything,''' said the voice; you and Kitty are paupers!" But when people asked him whither he had gone he made light answers, and in the very teeth of generally announced departure he bade the musicians strike up polka and danced at his merriest pace with two or three different part ners.
 The farewells now followed, and ex- cept for Kathleen, her mother. his sis ter, Mrs. Van Santvoord, and five or six other loitcrers, the rooms were soon de- | serted.
 You're to dine with us this even ing" Kathleen said to him.
 ''No-I cant.''
 You can't! Why-has anything hap pened?"
 Yes and he quickly told her of the suicide of his uncle's partner.
 Ut will cause great trouble, you un- derstand-pecuniary trouble. I am a1rald that there IS disgrace behind the | suicide. It looks as if Chichester had | robbed the firm of large amounts" lie | hated to tell her that her wealth had | vanished into air, though he felt secure ly certain that she would brirn with | and devotion the moment | that she learned the full truth Had they | not had many sweet confidential talks | together before their engagement and since? And during such talks had he not seen straight into her frank, disin- terested young soul? Long ago, how ever, he had realized that her mother was the essence of cold-blooded. nun dane ambition. and that she hadisanc- toned her daughters bctrothal from motives that were in the main sordid ones.
 Don't mention money losses to your mother, my dearest, ,' he said. q would