Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-10-14

slowly resumed his seat at his desk
and pulled the directory to him. In a
moment he had found this lame:
Vincent, Abner; promoter. Res. 2120
hillside avenue"
Then he carefully copied the address
OF a card.
Six weeks later Abner Vincent and
his wife and Mary were sitting on the
porch of their modest little cottage. 1t
was early twilight, and the shadows
were deepening beneath the vines and
the naples.
Il can't understand it a bit" Abner
was saying In his fussy little voice.
Here's young Tennis been coming
round more'n q month every night or
two and pumping me all about that
new aerostatic company until l guess
there isn't a fresh question left for
him to ask me. Seems perfectly salts
fed, too, but somehow he fails to put
up the $4,000. By George, II he doesn't
come to time pretty loon I'll give some
other fellow the chance, or I'll bring
out one Of my other schemes. But l
want Henry Tennis. 1t isn't his money
alone-I want his name"
care you always 50 particular about
the names Of your-your victims?'
asked Mary with a sarcastic information
she couldn't suppress.
"Mary," said her mother In a sooth-
ing voice.
"Victim!" repeated her father queru-
lousy. Henry Tennis a victim. l
guess not. Why, there isn't a shrewd-
er or more successful investor on the
street. II Henry Tennis goes into o
thing, there's money In 1t. And from
the very start, from the very moment
he sent for me to come to his office,
he's seemed all wrapped up in my
latest idea. But he doesn't put up the
money"
Father" said Mary, trying hard tc
control her voice, "what did you NEAR
by saying that Mr.. Tennis was young
and inexperienced and a reckless prodi
gal"
did l say that?" queried the old
man.
"You did," replied Mary, a ring of in
dignatlon in her voice; "you said he
was easy picking"
"Well, that" shufled Abner, twas
just a figure Of speech. l must have
said it before 1 really knew him. But
hush, l think he is coming up the
street"
Henry Tennis stepped lightly
through the gateway, hat in hand.
"Good evening, ALL" he cried with
the easy air of an old friend. "Ah, Mr..
Vincent" he added. "if the ladies will
excuse us. I want just a word or two
on business with you"
Certainly" cried the little man,
bustling up. 'This way, MI. Vincent"
and he led the caller into a lighted
apartment.
1t wasn't a long interview. When the
men came back to the porch, Tennis did
not take the chair that was offered
him.
perhaps Miss Mary would enjoy a
little STROLL" he said, looking toward
the dark corner Of the porch where
the girls white dress family glimmer-
ed.
II guess she would" said the father,
and there was a nervous energy in his
tone that seemed quite unusual.
The girl hesitated. Then he arose
and fetched her hat, and the two went
down the street together.
"Miss Mary" said Tennis presently,
II want to confess to you that l am
an arrant fraud. I have been coming
to your home on the pretense Of bust
ness with your father-for 1t was a
pretense. Can you guess what really
brought me? Mary, when you went
out Of my Office that eventful morning
I made up my mind that you shouldn't
60 out Of my life. Will you be my
wifer"
The girl was silent.
"Put your hand in mine, dear, If it
means yes"
"And now" said Henry a moment
later with an ecstatic sigh Of satisfac-
ton, "and now for another confess
sion. Do you know that up to the day
you came to e me I had never even
heard Of your fatherT
Henry" cried the startled girl.
"Was it all fathers romancing?"
II guess it was. But when his 70.
mancing ended mine began"
How undutiful you must have
thought me, how forward! But father
had angered me 50. And-and my
warning was all thrown away?"
Thrown awayw cried Tennis. mot
q bit Of it. 1t warned me of the utter
emptiness of a bachelors selfish life.
Why, my dear girl, there's nobody
l00kingW
And on the porch Abner Vincent was
saying in his %Querulous voice:
II new was SO disappointed. When
he told me that 1t was Mary and not
the company, you could have knocked
down with a feather"
"She loves him." said the mother
softly.
"She'd better!" cried Abner. She'll
never get another such chance. And the
He paused and sighed. Ibid
l tell you how he intends to invest the
100000"
mo-" said the mother.
"He's going to settle 1t all on Mary"
Plain Dealer.