El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-12

slowly resumed his seat at his desk
and pulled the directory to him. In q
moment he had found this name:
Vincent, Abner; promoter. Res. 2l2o
hillside avenue"
Then he carefully copied the address
on 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.
81 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 1 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, if he doesn't
come to time pretty soon I'll give some
other fellow the chance, or I'll bring
out one Of my other schemes. But I
want Henry Tennis. 1t isn't his money
alone-I want his name"
care you always so 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.
"Victimr repeated her father queru-
lousy. Henry Tennis victim. 1
guess not. Why, there isn't a shrewd-
er or more successful investor on the
street. If Henry Tennis goes into n
thing, there's money in it. 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 to
control her voice. what did you mean
by saying that Mr.. Tennis was young
and inexperienced and reckless prodi-
gal?'
did 1 say thatY" queried the old
man.
''You did," replied Mary, ring of in
dignation in her voice; you said he
was easy picking.''
"Well. that" shuff1ed Abner, "was
Just a figure of speech. 1 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, eff the ladies will
excuse us, L want just a word or two
on business with you
Certainly" cried the little man,
bustling up. ''This way, Mr.. Vincent"
and he led the caller into a lighted
apartment.
1t wasn't 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 strpll,'' he said, looking toward
the dark corner of the porch where
the girls white dress family glimmer
ed.
81 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.
81 want to confess to you that 1 ain
an arrant fraud. 1 have been coming
to your home on the ?retense of bust
ness with your father-for it was
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
go out of my life. Will you be my
wife?'
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, land now for another confess
sion. Do you know that up to the day
you came to see pe L had never even
heard of your father?"
"Henryr' cried the startled girl
''Was it all fathers romancing?'
Il guess it was. But when his ro-
mancins ended mine began"
''How undutiful you must have
thought me, how forward But father
had angered me so. And-and my
warning was all thrown away"
Thrown away cried Tennis. Not
a bit of it. 1t warned me of the utter
emptiness of a bachelors selfish life.
Why, my dear girl, there's nobody
looking!'
And on the porch Abner Vincent was
saying in his querulouS voice:
Il never was so disappointed. When
he told me that it was Mary and not
the company, you could have knocked
me 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
$4,000" He paused and sighed. Did