The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08

will have a carriage call for you at IL
o'clock. You will reach the place at
1870. They will provide for you a
dressing-room. That is all, I believe.
Good afternoon, Miss Clay"
Good afternoon"
AS Eleanor Clay went down the
stairs from the office conflicting emo
tons were crowding themselves upon
her. Her mind reverted to a day, four
years gone, when Dick Turpen was a
college student in the town of her
birth in Kentucky, and how he had
been good to her when her mother
died, and how gradually the little bud
of romance had bloomed into the full
blossom of passion, and how she loved
him with more force than discretion;
and then that other day when she was
left alone with her disgrace and he had
graduated and gone back to New
York. And, oh. how she remembered
the pain of her father when she had
told him; and how she had watched
little Dick (she had named him Dick)
grow more and more like his father.
The scenes of her childhood were too
poignant of her misery for her to re-
main in the blue grass state, so she
had come to New York hoping to make
the talent she had for dancing, and
her excellent soprano voice, earn her
livelihood. And now he was going
to marry Banker Lawton's daughter
The clock lacked little of midnight
Seated around a table were a number
of sOciety's most celebrated repre-
sentatives. All Of New Yorks junior
'smart set" knew Dick Turpen, and
Dick Turpen seemed to have invited
them all to this farewell dinner prior
to his marriage on the morrow to
Mabel Lawton.
The boys were beginning to grow
impatient for the Entertainment which.
their guest had promised them. Some
had already begun to cry: Bring on
your French dancer" others, whom the
wine had affected less noticeably, re-
NAMED silent.
In the extreme corner of the assem-
bly, hall. directly facing Dick Turpen,
was little stage. The performer had
been shown there a few minutes pre-
vious, but before that time she had
sent a note to Dick. The clock was
just a few moments removed from u
when Dick Turpen arose, and in a
voice that sounded husky and grave,
he said:
Boys, there are times in every mans
life when he had TO choose between
right and wrong. There possible have
been times with all of you when YOU
have done things that on second con-
sideration you would never have done.
Mine is a double crime. stand before
you tonight one of the most detestabl
men in New York city. You think am
going to marry Mable Lawton. / am
not-hush and let me continue. While
l was in COLLEGE, some of you were there
with me, / met a woman--a represen-
tative of one OF Kentucky's best
families. She gave me all of her love
and her confidence. and implicitly
trusted in my honor. / was false TO
the trust. That woman is here tonight
as performer, although she is not
going TO give any dance for YOU fell
lows. for she is going to be my wife. I
have sent for a clergyman, who Is due
to arrive here at once"
Turpen was here interrupted by a
number OF voices; some protested one
thing, others asserted another and
while they were speaking the clock
struck ~. The little curtain was slow
ly drawn back and there. standing
gowned In superb white, was a beauti-
ful girl. and by her side a flaxen-haired
little chap of possibly three years.
Dick arose and, offering her his arm.
brought her over to the center of the
Just then the clergyman entered. aud
before the clock had noted the half
hour they We're mon and wife
Boys" said Dick, II received a nota
from this lady early this evening. ana
did not have the heart to go on with
this game OF crime that / was PLAYING
30 ! went to Miss Lawton and told her
the whole truth"
Just then a messenger boy entered
with telegram for Dick, who opened
e and read aloud: II leave for Eu-
rome tO-morrotv Though Won -
wronged me, yet the greater wrong