The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-23

more sprobably remember when the fontiac went down ablaze from jack stan to rudder and pierced to the heart
 J.s c. Stoughtenborough of Richmond, py sunken sawyer" whose snarrs was set in midchannel in the broad bend below Leavenworth. She car ried l6z cabin passengers, bound down Tor st- Louis. Of these Il reached shore and safety. Two of the rescued were boy Of four to whose protect ing hand clung a little girl of his own age. The swift river mad spared the weak and snatched the strong. The children had been made orphans in the passing of a breath. They were taken home to Palmer's Crossing, where two old and broken grandsires wept over them. Lees surrender had then been history dozen years.
 Truman Westcott grew up as wild cub assever had soul all honor and e heart full of love. Of labor he knew nothing, of business less. Ills youth was one of horses and dogs. Then he learned to gamble recklessly. abetted by joy and the alluring company Of young rural bloods who made a club house of the Last Chance. Four times before his majority old Jasper paid the grandson's heavy debts. Yet he never spoke harshly. One morning the Pike's Peak freighter was found dead in bed. Doctors disagreed, as doctors do. but Aunt Chole, whose wool had grown white since the iron pot had gone to bed beneath the apple tree. diagnosed the case clearly enough.
 We all allsw. old Marse Jasper's haht's done broke," she said.
 Truman showed contrition for whole month Aunt Cloie's words had come to his ears. and no doubt he knew their truth. He had long closetinEs with his grand fathers lawyer and with Col. Crit tenden. to whom he urged with fair success the love suit to which Mary long ago had given assent. The lawyer men told him the once mag nificent estate needed a steady pilot to steer it through the breakers. Rather than check his grandson old Jasper had let 1t be eaten to the core. The outside alone was fair. Economy and hard work could restore it. Nothing else. A few odd thousands. here and there. were available in cash.
 Wait a year. Be a man. Then come back" Col. Crittenden had said. Mary had wept softly and avowed that she felt her duty was to her father.
 Tt rests with you Truman. to love me; that is. if you really still want me. sir. One who is getting to be an old maid. quite"
 Many kisses and lovers protesta- tions were required to eliminate this fancied evil from he mind of this an- cient maiden of 23 years. Truman was devoted durng the four weeks of his newborn goodness. Then his in- dustry Jagged. Lifting mortgages Is slow work when hoe Is your lever. He raked up what he could find of money and crossed the bridge. At Atchison he found a bucket shop and a ticker. A fiier In steel swelled his $6.000 to $60,000 between Monday and Thursday night. His jubilation took the form of a relapse. spent in toat- ing his good fortune at the sign of The Last Chance among his old friends. Friday the bucket shop suspended" The bucket shop man vanished. Be- hind him he left the ticker and the blackboard. Other assets were want ing.
 Truman spent a week in seeking con solation. Then from the sign of The Last Chance he staggered home in the night Scraping the dregs of his re- sources together heSheaped up a scant thousand dollars more. It took him three days. Then he called to see Mary Col. Crittenden shut the door in his face.
 The girl met him at the carriage gate as he went out to the dusty road. He would have put his arms about her but she eluded him. She was pale and something like shiver hung in her voice as she asked him where he was going.
 Its to try my luck once more, Mary, dear. only once. can't lose all ways. No one can, you know. Some one has to be lucky. This is the last time. anyway. It has to be-" he added. bitterly.
 But where is 1t you are going. go- ing tonight?" the girl protested.
 I'm going to meet a lot of my friends. I promised them." he con- tinued in surly defense of his inten- tion.
 He 1erked his thumb over his shoul- der sullenly.
 And you may spend the night there. there at The Last Chance?"
 q promised"
 And all of you will drink7"
 See here!" he cried. What does a woman know about it? I promised Isn't that enough? Of course we drink some. and who cares anyway" There was a defiant ring in his voice. and a ready truculence in his manner.
 The girl drew back from him and was paler still. under the half moon. but her voice had no quiver now.
 Well. 1 have cared, and l still do care" she said slowly. You may go, if you like. but you must not come back, not back here. You love me, you say. If you love me truly you cannot go there tonight"
 T promised. and I am going" His voice was hoarse and his air defiant as he wheeled upon his heel and trudged sulenly toward the winding road leading down the bluff. He did not look back, nor did she seek to stay him.
 The down train due in Atchison at midnight had thundered into Palmer's