The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-27
THE GOLDEN IDOL.
-RY FERGUS HUME

I have. to pay 1t over to him. How
ever, it will prevent our being turned
out on the street"
But, mother. wouldn't Rowland"
81 haven't asked Rowland Have YOU
no pride, Norah? Let me manage my
own affairs, please. If you ever tell
Rowl land or Teddy Of our difficulties I'll
never forgive you Now go and get tho
From an innate desire to help her
mother In ner trouble. as well as from
she was bidden: She would dearly hate
liked to keep &5 of the money for he1-
own use. Her wardrobe was sadly III
need of replenlshment. She rarely spent
shilling on herself, and that she al
ways turned out spick and span was due
to nothing but her unDounded digItal
eE ergy ana capacity for twisting her old
clothes to look like new ones. Her
fnrs, which now covered a multitude Of
sins. had been the gift of Leonard, and
a very handsome gift they. wcfe. Whilst
the winter lasted they, with what she
possessed otherwise, were aI-suf1clent
for her. And by tie time the summer
came-Weil; by that time she hoped
how she tcped!-that Leonard would be
with her again. Perhaps-wlio could
tel?-they might even be married by
then. IT was hest te hope So She was
happy at least iii the knowledge that the
combined energies of Teddy ana q capa-
the quest for her long lost over IL
they did not succeed, then TO one else
was 1hely TO.
On the day upon which the payment be-
came due to Eli Marks, that gentle
man, dispensing with the more ordinary
business methods, presented himself in
person at Trafalgar Villa to demand his
pound of flesh, trusting, no doubt, tdat lie
would be enabled to make It at least
a pound and half
Mrs. Wharton, after some hesitation,
decided to receive him. But she deter
mined that he should have no inclina-
ton to repeat his indiscretion.
Good morning, Mr. Marks. size said,
entering the little drawing room. Il am
sorry you should have though it neces-
saIy to call here. L intended coming
to see you this afternoon to pay you.
on a purely business footing. Mr.. Marks.
in which case your office is the proper
place for its transaction. is it not?''
oh, yes, If you're prepared to pay"
Il am prepared to pay you fifty
pounds"
The. The amount due Is seventy-fIve."
you to wait a little longer for the bal
anee."
This was much better Ellis hopes re-
good lady yet. mo1e especially now that
he had seen sho was the possessor-of a
very snug little house.
81 am afraid 1 cannot do that, my
dear lady. | have ali eady been very
lenicnt. You see business is business
quite SO. And 1t seems to me It's very
good business for you. Your INSTALL
ments have been regularly paid, your in
teFeSt-
as due today. Seventy-five pounds in
one sum. That was the distinct agree
ment. Fifty pounds is not els, madam.
| think we must keep to the agree
rment."
In vain did Mrs. Wharton argue and
plead, and storm and rage having re-
course finally to tears, was usual with
her. But neither one nor the other va
riety made the fainteSt impression on
the dapper little Hebrew He was by no
means an offensive specimen of his class.
He might easily have passed for either a
stock broker or a bank clerk. AS a mat
ter of fact, his enterprises were many
and varied. A usurer by instinct and
ting out shoots in all directions. from thu
manipulation Of an outside bucket shorP
to the registry office for menials OF
every description from which had come
Jael. In between these extremes were
q large retail furniture business. jew
elers shop, and a patent Temperance
drink, all OF which were eminently " G.
cessful from their owners point Of
view He was a good husband, a good
citizen, and the fact that Gentle ap-
Peared to him in the light of lawful prey
cannot in justice be set down against
him, since the instinct was purely racial,
and altogether beyond his control.
In the present instance only one thing
was he cognisant OF and that the letter
of his bond Seyenty-five pounds was du5
to him from Mrs. Wharton. AID ELS he
politely-very politely intimated he must
have.
To Be Continued Daily)