The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-16

BI. JONI
Copyright, 1901. by Daily Story Pub. Co.
Never before had so good a report been
laid before Milton Farley. The business
for the month showed profits greater than
ever before since he had assumed control
greater indeed, than the average rec
ord in the days when old Mason Murray,
the founder, had been the guiding spirit
He had certainly justifed-had Milton
Farley-and even the stern old executor
and friend of Murray had begun to soften
toward him.
1t was very gratifying to have won out
in this uphill fight, with so much against
him, and the. thoughts of the man leaped
into the future, which became rosy-hued.
He was leading citizen" his name
stood at the very top in the business
community in the city. Assured wealth
was his-and they talked of him for con-
gress, and then there were boundiess pos
sibilities beyond. Yes, undoubtedly, he
had won the fight
Born in Western village and left an
orphan before he was fairly out of kits,
he had pushed along with his ardent and
indomitable spirit until he had become the
most promising young lad in the town.
Then he met Rose Mulligan, handsome
and ardent as he, and older Then that
lll-advised marriage before he was out of
his teens. Then the struggle for living,
the coming of the baby, the dissatisfac-
ton of Rose at the living he could pro-
vide, her continued upraidings and the
sordidness and the hopelessness of his
life; his fierce yearning for position and
power-for chance to do something bet
ter than the little shop and the little town
afforded; the whining of Rose for a few
geWgaWs he had not the money to buy:
her constant nagging and his final reso-
luton to leave it all and start anew. He
had not justified his desertion and did
not now. but he had fed a thousand
miles, and under another name began life
over again. Without references, and not
daring to tell whence he came, he had
attained good start, when he met Caro-
me Murray, the proud young heiress of
the Murray thousands He was a hand
some fellow, not without dash. and she
had liked him from the first. One soft
night In May, when everything betoken-
ca the mating of birds and the air held
the aroma OF romance, he had detected
IN ner all the evidences of preference and
passion. Then he had thrown canton
even honor-to the winds and resolved 70
become possessor of the Murray fortune
lie played his cards with rare slifl and
hnally despite the strenuous opposition
VI oocI NlrtOn, the executor of Murray
ana the guardian of the girl, married her
Murray and Kirton had been friends
and Mason Murray died in peace, know
ing that Kirton would administer his es-
tate upon the most rigid business prin-
ciples. And so he had and with a fidel-
ity that is admirable from every stand
point But this suit of Milton Farley
had upset him and his plans He could
learn nothing good, bad or Indifferent OF
Farley's antecedents, and Farley was as
close mouthed as he. The girl would
not listen to reason, and he had been
compelled to acquiesce. although he
gave full notice to both that he would
withhold certain portions of the estate
left within his discretion, pending the
results of the marriage. AS time went
on, however, Kirton could find no weak
spot in Farley. He bad taken the man.
agement of the Murray business under
Kirton's oversight, and the executor was
obliged to admit that there was no more
diiigent and able business man in the
community.
Thus Eliminating Farley rose and
joined Joel Kirton with whom he had an
appointment at lunch.
While at lunch the two men went over
the affairs of the business. Kirton was
evidently pleased and had never APP
on and drawing out an envelope, how
does this make it for the year?"
He laid the envelope on the table and
reached for his pencil As Farley's eyes
read the superscription on the envelope
he became as white as sheet and in
his eyes came look of horror: hirton