Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-04-17

By Fred m. Uhite
CHAPTER 4.
sswho Speaks q,

- NC~ AA8 AA0AAA ~
mirror and shaddered, as a man who
sees his own soul barred for the first
time. And yet the mirror was in itself
a thing OF artistic beauty-engrayed
Florentine glass In a frame of deep old
Flemish oak. The novelist had pur-
chased it in Bruges. and now it stood as
a Joy n a thing of beauty against the
full red wall over the fire place. And
Steel had glanced al himself therein and
seen murder in his eyes.
He dropped into a chair with a groan
for his own helplessness. Men have
done that kind of thing before when the
cartridges are all oue and the bayonets
are twisted and broken and the brown
waves of the foe come snarling over the
breastwcrks. And then they die dog
gedly, with the stones in their hands,
and cursing the tardy supports hat
brought this black shame upon :hem.
But Steeis ruin was of another kind.
The man was a fighter to his finger-tips.
He had logged determination end
splendid physical courage; he had grad
uaily thrust his way into the front rank
of living novelists, though the taste of
poverty was still bitter in his mouth.
And how good success was, now that it
had come!
People envied him. Well, hat wal all
In the sweets of victory. They praised
his blue china, they fingered before his
Oriental dishes and the choice pictures
on his panelled walls. The whole thing
wa still a constant pleasure to Steels
artistic mind. The dark walls, the old
oak and silver. the red shades and the
high, artistic fittings soothed him and
pleased him. and played upon his ten
der imagination. And behind there was
n study. filled with books and engrav-
ings. and beyond that again, a coRserv-
atory, filled with the choicest blossoms.
Steel could work with the passion fiow-
ers above his head n the tender grace
of the typicai ferns about him, and he
could reach his left hand for his tele-
phone and call Fleet street to his ear.
II was all unique, delightful, the
dream OF an artistic soul realized. Three
years before David Steel had worked ir
an attic at a bare deal table, and his
mother had G3 per week to pay for ev-
erything. Usually there was a balm in
this recollection.
But not tonight. Heaven help him.
not tonight! Little grinning demons
were dancing on the oak eornices, there
were hooking lights cleaning from
Cellini tankards that Steel had given
far too much money for. 1t had not
seemed to matter just at the time. If
all this artistic beauty had emptied
Steei's purse. there was a golden stream
coming. What mattered 1t that the To-
cal tradesmen were getting a little rest
less? The great expense of the novel
lists life was past. In two years he
would be rich. And the pathos of the
thing was not lessened by the fact that
II was true. In two years time Steel
would be well off. He was terribly
short OF ready money. but he had Just
finished a serial story for which he was
to be paid $500 within two months of
the delivery OF the copy; two novels Of
his were respectively in their fourth
and fifth editiono. But these novels Of
his he had. more or less, given away,
and he ground his teeth as he thought
OF 1t. Still. everything spelt prosperity.
If he lived. David Steel was bound to
become a rich man.
And yet he was ruined. Within TWEEN
ty-four u everything would pass out
OF his hands. To all practical purposes
~ t&A AoAh@ So All ahA III NAAG
want OF G1.000! Steel had earned twice
that amount during the past twelve
months. and the fruits of his labour
were as balm to his soul about him.
Within the next twelve months he could
pay the debt three times over. He
would cheerfuily taken the bill and
doubled the amount for six months de-
lay.
And all this because he a become
surety for an ~absconding brother. Steel
had put his pride in his pocket and in
terviewed his creditor, a little, polite.
mild-eyed financier. who mean TO have
his money to the ussermost farthing.
AT first he had been suave and sympa-
thetic until he had discovered that
Steel had debts elsewhere, and them
Well. he had signed judgment, and
tomorrow he could levy execution.
Within a few hours the bottom would
fall out of the universe so far as Steel
was concerned. Within a few hours
every butcher and baker and candle
SHOEMAKER would come abusively for
his bin. Steel, whu could have faced a
regiment, recoiled fearfully from that.
Within q week his oak and silver would
have to he sold and the passion flower
would wither on the walls.
Steel rad not told anybody yet; the
strong man had %grappled with his trou-
BILE alone. Had he been a man OF bust
ness, he might nave found some way
out OF the dlfficulty. Even his mother
didn't know. She was asleep up stairs,
perhaps dreaming OF her sons great
ness. What would the lear old mater
say when she knew? Well, she had been
a good mother to him. and IL aid been a
labor OF love to furnish the house for
her as for himself. Perhaps there would
be a few tears in those gentle eyes, but
no more. Thank God, nc reproaches
there!
David lighted a cigarette and paced
restlessly around the dining room. New
er had he appreciated it's quiet beauty
more than ne did now, There were flow
ers, blood red flowers. on the table un-
der the graceful electric stand that Steel
had designed himself. He snapped off
the light. as IL the sight panied him. and
strobe into HIS study. For a time he
stood moodily gazing into its flowers
and ferns. How every leaf there was
nrownant uptrN, oueoafatinp There xvo Q