The Elbert County tribune., 1902-09-18
III am feeling quite VIII; surely at
He was forced to be content.

dluntT.
He was forced to be content.
SO he watched her. his soul in his
eyes. as she walked to the elevator.
Was there ever more queenly girl
than Lady Airline. one with greater
share OF beauty concentrated in face.
figure and mind?
Ere the elevator car shot toward the
upper realms she waved her hand to
him and gave him a ravishing smile.
And that smile haunted him long
time. for It was the last time he was
fatcd to look upon her face until
destiny had been utterly fulfilled. the
drama carried to its concluding scene,
most terrible of all.
Sauntering into the rotunda OF the
hotel Charlie lighted weed and then
began to remember there were others
in the world besides himself and Ar
line Brand.
Where was ArtemuH for Instance?
And Capt Brand? Who had now
been ashore long enough to get his
bearings and figure on some desperate
move. ~
Perhaps 1t would be best. as his
good sense suggested. to seek assis-
tance in outwitting the great schemer.
Clever minds could be controlled for
money. detectives who were able to
cope with even such a remarkable
scoundrel as he conceived this man to
be. and who would speedily put him on
his back In the first round.
And yet the wretched result of his
arrangement with the great Baron
Peterhoff aroused serious doubts in his
mind. II the fascinating presence of
woman could so upset a sagacious
master of fnesse and diplomacy. who
could be trusted?
There was apparently time.
Brand would hardly get his columns
in motion under day or two.
Charlie could be governed by cir
cumstances and the trend Of events.
Besides, there was Artemus, whose
might be depended on. to accomplish
more than little. looking toward the
exposure Of the great fraud.
These soothing reflections came in
some degree through the influence of
the magic weed, for to its devoted
votaries tobacco seems to be an in
cense which creates optimists where
only pessimism had previously
reigned.
And OF course our Charlie contem-
plated with more or less complacency
the high degree of happiness that
would be his portion when the blessed
time arrived for him to claim Airline
Brand as his own darling wife, with
no one. not even a haunting memory
of the buried past, to say him nay.
He had figured it all out. and de-
cided that he would make full and free
confession regarding his one forlorn
experience in Cupids realms.
No doubt Charlie took considerable
pleasure in specializing upon the var
ious ways in which he might bring
these important matters to a focus.
but never once did he dream OF the
wonderful and fearful event by means
of which the desired end would be
swiftly attained.
Again and again he looked toward
the Fifth avenue entrance as the door
swung behind new comers. but Arte-
mus remained only conspicuous by his
absence.
Could anything have happened;
would the bold and reckless Capt.
Brand begin operations by looping OF
the limbs of the tree he meant to
fell?
1t made him deucedly uncomfortable
to even consider such calamity.
Surely some tremendous catastrophe
was brooding over himself and his for
tunes. or could 1t be he was partaRing
of Arlines' slow spirits?
Was his cigar to blame? All,
change was on the tapis. for there
came Artemus bustling in from the
outside night air.
ITO be continued)