Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-11-26
ONE TOUCH
OF NATURE
BY Martha
Cuilo c n Williams
Copyright. 1901. bp
Copyright. 1901. br
Marfhc McCstlloch- W'Qlsdns

Hey said. nodding solemnly and blink
ing like an owl Ridgeley was forty
five. biDulous. dubious. with a fortune
swollen TO match his bulk and fond
ness for spending his money in strictly
his own ways.
The room was deadly stin 1renwick
started little az the click OF coal
cracking in the CRATE He got up. stood
with his back to the fire. so its tell;ale
light could not reach his face as he
snid. with the least little shrug:
That must be rs YOU please. | won,
der. though. IL you quite realize what
your refusal must mean TO me-
For moment Ridgeley sat silent;
then his hand went to the bell. and he
said half ENORMOUSLY: Say what. my
boy? You must have a bracer-two
bracers-before you go down TO the
street. Beastly place anyway, It's
it's shame you ever went into it
1t will be n blacker shame my get
ting out of IT," Trenwick said grimly.
Then. his voice shaking with passion:
"Ridgeley. surely you you don't I'M
word told you. To save myself from
beggary l used another mans money
without his knowledge. Unless-unless
l replace it before he does know | shall
go behind the bars-that is. If l let my
self live. You know | would never do
that"
Cut the whole wretched mess, III
lend you five hundred" Ridgeley be
gan.
Trenwick's face got gray. Something
seemed TO clutch his throat InvOlun-
tarily he stood thought straighter.
~ Trenwick never yet ran away from
anything" he began. then dropped his
face in his hands. saying huskily. nor
stole until | diSgraced the blood"
Cheer up, Nou-yOu make me
nervous" Ridgeley said nodding
again and settling the big diamond
upon his shirt front where IL would
catch n brighter gleam Of freight.
Ridgeley was given TO purple and fine
liren. Upon the least occasion his raj
ment was positively riotous. A ruby.
almost priceless. ghmmered upon his
hand. he turned the stone, glanced
complacently at II and called 10 his
man, who came noiselessly through
the door, Two fizzy ones. Jenkins, and
make 'em good and long" Then as
the door closed behind jenkins: "'Pon
me soul. dear boy. I'd like to see you
Through, but twenty thousand, 1t
would be downright immoral TO risk so
much money. Why, that would keep
n yacht in commission almost a sea
son through
, Trenwick turned 20 the window Out
side the tide of life in the avenue was
at flood. II was turning II O'Clock.
He had until 3 TO make good his bal
ances. II only he could make good. he
was sure the very next day would find
him in the food tide OF fortune. There
was tickle. semipanicky market He
stood TO win the stake Of his life If
only he could keep above water until
the tide turned. Nothing short OF that
dnminent hazard would have brought
him to Ridgeley.
: Ridgeley had seemed TO him these
twenty years past, ever since he came
suddenly into great riches, as not much
more than human clot, wholly unlike
the slow witted yet gallant lad who
had been his chum at college Because
or that neutrality-suspicious. regard he
had never sought to profit by old time
intimacy with the bachelor millionaire.
Trenwick wondered duly as he looked
at him how it came about that he was
n bachelor. 1t could not be that old
boy and girl affair with his sister May.
May had been dead this twenty
years and more. She had died indeed
before her wedding gown was out OF
fashion. Judge Barton, her rich old
husband, had mourned her deeply. but
not enough to keep him from exactine
usurious interest for every loan he
made Trenwick nor from turning him
outdoors when the debts and the inter-
est ate up the family estate The
judges widow lived there now, with
her healthy young son to come after
her Mays child had not lived. Some
how Trenwick felt that as a sort of
special punishment to himself. He had
virtually made the match for his sis
ter. He was worldly, even case hard
ened, but still be did not like TO receIl
her eyes when he had said to her:
"Of course you'll marry the judge.
You are the luckiest girl / know to
have the chance Of him. Think what II
would be to put up with an ordinary
dull fellow-say with poor old Ridge
ley" And then he had stopped short,
Tor May had run away. with her head
high, but her cheeks like ashes.
1t all came back to him as he stood
beside the window watching the vivid
human stream without. Stealthily he
turned and looked Ridgeley over, try
Ing to recall in his unwieldy bulk the
open features. the manly. fair proper
IONS OF his old college mate a vague,
Keen anguish shot through him. Why
was all life so crisscross? Why every
thing one laid hold on futile? If for
tune needs must come 10 Ridgeley,
why not have come in time? He was
sensible ii had been pride and poverty
that mad Kept Ridgeley from speaking
out. In the old days RidgeIey had had
mourning beyond the promise of his very
moderate wits. His uncle, who had
educated him. could barely tolerate
him until his own son died and left
20 r RiGg' ley alone 4" inherit the mil
HONS iliii WAS month after Mays
marriage. She had not been dead six
months when Ridgeley was in posses
sion of the big estate.
III those two had married, Trenwick
dashed hand across his eyes. He
was incoming there with life itself at
stake Ridgeley was his last hope,
and Ridgeley had failed him. He had