The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-13
CHAPTER 0xIL


At II o'clock PettinSills studio on.n.d
Its doors to the Little Sons" and their
guests, and the last Dutch lunch wa
soon under way. Brewster had paid for
AZ early In the evening and when he sat
down at the head Of the table there was
not a penny In his pockets: A year ago.
at the same place and at the same hour
he and the Little Sons" were having a
pirthday feast. million dollars came
TO him on that night. Tonight he was
poorer py Tar than on the other occasion,
but he expected a little gift on the new
anniversary.
Around the board, besides the nine Lit
tie Sons, sat six guests, among them the
DeMtlles, Peggy Gray and Mary Valen-
tine Hopper" Harrison was the only
absent Little Son." and his heath was
proposed by Brewster almost before the
echoes of the toast to the bride and groom
died away.
Interruption came earlier on this occa-
sion than it did that night a year ago.
Ellis did not deliver his messages TO
brewster until o'clock in the morning,
but the A. D. Z. boy who rang the bell at
Pettingill's a year later handed him a tel
egram before II o'clock
Congratulations are coming in old
man." said DeMille, as Monty looked
fearfully at the little envelope the bow
had given him.
Many happy returns of the day." sug-
gested Bragdon. by Jove it's sensible
of you to get married on your birthday,
Monty. 1t saves time and expense to your
friends"
Read 1t aloud" said Subway" Smith.
1.-TWO to one it's from Hopper Harrison. -
cried Pettingill.
Brewster's fingers trembIed. he knew
not why, as he opened the envelope
There was the most desolate feeling in
his heart. the most CHASTITY premonition
that tll-news had come In this last hour
He drew forth the telegram and slowly
painfully unfolded 1t. No one could have
told by his expression that he felt almost
that he was reading his death warrant. 1t
was from Grant & Ripley and evidently
had been following him about town for
two or three hours. The lawyers had filed
1t at $50 o'clock
He read it at a glance his eyes burn
ing, his heart freezing. To the end OF
his days these words lived sharp and dis
tinct in his brain:
Come to the office Immediately. VIII
wait all night for you II necessary. Jones
has disappeared and there is absolutely no
trace of him. GRANT g. RIPLEY"
Brewster sat as one paralyzed, absolute
ly no sign Of emotion in his face. The
others began to clamor for the contents
of the telegram, but his tongue was stiff
and motionless, his ears deaf Every
drop Of blood in his body was stilled by
the shock, EVERY sense given him by the
Creator was centered upon eleven words
In the handwriting Of a careless telegraph
operator-"Jones has disappeared and
there Is absolutely no trace of him."
JONES HAS DISAPPEARED" Those
were the words. plain and terrible in their
clearness, tremendous in their brutality.
Slowly the rest of the message began 10
urge its claims upon his brain. Come to
our office Immediately" and "Will wait all
night" battled for recognition He was
calm because he had not the power to
express an emotion. How he maintained
control of himself afterward he never
knew. Some powerful, kindly force as
serted itself, coming to his relief with the
timeliness of genii. Gradually 1t began
to dawn upon him that the others were
waiting for him to read the message
aloud. He was not sure that sound
would come forth when he opened his lips
to speak, but the tones were steady, nat
ural and as cold as steel.
1T am sorry 1 can't tell you about this"
he said, so gravely that his hearers were
silenced. "It is a business matter Of such
vital Importance that I must ask you to
excuse me for an hour or so. I will ex-
plain everything tomorrow. Please don't
be uneasy. If you will do the honor