The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-28
A DISASTROUS CAB RIDE.
RY HOWARD nrvINE.

BY HOWARD DEvINE.
 ICopyrght. 9o3 by Daily Story Pub. Col
 If anybody had told Ralph Huston that one short cab ride of six blocks could destroy the reputation he had built up by years of hard work and righteous living; lose him the po- sition at the bank which he had acquired by so many years of faithful work and drag his beloved wife and himself into the divorce court, he would have laughed at the idea Now. however, he laughs not at all at such stor: and shuns cabs something diabolical and devilish.
 And yet the cab ride referred to was thc most innocent thing that could happen On the morning of Sept. 10 as Huston was gtlp- ing down his breakfast in his daily effort to catch the 7:3o. his wife spoke from benin, the coffee pot.
 How much was the gas bill this month dear?" she asked.
 He paused in the process of throwing largt spoonsfuI of the newest advertised health food into his mouth, and a startled expression spread over his countenance.
 By jingo. forgot to pay it." he announced fin dismay. Let's see. what day is this?' And he hastily grabbed the morning paper.
 ''Oh. it's all right. It's the 10th"
 Well. don forget it, continued Mrs. Hus- ton. This Is the last day and remember the gas office closes at o'clock on Saturdays"
 No danger of his forgetting 1t. The discoun on the bill was 28 cents and every cent count ed in the effort they were making to pay for that suburban cottage they had bought on the installment plan. He could not get away from his desk until lI:3o. when he had a half hour for lunch The gas office was six blocks away and he had to calculate pretty closely t find time to make the trip and get time te snatch a mouthful of lunch in the brief half hour.
 As he dashed down the stone steps three at a time and stared on a half run down the street, familiar voice hailed him: ''Hi there. Huston; where ye going so fast?'
 Turning. he beheld his old friend Ben Phil lips sitting on the box of a shney cab driving leisurely down the street. He ant Phillips had been shipping clerks together ir wholesale house years ago, when he first went to work. He knew in a general way that Ben had become cab driver. but had not seen him for years.
 Mentally chafing at the loss of a precious moment he shouted in reply:
 Coin to the gas office. I'm in the deuce of hurry. How are your?
 He waved his arm and hurried on.
 Wait a minute.' shouted Phillips. I'm going right past the door on my way to the barn. Hop in and I'll land you there in jiffy."
 This struck Huston as a most practical sug- gestion. and in he climbed and moment late was being hurried along at thrice the pace he could have made on foot. As he whirled along the grim humor of the situation appeale to him, and he chuckied to himself. The cab was new one of the latest model, rubber tires and all that sort or thing, and 1t Shone like a piano. Here I am riding fin a swell cab like a drunken sport to save 2S cents or my gas bill," thought Huston, and he laughed aloud.
 Phillips true to his word and made his best time, dashing down the street though he was making a train, finally coming up in front of the gas office with whirl and flourish. He proposed to show his old friend that he strictly onto his job.
 Huston leaped from the cab. waving his thanks to Phillips and rushed into the office where he paid his bill to an astounded clerk who had beheld his approach, and a moment later was whistling up the street toward tn, dairy lunch room where he arrived in amplt time to swallow his pie and coffee with no more than normal haste.
 Now, all this seems innocent enough and commonplace enough. does 1t not? But wheI Fate Is weaving a web about a man the yarn may seem simple when the result Is to be most complex.
 There were two persons who observed the descent of Huston and the cab upon the gas office with surprise. These were the instru- ments of Fate One was Mir. James Wharton third vice-president of the bank; the other a young married woman. Mrs. Josephine Hodge by name. a confidential friend of Mrs. Huston In his haste Huston saw neither of them.
 ''H'm," muttered Mir. James Wharton Good deal of style for A young man of Illus tons salary it seems to me. Wonder what's his hurry7"
 So ever vigilant in the interests of the bank Mir James Wharton stepped Into the gas of flee and asked the clerk what Huston's rnis sion was.