The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-11-26


guests, or dependents. How he stands
the pace is more than I can fathom,
yet he is always smiling and debonair,
cool and collected, and never at loss
for timely word or suitable remark.
De Lacy says he seems equally at home
with dOwagers or debutantes, with
dukes or cab-drivers, with money-kings
or crossing
And it was true, every word of it.
One episode, widely reported at that
time, throws a flood Of light upon the
character of this much-canvassed per-
sonage.
Kane had manipulated big corner
in "Cochineal Consols," one of the fan
cy stocks of the day, and had the mar
was small speculator named Ackerly,
who on more than one occasion had run
foul of Kane and his schemes. When
Settling day" came, Ackerly stood to
be ruined if Kane chose to force mat
tiers. 1t SO happened that his daugh-
ter, Rose Ackerly, who had been STU
dying music, was to make her pro-
fessional debut the same night at
Queens Hall.
Upon the eventful morning that
would seal her fathers fate she drove
up to Kane's office and besought an
interview with the great man. Her
eyes suffused with tears, and her voice
trembling with emotion, she begged
the financier's Indulgence for her
father
"Women should not NEEDLE with
such Matters" was Kane's curt and
stern comment. Then
''Does your father know of this
visit?"
mo, oh, no, SIR was the tremulous
but evidently truthful reply.
"You must understand, l am sure,
Miss Ackerly, that it is merely the
fortune of war, and ordinary usage in
the city is no respecter of persons"
said Kane quietly, and then with
sudden change of manner and genial
smile he went on: But such a sweet
supplicant must not go unrewarded.
shall not suffer-
He stopped her thanks with a wave
of the hand, and then inquired:
"And how is your recital coming
along? Can I be of any assistance
there?"
IF you only would" the girl began,
umidly. Zone needs so much influ-.
ence in London, you know"
"Say no more" said Kane, quickly.
II see how it is; you shall have a good
house."
Hardly was she gone, a new light
shining in her pretty eyes, than Kane
dispatched a messenger for so guineas'
worth of seats, and put his secretary
at work addressing notes to the more
influential of his friends, begging their
acceptance Of the tickets enclosed, and
bespeaking their attendance at the
musicale. AS a consequence, Rose
Ackerly's fortune was made.
II can be hard as nails Kane said
when taxed with soft-heartedness
anent this performance; "Ackerly's
cur and richly deserved to be made to
squeal; but every man should know
how to temper justice with mercy.
I've been in too many tight places my
self not to realize how it feels to be
jumped on"
So there you have the unique person.
ality, outward and inward, then newly
launched in the cream of English So
ciety.
No smart function was complete
without him, and in response to his
own lavish entertaining in town during
the season, he was deluged with invi-
tations to visit some of the most ex-
elusive country houses in England for
the shooting season. Being a bachelor,
with not a relative in the world" as
he said, he was naturally regarded as
big fish in the matrimonial swim,
and might have married a titled beau
ty before the summer was over, thus
reversing the accepted Anglo-Ameri-
can procedure in recent years.
In course Of time Rossiter Kane's
round Of autumn visits brought him to
Denecroft
Three years had passed from the
date of Richard Dysart's self-expatria-
ton. Time had brought no outward
change in the lives of those hitherto
concerned in this story. Stella Dysart
was still reigning mistress at Dene-
croft. Sir Arthur, as may be imagined.
lost no time in putting the all-impor-
tant question to Marcia Churchill.
only to be met with gracious but
kindly refusal and the tidings that his
brother had been beforehand. Thence
forward he remained single, nor
showed no signs of transferring his af-
fections elsewhere.
Marcia kept her troth, although lit
tie had been heard from the absent lad.
A brace Of letters in the first six
months; then long silence finally a
single impassioned appeal. enclosing
his picture, for which she had asked,
reiterating his undying love, begging
her to wait for him, limiting at all
sorts of bad luck, but intimating that
a certain venture then impending
would make or break him. After that,
Gil