Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-12-01
A WOMAN AT The
BOTTOM
BY PERCY CHAMBERLAIN


one outside the charmed circle OF lht
| -Four Hundred would suspect that ii had
been a Black Friday on Wall street
! n was useless 10 designate which partic-
ular Black Friday" there have been 50
many Of them and all so much alike
that IL really makes no difference which
particular year II was,
II is a fact. however. that beneath the
Immaculate shirt bosoms Of the male sec
I ton Of the guests there were many leaden
! hearts and many more sick with APP
prehenslon and mad with the necessity
Of acting a part in the passing show
when wild 10 be spending the golden
moments alone with figures and plans
/ for the feared tomorrow. But II was
necessary above all things to appear
calm and unpertnrbed and so the even
ing was rather gayer than usual because
/ forced gayety is always more emphatic
| and aggressive than the real sort.
In the conservatory apart from the
Ifeverish life Of the parlors, two young
people were engaged in earnest
conversation. One was a beautiful girl
with reddish. auburn hair, features like
Greek goddess and a figure to rave
over. The other was manly young
fellow IN his early twenties, well set
up. fine looking and with that perfect
carriage which betokens the gentleman
born.
Edith" the young man was saying,
OF have been very foolish In the hope
OF making a fortune sufficient to war
rant our marriage ! have lost every dol
lar Of my patrimony. / am practically
penniless. The Wall street fever was too
much for me. I did not intend to-but
| have suecumbed. ! have no right to
hold you to your promise longer re-
lease you-God knows what II costs me
to say It, but / release You"
The clear laugh Of the girl interrupt
ed him. Don't be melodramatic, Gerald,
please" she said, Il don't know any
thing about your horrid business, and !
never knew anybody in our set to starve
I told you that | loved you, and while
don't anticipate taking in washing OF
anything of that sort, think we can get
along without all the Injuries we have
been accustomed to-"
He led her back to the ball room ra.
diant and fortified against the struggle
he knew was coming During the even
ing he locke up his friend Vernon Nor
dyke Of the same set and driven from
the same necessity that faced him-th6
necessity of one born to the -Four Hun
bred but left with small patrimony-tC
face the world, to 60 out and labor IN
the world Of commercialism, his friend
and companion since boyhood and now
his colleague In the great brokerage
Office Of Duraud, Durand & Durand
"Vern," he said, Il want to tell you
something. so there will be no chance
for a mistake I have been a fool and
got caught in the slump. This afternoon
/ found I had TO cover quick to try to
save myself | couldn't get to my safety
deposit box and convert my securities
quick enough, so did a most indiscreet
thing. | took $4,000 in A. T. & S. bonds
from the box and used them to cover
with That is the same thing have my
money invested in. did not go beyond
the limit and I will get my bonds in the
vault the first thing in the morning. |
only speak OF It to you, old man, so If
anything should happen for a minute
in the morning you will understand"
II Gerald Fuller could have seen the
look Of malevolent hatred and triumph
which passed upon the face of his friend
he would not have slept so well that
night He knew. to be sure. that Nor
dyke had been a lover Of his fiancee, but
1t had been years ago and it was all set
tied now II had been a fair fight and
Gerald in his simple genueman's soul
saw no reason why there should be
grudge. But there was, as he was TO
lind on the morrow.
The next morning things were so busy
at Durand, Durand & Durand's that Full
LEI had no opportunity to slip out to get
his securities from the safety deposit
box before noon. Long before that, how
ever, his friend" Mordyke had time tc
get in his perfect work and there was
quiet examination OF the vaults by one
of the Durands. with the result that the
absence of the securities was noted, and
Just as Fuller was stepping out for
lunch, he was tapped on the shoulder
boy an officer and placed under arrest.
He saw at once the terrible position he
was placed in and the futility Of ex-
plantations A weaker man would have
gene 10 pieces, but Gerald Fuller came
Of the FuIlers. whose line extended back
as far as there was any local history.
The blue blood which flowed in his veins
had the real quality. with full ap-
probation Of an the horror the crisis
meant-to him. to his honored name,
and most Of all, 10 Edith-he never va
weed. nor begged His motives had
been absolutely honest, no such posi-
blity had even suggested itself to him
but be saw at once the hopelessness
Of trying to explain. He sent for the old
family lawyer and explained it TO him
Tt was a time, however, Of embezzle-
ments and breaches Of trusts and en-
pIayers were inclined to be mercuess
in making examples
The Grst talua Gerald did was +r