Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-10-07

vent IN New York MAS signalizsd by .
market movement not yet forsottsn.
Mr. Biake's guests We're General Mar
shall Garden. Miss Jessie Garden and
Miss Edith Hancock. OF cohasset.
Massachusetts,. Miss Garden returned
a week sso from a two years soiourn
abroad. where her Musical and arts
tic talents attracted nearly as much
attention as her rare beauty
"My God. this is awIui-awfui-
AWFUL" groaned' Blake. Get out OF
here." he shouted To his man. what
the devil do you mean. standing thsfs
gaping at me- BRING me glass ~
brandy. and be quick about IL"
He hurled the paper from him and
sank back into a chair.
The door bell rang. and at the
sound every nerve tinsled with ter
ror. Was II John BurtF James
blake Was not eoward-as he had
proved a score OF times when his
mettis was put To the tsst-but from
the moment he went down TO defeat
beneath sturdy blows he had respect
ed his boyhood eonaueror.
The valet opened the door and
Blake heard the piping voice OF tel
esraph messenger. lie drew Il long
breath and tore open the envelope.
The message Was from John Hn~-
kins. and stated that he would aT-
rive In New York onsthe following
morning.
The little clock spasmoiiealiy
iinslcd the hour Of noon. In four
short hours he would face John Burt!
lie drank tho brandy at u suip. and
plunged into cool bath. lie slared
at tho tempting breakfast, but could
not taste IL.
Take that stun away and bring me
more brandy" he ordered.
Asnin he read tho dreaded para.
graph. II had n fascination he could
not resist. Hr sent for all III. Sun.
day journals and eagerly scanned
them for mention Of the thcaicr par
". but to his great relief found that
Il appeared only In tho one paper.
Again he helped himself To the
brandy.
Come to think Of II. John don't
read that cursed papcr!" hn cx.
claimed half aloud. Its only an nc
cidcnt that happened to sec Il. II I
hadn't been there last night ! never
would have glanced below III. head.
line. What chance II there for John
to sec IT, No, one In u miliion!"
lie paced up and down the room.
and paused to survey his reflection In
a mirror. His face was drawn. and
dark circles showed under his eyes.
Tho dccantcr was his only friend.
The grave face OF the valet did not
disclose the nstonishmcnt he felt
over tho conduct of his employer.
Blake was almost abstcmious In his
habits. and his sidcboard was more
OF an ornament than n utility. In
this he had wisely patterned himself
after John Burt.
Shall ! serve breakfast now. Sir?"
asked Roberts.
Blake answered with Euiicn ncra-
tive and tossed OF his fourth brandy.
II sounded new note In the scale OF
| stimulation.
II don't sec why I should go sato
such n bcastly funk over this AFFAIR.""
he muttcred. ITS no crime to be In
love with woman. She docsn't be-
long to him. They're not even en-.
So do ]. What II he did meet her
first? a woman Is not something to
be discovered and prc.cmptcd like n
gold mine"
As the hours sped by and the dark
red line In the dccanter dropped low
er and lower. Biake's courage aroused
to such n pitch that he welcomed the
coming of John Burt.
by God. wc'll settle this matter
now and hcre." he exclaimed as he
lrrched unstcadily about the room.
John Burt nor any other man shall
stand between me and Jessie Car
den! I'll meet him face to face!
I'LL"
The hail he'll rang with that clear
precision which comes from the
pressure of an insis,ent hand. At the
same instant the little clock ham
mered tho hour of four.
ITO be continued.)