The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-26

before 1 was knocked all of a heap like
this; l said to him: We mustn't let the
scaffold poles come tumbling about our
ears after we've been at such special
pains to fix 'em and TO build up to EN-.
If they knew their work the brutes might
do it,
Ten thousand shares chucked on the
market would set things going at a run,
But they've had their fingers burned to
the stumps, and they'll dare not start
that game. And settlement fixed for this
day week, Cad supposing / was to die
before then-what a cruel disappointment
it would be, l say-Tm wretchedly short
of-breath. Breath, not Gulls-ha-oh!''
Mr.. Hortington Hough paid for his
speech.
Teh doctor watched his paroxysms.
You must not excite yourself like
this he said. quietly.
He measured six drops of fluid from a
vial. added water and offered the potion
to his patient, who drank it greedily.
Then he waited.
DO l understand you the doctor an
swered at length, smothering yawn in
the refined way that was one of his
many acquired arts Of value, that these
Gun shares are not worth their present
price?"
The question seemed to galvanize the
financier into a state of renewed activ-
ity
Worth he exclaimed, chuckling chok-
ily Worth their price? Oh. my dear
man, what should we do without you
pardon me. without men like you women
and the clergy also
Counters, in fact?''
Counters, pawns, whatever We please
to call you. We push you this way and
that, and when the time comes we just
shove you off the board, and you may
go towel, anywhere; that is. for what
we care. We've swept the board, and
that's good enough for us"
The doctor nodded. There was silent
glitter in his eyes. But it was subty
! yelled
Il see,' he said; Il see Probably the
shares 1 held in Platinum, Limited
Did you?' cried the financier. in a
quick frenzy of glee. Were you bitten
| there? of all the hollow drums. MY
name didn't appear, but when I chose to
stick my knife into the drum, Platinum,
Limited curled up beautifully"
'.In-deedl' said the doctor. 'In-deedi"
He did not care 10 explain what that
curling up had meant to him. He looked
at his patient with keen interest /.
There's one thing that would console
me for sudden death, old chap" said the
financier, with new expression, an ugly
one. My colleagues loathe me- 1 know
it. Well so they may, for hate them
forand they know it. There's Lord Sun
rise l mentioned just now. Wouldn't in
I troduce me to his daughter tother day
when we met in the park-turned his back
on her and talked to me as if l were a
bally tradesman. NE, Penton, too, When
1 suggested I'd like weekend at his
fathers place-the Earrs, you know, you
meet the best set there-he said, Good
| afternoon Oh. money piling isn't all
beer and skittles. even when you do
pile it like me-
No said the doctor, coldly.
"Er don't you think I've talked enough.
old man? I feel nohow.''
"Oh, WELL said the doctor. smiling
constrainedly, I've got my eye on you
and my finger" He felt the financiers
pulse. You Were saying something about
the consultations of sudden death.
Yes l was. Id not breathe a word of
it to any other man. But you're straight
Last. you're one of those honest. good
chaps who would die rather than play a
low trick on anyone. And-and--''
I've sacrificed great deal of money
to my simplicity, if that's what you
mean"
Same thing. same thing. Gives you
your credentials IS. Lord, if you knew the
pleasure of cornering the righteous and
seeing how the virtue of nine in ten of
them just crumbles to dust when they're
tempted in the time of their adversely.
/ It's 4 pleasure for the few. and I'm one
of the few. I've had a bishop come
cringing for tip. l give him a wrong
'un and they do tell me he preached a
beautiful sermon on Resignation in his
own cathedral three weeks later-oh!
dear oh! dear"
| Really! But ! cannot quite see where
your consolation comes in case you
Cant you? Stoop your head and III
whisper. I've instructed my solicitors to
chuck everything 1 hold on the market
the day l pop off. See now? Talk about
departing in a trail of glory, Half my
dear colleagues would be smashed in a
week Talk about immortality, eternity
and that sort of March dust nonsense!
I'd be emhalmed in the memory of hun
dreds of widows. orphans. broken hearts
and parsons. Shock you, Last"
The doctor drew away with perturbed
nostrils.
Not high tone. is it? Not a kind OF
thing they'd build a statue to a fellow
! for, is it? Oh, Tim weak as a kitten.
Give me some more of that stuff. Be
quick. man
I'm not sure that It would be prudent" ="
said the doctor. hesitating-
Give it to me. 1t makes me feel like
my old self. for the time
Yes, for the time But. as You will"
The draught was readministered. and
breathing deeply. the doctor turned to the
door This was undoubtedly shut That
was Well.
The nnancier uttered q little cry. strain
ed at the chest and collapsed. His arms
dropped and his head loned forward
minute afterward Or. Cardo Last was
outside the house. having told the nurse
on no account TO awake his patient and
TO let no one approach him.
From the nearest tel graph Office he
wired his brokers TO sell 5.oe0 Sea Gull
Mines at once. lie waited for their reply.
When this came be hurried back TO Mr.
Hortington Hough. and signified mild sur
prise TO tind that he was dead
But during his absence he had made
s.. .ooo.-C. Edwards. in Illustrated Bits.
THE AUTOMOBlLiST CONSuMP.
| TON CURE