Charlevoix county herald., 1904-09-10

vent in New YORK WAS stgnalized by a
market movement not yet forgotten.
Mr. Blake's guests were General Mar
shall Garden, Miss Jessie Garden and
Miss Edith Hancock. of Cohasset.
Massachusetts. Miss Garden returned
a week ago from two years sojourn
abroad. where her musical and artis-
tic talents attracted nearly as much
attention as her rare beauty"
my God! this is awful-awful-
awful" groaned Blake. Get out OF
here." he shouted to his man. What
the devil do you mean, standing there
gaping at me? Bring me a glass of
brandy, and be quick about it,"
He hurled the paper from him and
sank back into a chair.
The door bell rang, and at the
sound every nerve tingled with ter
ror. Was 1t John Burt? James
Blake was not a coward-as lie had
proved score of times when his
mettle was put to the test-but from
the moment he went down to defeat
ed his boyhood conqueror.
The valet opened the door and
Blake heard the piping voice of tel
egraph messenger. He drew a long
breath and tore open the envelope.
The message was from John Haw-
kins, and stated that he would ar
rive in New York on the following
morning.
The little clock spasmodically
jingled the hour of noon. In four
short hours he would face John Burt!
He drank the brandy at gulp, and
plunged into a cool bath. He glared
at the tempting breakfast, but could
not taste it.
Take that stuff away and bring NE
more brandy" he ordered.
Again he read the dreaded para
graph. 1t had fascination he could
not resist He sent for all the Sun
day journals and eagerly scanned
them for mention of the theater par
ty, but to his great relief found that
it appeared only in the one paper
Again he helped himself to the
brandy.
Come to think of it, John. don't
read that cursed paper!" he ex-
claimed half aloud. Its only an ac-
cident that l happened to see it. If
hadn't been there last night l never
would have glanced below the head
line. What chance is there for John
to see it? Not one in a million!"
He 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.
The decanter was his only friend.
The grave face of the valet did not
disclose the establishment he felt
over the conduct of his employer
Blake was almost abstemious in his
habits, and his sideboard was more
Of an ornament than utility. In
this he had wisely patterned himself
after John Burt.
Shall / serve breakfast now, sir3"
asked Roberts.
Blake answered with a sullen mega.
tive and tossed off his fourth brandy
1t sc-uded a new note in the scale Of
stimulation.
81 don't see why should go into
such beastly funk over this affair.""
he muttered. "It's no crime to be in
love with a woman. She doesn't be-
long to him. They're not even en-
gagged. Suppose he does love her?
So do |. What if he did meet her
first? A woman is not something to
be discovered and pre-empted like
gold mine"
AS the hours sped by and the dark
red line in the decanter dropped low
err and lower. Blakes courage aroused
to such a pitch that he welcomed the
coming OF John Burt.
by God, we'll settle this matter
now and here" he exclaimed as he
lurched unsteadily about the room.
John Burt nor any other man shall
stand between me and Jessie Car
den! I'll meet him face to face!
Pill"
The hail hell rang with that clear
precision which comes from the
pressure of an insistent hand. At the
same instant the little clock ham.