Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1904-09-22

vent in New York was signalized ny n
I market movement not yet forgotten.
Mr. Blakes guest were General Mar
I shall Garden, Miss Jessie Garden and
Miss Edith Hancock, OF Cohasset
| Massachusetts,. Miss Garden returned
a week ago from a two years sojourn
| abroad, where her musical and artis-
| tic talents attracted nearly as much
| attention as her rare beauty"
MY Godl 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 it John Burt? James
Blake was not a coward--as &c had
proved a score of times when his
mettle was put to the test-but from
the moment he went down to defeat
beneath sturdy blows he had respece
ed his boyhood conqueror.
The valet opened the door and
Blake heard the piping voice Of tel.
egraph messenger. He drew 9 long
breath and tore open the envelope.
The message was from John Haw.
l,ins, 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!
lie drank the brandy at a gulp, and
plunged into a cool bath. He glared
at the tempting breakfast, but could
not taste it.
Take that stun away and bring me
more brandy" he ordered.
Again he read the dreaded para.
graph. 1t had a 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
1t appeared only in the one paper.
Again he helped himself to the
brandy.
Come TO think of 1t, John don't
read that cursed paper!" he ex.
claimed half aloud. IT'S only an &C.
cident that l happened to see it. II
hadn't been there last night | 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 a utility. In
this he had wisely patterned himself
after John Burt.
shall l serve breakfast now, sir?"
asked Roberts.
Blake answered with a sullen mega
tive and tossed off his fourth brandy.
1t sounded a new note in the scale of
stimulation.
81 don't see why l should go into
such a beastly funk over this AFFAIR.""
he muttered. ITS 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 l. What if he did meet her
first? A woman is not something to
be discovered and pre-empted like a
gold mine"
AS the hours sped by and the dark
red line in the decanter dropped low
er and lower. Blake's courage aroused
to such a pitch that he welcomed the
coming Of John Burt.
by God. Wen 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!
Pll-"
The hall bell rang with that clear
precision which comes from the
pressure of an insistent hand. At the
same instant the little clock ham.
mered the hour of four.
ITO be continued.)