Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-03
The Salvation of Den nison V
By HERBERT ELLIS
Copyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Col

n nENNISON staggered down onto the street, his head whirling, his cneeks hot. his heart faint He glanced toward the cool water in the river with sigh almost wistful.
 Why not end 1t all anyway. Was the fight worth the candle? It was ten years since he had enjoyed any ra, tional pleasure. Day and night, night and day of intending and re- lentless worry and strain-that had been the history of a dec ade. Of course. he had played for big stakes with little or no capital to start on. But he had not been altogether unsuccessful. He had jumped from goal to goal with marvellous rapidity. No sooner had one point been achieved than the proceeds, moral as we'll as physical. had been staked on further achievement. The world looked upon him as marvelously successful young man, but the world did not behold the precipice over which he perennially hung.
 It seemed now that the end certain ly must come. A slip here-not his fault--a disaster in distant state, a tightening of the money market-all things impossible to foresee, and he was pushed hard against the wall It was not so much the thought of losing all he had gained in financial way. He felt he had the strength and cour- age to begin over and he knew he could make a better living than he had ever had time to take. It was not that. It was the bitter thought of fail- ure, the sneers and criticism of the men on the street--that was what he shrank from.
 He gritted his teeth as he often had done before in supreme moments. It was not all over yet. He had yet time to make a turn before Wednesday week, when he must face his banker, his principal creditors and the men who had backed him in his enterprise. And he had card or two left to play. He walked on unheeding place or time, his eyes set and introspective. his face drawn and haggard. His poor. tired, forced brain was trying its best to heed the lash he applied,
 Then strange phenomena oc- cured. Coming out of his trance for moment he looked straight into the flashing. iet-black eyes of a rollicking, sauoy schoolgirl, who was regarding him mischievously. The eyes were full of life, intelligence, vitality and were were framed by the daintiest oval face, the dainty red on the olive skin telling of perfect health. Dennison had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had not been conscious of his surroundings and consequently when he looked up was bearing down direct ly upon the girl. She had noted his absorption and had planned, misehiev- ously, to give him little shock. But he had looked up just in time and found himself looking into those splendid black eyes. A strange thrill went through him. The physical ef- feet of the face he saw and especially the eyes, was most definite and power full For an instant he was paralyEed, then sheered rapidly to the right to avoid collision. But, alas for the best laid plans, the girl had planned all along to dodge him on that same side, 90 the result was disastrous. He suc- ceeded In preventing head-end col lision, but brushed so violently against her that he knocked her books from her hand and scraped her watch from the bosom of her dress where 1t was pinned.
 "A thousand pardons, he exclaimed. flushing deeply. sThere is really no excuse for man walking down a public street in trance. am an idiot. Pray forgive me-
 She stood demurely watching him struggle with loose leaves and scat tered papers and all the debris to ba found in school book, while he sput- tered away at himself Then he found that the watch was broken and had stopped and insisted on taking it to a nearby jeweler to ascertain the ex- tent of the damage. It was found to be slight, and while the jeweler was re- pairing 1t he remained and talked to the girl. His business cares had rolled from him and he found his brain en- gagged in new and delightful problems. How was he to further his acquaint- ance with the girl; how prevent the episode to end his contact with those brilliant eyes.
 The watch being repaired, he insist ed on walking with her, carrying her books.
 "Is 1t quite proper, sir?" she asked.
 Indeed it is,' he replied, earnestly. Then he went on desperately telling her his name and business-a name he knew was we'll known throughout the city. She accepted the situation with the careless abandon of the schoolgirl. Her feminine intuition told her that he was gentleman and his blunder- ing earnestness amused her. She saw, too, that her charms had impressed him, which she could not help but like, being woman
 He learned that she was from a small town in the west and was stay ing with an uncle in the city in order to enjoy the advantages of the city schools; he also judged that the uncle was somewhat of crank and that the girl was afraid of him. He learned also that hername was Hattie. Arriving