Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-10-08

vent in New York was signalized by a
market movement not yet forgotten.
Mr.. Blake's guests We're General Mar
shall Garden, Miss Jessie Garden and
Miss Edith Hancock, of Cohassst.
Massachusetts. Miss Garden returned
week ago from two years sojourn
abroad, where her musical and arts
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 glass of
brandy, and be quick about 1t"
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 he had
proved a score of times when Ids
mettle was put to the test-but from
the moment he went down to defeat
beneath sturdy blows he had respect
ed his boyhood conqueror.
The valet opened the door anc
Blake heard the piping voice Of a tel
egraph messenger. He drew long
breath and tore open the envelope.
The message was from John HaS-
lSins, and stated that he would ar
rive in New York on the following
morning.
The little clock spasmodicauy
jingled the hour of noon. In four
short hours he would face John Burt
He drank the brandy at a gulp. aud
plunged into a cool bath. He gl,red
at the tempting breakfast, but could
not taste 1t.
Take that stun away and bring me
more brandy" he ordered.
Again he read the dreaded para
graph. II 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 thai
II appeared only in the one paper
Again be helped himself to the
brandy.
read that cursed paper" he ex
claimed half aloud. It's only an ac
cident that | happened to see It. II
hadn't been there last night | never
would have glanced below the head
line. What chance is there for Johr
to see il? Not one In a millioni''
He paced up and down the room
and paused to survey his reflection II
a mirror. His face was drawn, ane
dark circles showed under his eyes
The decanter was his only friend
The grave face OF the valet did no
disclose the astopishment he fel
over the conduct of his employer
Blake was almost abstemious in hi
habits. and his sideboard was more
OF an ornament than a utility. il
this he had wisely patterned himscl
after John Burt.
"Shall serve breakfast now. sir!'
asked Roberts.
Blake answered with a sullen mega
| tive and tossed on his fourth brandy
IL sounded a new note in the scale O
stimulation.
Il don't see why / should go int.
such beastly funk over this affair.
| he muttered. Its 20 crime to be II
| love with a woman. She doesn't be
| long to him. They're not even ct
gagged. Suppose he does love her
| So do ]. What II he did meet he
hrst? A woman is not something (,
be discovered and pre-empted like I
| gold mine"
As the hours sped by and the darl
red line In the decanter dropped low
er and lower, Biake's courage arouse,
| TO such a pitch that he welcomed th,
coming of John Burt.
BY God. wen settle this matte
now and here" he exclaimed as b,
lurched unsteadily about the room
John Burt nor any other man shall
stand between me and Jessie Car
den. Ill meet him face TO face
III"
The hall bell rang with that clesi
precision which comes from tn,
pressure of an insistent hand. At th'
same instant the little clock ham
mered the hour of four.
Ito be continued.)