The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-10-25
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Financier.

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Aolz HEY had finished dinner
~ b "a cosy tete-a-tete dinner,
6 ~ 8 elegantly served up Oh a
4 L round table, and choicely
tos< cooked.
The butler and his subordinate had
withdrawn, after placing a smart red
dispatch box. which throughout the
meal had occupied prominent posi-
ton on the sideboard, upon the shining
| cloth before the master Of the house.
He, merely nodding,. looked over at
his wife, who without word drew a
little gold key from the collet of a
rather massive seal ring and handed 1t
silently across the table.
"You are very-obliging," she said,
with cold little smile upon her beau
tifully cut lips, and most provoking
glitter in the eyes, 'most self-denying
to consent, so much against the grain,
to- overhaul the results Of my year Of
financial labor. The sheaveS I have
reaped at the stock exchange-her eye
lashes played at humility-"are gath
cred in that dispatch box, to a grain Of
corn"
"Of course I can't refuse, since you
are so keen upon my going through
the scrip and so forth. - But you
were always an excellent woman of
business-you have had Coatleigh
Knolles to advise you-a man who abb
solutely leads the financial field-and
have no doubt your original $100, 900
have multiplied into million. But
perhaps that is why you want me to
60 through the contents Of the dis
patch box. You were rich when l
married you year ago-you are fabu-
lously wealthy now. Accept my con-
gratulations."
She had thrown off her mask Of In
difference now, and the simmer in
the eyes that met his own was like
the play of moonlight on the blades of
spears.
"You have not forgotten-you never
will forget-that, unlucky, abomin-
able, idiotlc speech Of mine, made a
month after our marriage. in the heat
of our first quarrel. have eaten these
words a hundred times-you have for
given them ostensibly-but you do not
really, and, thanks to your Scotch
blood, you never will. They rankle in
you now"
He bit his cigarette through in the
sudden closing Of his strong square
teeth, and threw it aside with a hand
that shook little.
"No. You're right" he acknowl-
edged, after a moments pause. 1--WE
were having a quarrel, the first real
word scrap we had ever had. Neither
Of US was in earnest at the beginning,
the thing developed as we went on.
And you told me I had married you
for your money.
"The accusation wasn't likely to hold
water, even with my enemies or with
my friends, for happen to be what is
generally called a rich man. But you
had said it-and, as you say-I don't
forget. can't! Nothing has been the
same since-nothing will ever bring
back"-he drew harsh breath-"what
used to be.
"The day after our quarrel took
measures-we won't detail them," the
man went on, ito insure your having
command of your money-in fact, OF
every stick, rag or bone belonging to
.you-command more absolute, If pos
*sible, that even the married womeh's
property act ensures. absolutely pro-
iribited you from spending any Of ii
upon the household. I required Of you
an undertaking that If we should have
children you would not settle any por'
ton Of your money upon the boys, but
reserve such manifestations of your
generosity for the girls-if there were
any"
His wife burst out laughing wildly
Hysterical sobs gathered in her throat
and broke from her lips, her eyes
moistened the filmy handkerchief she
pressed against them.
'I asked you to do what you chose
with your money-short of spending
It upon my household. You had got
into gambling set, the Ardleighs
Lady Cecil Wilbram, and Coatleigh
Knolles-you took the stock exchange
fever, and you used the three broug
ham horses in your to-and-froings be,
tween Chesterfield gardens and the
city. I'm not -grumbling-you were
welcome to the horses. Now you have
a motor-coupe, for which you paid
yourself. I am not grumbling at that
you don't expect me to use it. But
this box-containing the fruits Of your
years fnance-you have made me
promise to go through it-and I hate
the idea"
He unlocked the box with shadow
on his forehead and about his lips
The upper tray of the smart red re
ceptacle was full of bundles Of cou
pons, bulky sheaves of shares in var
ious companies, cracking securities
gayly stamped and smartly engrossed
mining scrip and foreign rails.
The first bundle he opened caused
him to whistle a faint, long-draw1
whistle of sheer dismay, that sent bel
rebellious eyes dancing under theil
concealing valance of lashes.
jumping Cats. Good heavens! d.
you mean to say that Coatleigf
Knolles or Lady Cecil advised you II
throw away your money in IA ranl
swindle like those mines?"
"To do them justice" said his wife