Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1905-08-17

be cried in deep isappo;ntmcnt.
1T isn't fair to he, Monty. Every
body would know us. and every
tongue would wae They would say:
There are Monty frewster and Mar
garet Gray. Speudiilg his last few dol
| lars Oh her. Iou wouldn't have them
think thatT'
He saw the Justice in her protest
"A quiet little dinner in some oct Of
the way place would be Joyous" she
added rorsuasively
you're right Peggy. you're ALWAYS
right. You see. I'm 50 used to spend
ing money by the handful that ! don't
know how to do il amy other way.
believe III let YOU carry the pocket
book after tomorrow. Let me think.
l know IL nice little restaurant down
town. Wen 60 there and then to the
theater. Dan DeMil.e and his wife are
to be in my box. and were all going
up to Pettingll's studio afterward.
I'm to give the Little Sons farewell
supper If my calculations don't go
wrong that will be the end of the jaunt
ana we ii 90 nome happy.
At II O'Clock Pet1ingill's studio open.
ed it's doors to the Little Sons and
their guests. and the last dutch
lunch was soon under way. Brewster
had paid for it early in the evening"
and when he sat down at the head Of
the table there WAS not Il penny in lis
pockets. \ year ;go 1T 1lsa saline place
II ~, h.
tie Sons were having a birthday fcast.
A million dollars came to him Oh that
night. Tonight he was poorer ly f;,.
than on the other OCCASION, but he eN
pected a little gift on the new ami
versary.
Around the board besides the nine
Little Sons sat six guests, among them
the DeMiles. Peggy Gray and Mary
Valentine. Hopper Harrison was the
only absent Little Son, and his health
was proposed by Brewster almost be-
fore the echoes of the toast to the bride
and groom died away.
Interruption came earlier on this oc-
casion than it did that night a year
ago. Ellis did not deliver his messages
to Brewster until 3 O'Clock in the morn
ing, but the A. d. T. boy who rang the
bell at Pettingill's year later handed
him a telegram before II o'clock.
Congratulations are coming in, old
man." said DeMille as Monty looked
| fearfully at the little envelope the boy
had given him.
MANY happy returns of the day"
| suggested Bragdon. by Jove, it's sen
| sible of you to get married on your
| birthday, Monty. It saves time and ex-
! pense to YOUR friends
| Read it aloud" said Subway Smith
Two to one it's from hopper Harri-
SOB. cried Pettingill.
BrcWSter,s fingers trcnbled. he knew
rot why, as he opened the envelope.
| There was the most de>olate feeling in
bis heart, the most CHASTITY premonition
that i'll news had come in this last
! hour He drew forth the telegram and
slowly, painfully, unfolded it. No one
could have told by his expression that
he felt almost that be was reading his
! de:eth warrant. 1t was from Grant 4
Ripley and evidently had been follow
| ing him about town for two or three
! hours. The lawyers had filed it at $50
O'Clock.
He read it at a glance, his eyes burn
ing, his heart freezing:
Come to office immediately Will wait
all night for you if necessary. Jones has
| disappeared, and there is absolutely no
trace of him GRANT & RIPLEY.
Brewster sat as one paralyZeI abso-
lutely no sign of emotion in his face.
The others began to clamor for the
contents of the telegram, but his
tongue was stiff and motionless, his
ears deaf. Every drop of blood in his
body was stilled by the shock, every
sense given him by the Creator was
centered upon eleven words in the
handwriting of a careless telegraph op-
orator, Zones has disappeared, and
there is absolutely no trace of him
Zones has disappearedw Those
| were the words, plain and terrible in
their clearness, tremendous in their
brutality Slowly the rest of the mes
knge began to urge its claims upon his
| brain Come to our office Immediate
ly'' and will wait all night hatt!ed
for recognition. He was calm because
he had not the power to express an
emotion. How he maintained control
of himself afterward he never knew.
Some powerful, kindly force asserted
itself. coming to his relief with the
timelincss of a genie. Gradually it
began to dawn upon him that the 9th
ers were waiting for him to read the
message aloud. He was not sure that
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