Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-24

 l Her mother, under the advice of the
 chief of the clan Brentwood, has been
 making lot of bad investments for
 herself and her two daughters: iu
 other words, she has been making
 ducks and drakes of the Brentwood
 fortune"
 | Kent was as deeply moved as fl
 the loss had been his own. and said
 as much, craving more of the particu-
 lars.
 ! T can't give them. But may say
 that the blame lies at your door. David"
 At my door! How do you arrive
 at that?"
 "By the shortest possible route. If { you had done your duty by Elinor in
 the Croydon summer, Mrs. Brentwood would have had bright young attor- i ney for son-in-law and adviser, and the bad investments would not have l been made" Rents laugh was entirely devoid of mirth. Don't trample on a man when he'D down. was neither a prophet nor tho son of prophet But how bad is the smash? Surely you know that?"
 No, don't Bradford was telling, about it the day I left Boston. He gave me to understand that the prin-l cipal family, holding at present Is in the stock of a certain western rail- way"
 Did he happen to know the name of the stock?" asked Kent, moistening his lips. t
 "He did. Fate firts with you two in the usual fashion. Mrs. Brentwood's little fortune-and by consequence. Elinor's and Penelope's-is tied up in the stock of the company whose plat-i form we are occupying at the present moment-the Western Pacific"
 Kent let slip a hard word directed at ill-advisers in general, and LoringI took his cue from the malediction.
 You swear pretty feelingly. David. Isn't our property as good thing as we of the Boston end have been crack-l ing 1t up to be?''
 You know better about the financial part of it than I do. But-well, you are fresh from this anafchistic con- clave at the opera house. You can imagine what the stock of the Western Pacific, or of any other. foreign cor- poration doing business in this state, will be worth in six months after Bucks and his crowd get into the saddle"
 You. speak as If the result of thei election were foregone conclusion.I I hope it isn't But we were talk ing more particularly of Miss Brent wood. and your personal responsibili- ties" The belated train was whis- tling for the lower yard, and Loringl was determined to say all that was inl his mind.
 "Yes; go on. I'm anxious to hear, more anxious than I seem to ba, perhaps"
 Well. she is coming west, after . bit.s She, and her sister and tho mother. Mrs. Brentwood's asthma is worse, and the wise men have ordered her to the interior. I thought you'd like to know"
 ''Is she-are they coming this ways asked Kent,
 The train was in. and the porter had fetched Loring's handbag from the check stand. The guest paused with one foot on the step of the sleeping car.
 ''1f were you, David. I'd write and ask; I should, by love. It would be- 2 tremendously cheeky thing to do, of course, having such a slight ac- quaintance with her as you have; but I'll be hanged if I should't chance it. And in the mean time, if I don't 90 back east next week, you'll hear from me. When you do, or if you do, take ! day of and run up to the capital shall need you. Good-by."
 Kent watched the train pull outr 'tood looking after 1t until the two red eyes of the rear signals had disap- oeared in the dusty darkness of the llimitable plain. Then he went to his 'ooms, to the one which was called ,y courtesy his office, and without allowing himself time for a nice ball. lncino of the pros and cons, squared himself at the desk to write . letter.