Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-03-14
THE
GRAFTERS
By
F RAN CTS LYN D e
CHAPTER II.-CoNTINUED.
Copyright. 1904. by The Bobbs-Merrill c


Kent was as deeply moved as if
.he loss had been his own, and said
as much, craving more of the particu-
lars.
Il 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-
ney for son-in-law and adviser, and
the bad investments would not have
been made"
Kent's laugh was entirely devoid Of
mirth.
Don't trample on a man when he's
down. l was neither a prophet nor the
son of prophet. But how bad is
the smash? Surely you know that?"
mo, don't. Bradford was telling
about it the day l left Boston. He
gave me to understand that the prin-
cipal family holding at present is in
IL.
way"
did he happen to know the name
Of the stock?" asked Kent, moistening
his lips
He did. Fate f1irts 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
form we are occupying at the present
moment-the Western Pacific
Kent let slip a hard word directed
at ill-advisers in general, and Loring
took his cue from the malediction.
You swear pretty feelingly, David
Isn't our property as good a thing as
we of the Boston end have been crack
ing it up to be?"
You know better about the financial
part of it than I do. But-well, you
are fresh from this anarchistic 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 the
election were foregone conclusion.
I hope it isn't. But we were talk
ing more particularly of Miss Brent
wood, and your personal responsible
ties" The belated train was whis-
Ting for the lower yard, and Loring
was determined to say all that was in
his mind
Eyes; so on. I'm anxious to hear
more anxious than | seem to be.
perhaps"
We'll, she is coming west, after a
bit. She, and her sister and the
mother. Mrs. Brentwood's asthma is
worse, and the wise men have ordered
her to the interior. l thought you'd
like to know"
as she-are they coming this way?"
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.
IF | were you, David, I'd write and
ask: | should, by Jove. 1t would be
tremendously cheeky thing to do,
OF course, having such a slight ac-
quaintance with her as you have; but
I'll be hanged if l should't chance it
And in the mean time, if I don't go
back east next week, you'll hear from
me. When you do, or if you do, take
a day OF and run up to the capital.
shall need you. Good-by."
Kent watched the train pull out;
stood looking after it until the two
red eyes of the rear signals had disap-
peared in the dusty darkness of the
illimitable plain. Then he went to. his
rooms. to the one which was called
by courtesy his Office, and without
allowing himself time for a nice bal
ancing of the pros and cons. squared
himself at the desk to write a letter.