Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-28

Ll4D1I 01N IT ll V 1AAV1xNA IL out all the reserves of battle-might and courage. That motive she alone ] of all the women in the world, might < have supplied, he told himself in keen self-pity. With her love to arm him,
 her clear-eyed faith to inspire him l. He sat up straight and
 pushed the cup of bitter herbs aside. There would be time enough to drain it farther on.
 There came the sound of door opening and closing. and Ormsby stood looking in upon them. We needn't keep these sleepy young persons out of bed any longer" he an- nounced briefly; and the coadjutor said goodnight and joined him at | once.
 - What luck?''' was David Rents anx- ious query when they were free of the house and had turned their faces downward.
 "Just as much 'as we might have expected. Mrs. Hepzibah refuses point-blank to sell her stock-won't talk about it. The idea of parting with it now, when it is actually worth more than when we bought it!'" he quoted, mimicking the thin-lipped, acidulous protest. Later in an evil minute, tried to drag you in, and she let you have it square on the point of the jaw-intimated that it was a deal in which some of you inside peo- pie needed her block of stock to make you whole. She did. by Jove!"
 Rents laugh was mirthless.
 T was never down in her good books" he said, by way of accounting for the accusation.
 If Ormsby thought he knew the req son why, he was magnanimous enough to steer clear of that shoal. "It's a mess," he growled q don't fancy you had any better luck with Elinor"
 "She seemed not to care much about it either way. She said her mother would have the casting vote"
 "I know. What I don't know is, what remains to be done"
 More waiting," said Kent, defini- lively. 'The fight is fairly on now as between the Bucks crowd and the corporations, mean-but there will probably be ups and downs enough to scare Mrs. Brentwood into letting go. We must be ready to strike when the iron is hot; that's all."
 The New Yorker tramped a full square in thoughtful silence before he said: "Candidly, Kent, Mrs. Hepzi- bah's little stake in the Western Pa ciflc isn't altogether a matter of life and death to me, don't you know? If 1t comes to the worst, I can have my broker play the part of the god in the car. Happily, or unhappily, which, ever way you like to put it, I sha'n't miss what he may have to put up to make good on her 5000 shares" '3 David Kent stopped short and wheeled suddenly upon his companion.
 "Ormsby, that's thing I've been afraid of, all along; and it's one thing you must never do."
 "Why not?" demanded the straight forward Ormsby.
 Kent knew he was skating on the thinnest of ice, but his love for Elinor made him fearless of consequences.
 "If you don't know without being told, 1t proves that your money has spoiled you to that extent. It is be- cause you have no right to entrap Miss Brentwood into..an obligation ! that would make her your debtor for the very food she eats and the clothes she wears. You will say she never need know: be very sure she will find out, one way or another; and she would never forgive you"
 'Um," said ormsby, turning visibly grim. "You are frank enough-to draw It mildly. Another man in my place might suggest that 1t isn't Mir. David Rents affair.""
 Kent turned about and caught step again. .. .a
 Eve said my say-all of it." he re- joined stolidly. We've been decently modern up to now, and we won't go back to the elemental things go late in ] the day. All the same. you'll not take 1t amiss if I say that I know Miss l Brentwood better than you do." |
 Ormsby did not say whether he would or would not, and the talk went l aside to less summary ways and means preservative of the Brentwood for tunes. But at the archway of the l Camelot club, where Kent paused. 0rmsby went back to the debatable ground in an outspoken word.
 q know pretty we'll now what there is between us, Kent, and we mustn't l quarrel if We can help it," he said. If you complain that I didn't give you | a fair show, I'll retort that I didn't dare to. Are you satisfed?" 1 No" said David Kent; and with that they separated.