davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
Finds No Escape.

MY Godf gasped the millionaire,
az he stumbled across the hall, is
there no escapeT
His voice shook as he spoke over the
wire. Hrs. Phelps could hardly make
herself understood through her tears.
"Mr Harrington. she said, Il have
lust relieved word that Mr.. Phelps
has been very seriously injured while
riding his horse IN Central Park. Can
you come over?'
SURPRISING a groan, he promised to
come at once. and after excusIng him
self TO mis- daughter be slipped into an
oxercoat and FASTENED to his neigh
bor's house
Mrs. Phelps informed Harrington
that she had just received o message
from the police that her husband had
been found unconscious near the west
SIDE of the park. his horse standing
beside him. and that she feared the
worst
Within a few minutes The ambulance
was at the door. and JOSEPH Phelps
was borne sense1ess into tbs house
nc had left less than three hours
before IN the best Of health and the
eayest spirits.
Harrington's soul was wraag within
him.
In the big house at the corner lay
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
Strain Too Much.

- The strain was almost too muchufor
mortal man 10 bear. bat John Har-
ringtoH was not of the sort that bend
until they are broken. and ne strove
against the fear that was gnawing
at his heart in spite Of his determine
biOn that Caswell's death had been ac-
cidental and Elder was simply taking
advantage OF it to work on his fears.
The day wore OH slowly It was the
longest days4arrington had ever known.
It reminded him vaguely of one time
when he and Elder had lain for hours
in the full heat Of the terrible desert
sun. surrounded by Indians. suffering
the agonies of thirst unutterable. and
expecting every minute vyuld be the
last.
This time he did not seek the society
of the man whom Elder had named as
MS victim. He did not telephone him.
But every time the bell sounded a
casl he felt his nerves draw to the
swapping point It was exactly like
that terrible hot day wnen occasional
bullets came SCATTERING up from the
concealed Indians. and they waited
FOR the rush which would end their
suspense-and their lives
Bat nothing happened- The hands
of the electric clock crept round 10 4
in the. afternoon. and Harrington left
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

little differences they once had when
both were rivals for the hand of pretty
Rose MeCalmoat, daughter Of old nsH
AcCalmOnt, who would be the B.
Har-U ranch in the Calinas valley.
They laughed over the tune when
Jack Smiths little weekly paper, the
Echo. had heen burned out. and Jack
had even lost bis mailing list because
il was written on the board wall of his
shack.
Late in the evening they sat and
smoked and exchanged "reminiscences,
until John Harrington had desc anted
On his success in life To the top of his
bent ana it suddenly occurred tc him
10 question his caller as to mis- present
position and posse ssiUns.
What followed was ensraven on his
mind in indelible letters
John Harrington, A" said Elder, You
have preached the very subject which
brings me here tonight
In some small degree success has
attended me. bat every time when BY
dint Of application to business I have
ielt my feet firm on the first rungs OF
TIE ladder, some one Of your compina-
tons has srepped in at the critical
moment and 1 have been forced 10
close I'D shop.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

fused to let rae earn with my own
brain and Drawn.
call It socialism, if you like; an
archy If YOU viii; revolution, II that
term pleasas you better
when viii you be able TO pay over
the million, John?''
The millionaire suppressed a chuckle.
I'm from Missouri, said he.
You've got TO show me"
That's easy answered Elder. 4
VIII give YOU just three days 10 place
that amount 20 my credit at the bank
If at the end of that time you have
not done so. I viii give you demon
stration of your heIplessness and my
power. Al the corner OF Fifty-first
street and Fifth avenue, just few
doors below here. lives Henry Cas-
well. your lifetime friend, and partner
in many OF your schemes to enrich the
few.at the expense Of the. many.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
And If l Refuse" Said Harrington.

first % tae series. Of which the third
lay be ore him. AT the time which this
brief history begins.
Dear JOhn-I am sorry that you have
not seen Mt TO comply with my request
BY S o'clock this afternoon Henry Cas-
well viii be dead His blood be on
your head. Joseph Phelps viii be the
Hext to go KY. =
He sat dazed FOR a minute. but as his
private secretary came into the room
he gathered his scattered faculties and
prepared TO attend 70 business. as
usual
Several times during ne morning he
telephoned 10 Caswell. ma king the least
pretext serve for calling aim up. He
even invited him to luncheon. for John
Harrington was no coward. and they
sat tOgeSher in a corner Of rileir down.
town club until nearly O'Clock
Then they went back TO their re-
spective offices in the great building on
lower Broadway. bat Harrington could
not SIT easy. and presently he sent
word to Caswell that he would Ike 70
consult with him over the matter OF
International Control OF Universal
Eiostic Ether.
easweIl came. and, on one pretext
or another, he kept him all the after
noon in his private Office. Surely, no
harm could come TO him there. As the
hours licked away he grew more cheer
gul, and when. at last. o'clock struck
he was absolutely buoyant A great
weight was OF his mind.
He seolded himself for ever having
allowed such idle moonshine to upset
him, and when Caswell rose to go. he
felt really exuberant.
More than an hour later he fingered
to attend 10 business that had suffered
from his state Of mind earlier in the
day, and then, descending by the eIe-
vator which landed the directors at
their private entrance IN the rear of
the building. he entered his automobile
to be whisked home.
Within few minutes he was rolling
up Madison avenue. when, happening
to remember a promise to attend a
meeting Of the directors Of his club. he
drew up at the door and aIighted.
A scant half hour completed his bust
ness there, and ne started once more
TO resume the homeward Journey.
The obsequious hall boy swung open
the great door His chauffeur stood
waiting by the big machine. and Har-
rington's foot was on the step
he had just seated himself when a
newsboy came running across from
broadway, shouting at the top OF his
lungs. "Wuxtryi Wuxtryl 'Ere's yer
poiper. gent. All about the millionaire
killed IN mis- auto. Explosion kills
Henry Caswen the Wall Street mag
nate.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

the dead body Of Henry Caaweu. and
before him he saw Joseph Phelps,
stricken down in the prime Of his
manhood, a mysterious victim Of some
mysterious fatality.
The ambulance surgeon shook his
head doubtfully when Harrington ask
ed him whether the injuries were
fatal
The family physician. Dr.. Burleigh,
came within q few minutes, and he,
too. Looked grave. and promised moth
ing n ore than the best OF attendance
and ONE hope Of recovery
Ard Harrington, knowing surely that
James Elder was the real slayer. and
that he could have saved the lives OF
two men by the expenditure OF a pal
try million shrank fearfully from
every shadow, and felt his heart turn
10 water in his breast, and his blood
run cold in his veins.
Joseph Phelps son. summoned By
telegraph from his home at Rye, for
tunately arrived at that moment. and
murmuring confused explanations and
apologies, John Harrington took his
leave, and went back TO his own home.
As he let himself IN ne heard his
daughters voice lifted In song. She
was in the music room, and from her
lips fioated the enhancing melody OF
an old Spanish ballad. full OF love and
life and the sweetness Of everything
But TO the heart OF Iohn Harrington
his daughters song was like sounding
brass and tinkIing symbols.
For a moment he slipped into the IL
brary and sat down to collect himself
Then he went or Up to his daughter
with q fierce access OF rage at this
destiny Of death that followed 50 i'm
placably.
AS he stood in the door drinking in
the wonderful music he forgot for q
moment the curse that hung over him,
but the song ended all too soon, and
the memory OF tbs tragedy bore in
upon him Ike pail. He forced him
self to be calm, even almost gay, as
he talked to his daughter about her
summer abroad and tried to sooths
her fears about Mr.. Phelps with half
truths that promised what the doctors
dared lot hope.
But when Florence had gone to her
room ne went TO his study and flung
himself into his chair with a gesture OF
utter WEAKNESS and despair. John
Harrington, millionaire. in that hour
was near giving way to hysteria.
something that was about as. foreign to
his nature as the rosebush 70 the
desert.
For hours he sat and pondered, and
at last he rose with q look Of deter
mination on his massive face, and went
to his room. Not 70 sleep-his brain
was too busy for that-but 20 revolvs
every point OF this strange affair in
his mind and decide upon some plan
OF action. John Harrington Was a
stern man, little used to quail IN dang
er, and while he felt the death OF his
partners and friends, he had no inten-
ton of allowing himself 70 be bIed
thereby James Elder would have 10
prove himself the stronger Of the two
before he would yield an inch.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

his office for his home. At the eleva-
tor he met Joseph Phelps, straight and
stalwart, keen OF eye, and 1.-THE and
strong OF figure. They went down to-
gether.
Better ride up with me- suggested
Harrington, on the impulse of the mo-
ment. He would land Phelps safe at
his own 6oor and then nothing could
possibly happen 10 him. Elder would
attempt nothing while they were to-
getEer for fear he might inJure or kin
harrington. and thus destroy ali hope
OF future profit.
Together they entered the big. red
automobile Together they traversed
the familiar route TO their homes in
the same Fifth avenue block. And
nothing untOWard happened.
John Harrington saw his friend step
briskly from the machine, run lightly
up the s-eps and wave his hand as
the door swung shut behind him.
Half an hour later he saw him come
down the steps, take the bride from
a groom, vault into the saddle and set
OF for his regular afternoon csnter
ia the park.
Harrington pondered an hour in his
study. and then dressed for dinner.
His only child Florence mad come home
that day from Europe, and they were
to dine together. Harrington's wife
had died when Florence was born,
and the girl was his one tenderness.
All her life he had watched over her
ard guarded her Ike a treasure with
out price, and tonight he was 10 well
come her back to the home that had
been so lonely without her.
Presently he descended the stairs and
entered the library across the hall
from the big dining room, There
Florence came to meet him.
Father, I am so glad TO be home
again. she said. as she threw her
self into his arms.
And your lonesome old dad is more
than glad to see his little girl" an
swered Harrington. as ne swept her
soft cheek with his grizzled, stubby
mustache.
They had reached the. second course
of their meal when the telephone bell
rang violently a servant brought
word that Harrington vas wanted at
the ephone-
who is it?" he asked. obviously and
fearful.
Mrs. Phelps" answered The man.
she says its very important"
~ AZ
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

led himself to read the story Of Henry
CasweIls death.
Eagerly he perused the varying ac-
counts. but nowhere did he ind a sin
gle suspicion or a single clue to any
Thing hut an accident
CasweH had been bowling home IN
his automobile when. without the least
warning. its boiler exploded and the
unfortunate man mad been torn almost
70 bits. The chauffeur was nowhere
to be found. ard the newspapers threw
the blame on him. ard EXPRESSED the
opinion that he had he'd 10 1cape the
consequences Of his ignorance or neg
lect-
To the world at large Il looked Ike
an accident, but John Harrington
knew as well as he knew his own
name that he and ne alone was d.
reetly responsible for the death of
hts partner and friend Of many years.
When the full realization was borne
IN upon him he dashed the papers to
tie floor, and bowed his head upon
his ands and wept.
The next day and the following
passed. Harrington had summoned
N+NN--@ "a NAAA &c una HkEEA
ounce CT brain power to his aid. and
presented his accustomed front TO the
world. but the awful secret gnawed at
his heart He could not sleep. he
could not eat His business affairs he
conducted automatically and with the
morning Of the third day he found
himself in a very bad condition physi
cally and mentally.
Joreph Phelps was next on Elders
Harrington tried to make himself he
lieve that the death Of CaswelI was
really a remarkably coincident acct
dent. but when he reached his offiee
on the morning Of the third dav his
determination vanished as his eyes fell
on an envelope on his desk At a
glance he knew It must be from the
man who had demanded a million
dollars as the price Of immunity for
Henry CaSven.
F'eyerisLiy he tore it open and de-
Soured its brief contents.
DeaTy JOhn-You saw what happened
10 CasWelL Unless that million * in
my bank before It closes today MIR
Phelps viii have Ce., sed to enjoy MS
mundane sphere by the time Won sit
down to your dinner this evening.
X Y. 3.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
"Wm Pay With Life

iii ;hat million dollars Is not 10 lay
credit in the Buttermiik National
rank before it closes three days from
nuw, Henry Caswen VIII pay with his
life for your refusal to comoly with
my request. Before noon Of the next
day he VIII have gone TO meet his
AIaher.'
Harrington smiled an inward smile.
Don't think you can trife with me,
John. said Elder. when leave
this house / will be completely out of
your power. You haven't one single
atom Of proof against me, and il you
asake any charges the police VIII
think you are insane"
and If / refuse" said Harrington.
Then Henry caswell's blood will be
on your head, said Elder.
II refuse" said Harrington. defiant
Ny. he touched the bell on his desk
ana a servant appeared. Show Mr.
Elder TO the door, he ordered
Goodnight. James, he added ex-
tending his hand. Think that mat
ter over and pho1e me in the morning
That you have changed your mind"
When Elder had left the room Hair
Tmgton rang again.
Bring me a brandy highbaIl. he
said t. the man who answered. and
when it came ne tossed it of at a.
draught.
Ugh, he shivered. .'That man
Esider must be ins9ne But IN his
heart Of hearts he knew that Elder
had spoken truth, and ne feared the
unknown.
The next day came and the next.
Harrington vent about lis usual af-
fairs steadily and calmly Not word
had he said to anyone Of his curious
experience with James Elder, but
whenever for a moment mis- mind
turned from his business he found his
thoughts Of nothing sc much as that
grave, clear-cut face intently gazing
u;,on him through a whirl Of smoke,
ard the earnest voice warning him OF
the penalty OF refusal to be mulcted
OF "a million.
TO do hIm justice Harrington was
fond in his rough way of Henry Cas-
weli but ne was also fond of his
millions. and the struggle within his
rreast was of short duration
besides, he had not entire faith that
Elder would be able to carry out his
threat. And unknown to Caswell he
engaged a score of private detectives
20 guard him, and made up his mind
not to Soc frightened by such wild
dreams
by the morning of the third day he
lad begun to feel treasured. and he
walked into his Office quite jauntilY.
The mali lay on mis- desk open for
ready perusal. with the exception OF
one letter, which was marked per
S0nal
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
Sinks Back Faint.

John Harrington sank back faint
against the cushioned seat. white to
tie lips and with an awful fear
elutching at his heart.
Home" he cried to the chauffeur.
QUICK. Quick Homel"
The blow had fallen.
James Elder was no longer a dream.
but an awful reality, and John Har-
rington was no longer the millionaire,
bat for a moment a mere man.
As the huge machine sped swiftly
he heard ether ~newsboys crying the
same awful refrain, and his brain
hummed with the one idea. The blow
had fallen. James Elder Rad carried
out his threat
Still in a daze. John Harrington Sc
Guided himself in lis study, and de-
man5ed the evening papers. He stead
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
Within Ten Years.

am within ten years Of your age.
John, ana if do say it myself. I have
more brains than you have. But here
am with wife and family. ana after
thirty years Of hard work. economy
and sleePless planning TO secure a
future. l find myself with barely ten
thousand dollars TO my name.
nave decided To act dinerentIv f,
future. and the first step in the n.Tr
direction is now about 10 be taken
ne speaker paused to inhale lone
pun from his cigar, and blew the frag-
rant smoke in q great cloud toward
the fadium bulb above his head. TobD
harrington. his hands folded across
ms paunen. sat back in his armchair
and eyed him rehectiveIy.
he wants loan, he thought to
hlinself, and he was already copsiaar-
ing means of excusing. But for .,nca
IN his life John Harrington was
wrong.
The calm. even voice resumed
This IS what am going to do. John
am going TO ask you to present ma
with a million dollars"
Harrington's eyes opened wide. and
ne giared through the Whirl Of smoke
He could hardly believe his ears.
But there, just on the other side of
his desk. sat James Elder, clean
shaven, immaculate in his eHenlnp
clothes, a cigar in his fingers. slightly
bent forward and with kis eyey fixed
on HarTington's face.
They burned with a strange fire. q
baleful glitter that Harrington kent
seeing ali that night in his dreams and
every waking moment for a good
many days thereafter.
IN the keen scrutiny that scanned
his face Elder read John Harring-
tons idea
faint smile relaxed his intent fea-
lures.
No, john he said. You are
wrong Ny mind is not unbalanced. ]
am not in the least insane. / am sim
Ply a man VINO has fought to create
something for himself and his wife
and children. and at every step has
been confronted by the solid wall Of
combination, barring the way to
plenty.
Nine times I have tried, and nine
times been deEied.
This is the tenth time. This time
I am going to bend my energies TO
another direction. Instead of creating
I am going 10 destroy. Instead of
building I am going 20 pun down
structures that already exist
You nave made millions by crush
ing the l-fe out OF thousands of small
competitors ike myself. and in return
i demand Of you the million you re-
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
Industry King Worried.

But despite all these feats Of IL
nance, the great captain of industry
was worried. In the midst Of luxury
n was IN trouble that evidently prey
Ell heavily on his mind.
The soft light from The redium bulb
overhead flooded the room with day
Ike ciearuess. and brought out sharp
Is tie graceful lines of costly bronze,
and the delicate tints of paintings
that priced a princes ransom john
Harrington. millionaire tcved with
a gold letter Up euer, but he frowned
heavily AS me bent over his desk aud
read and rcIead the letter that lay
before him.
Paper of good commercial qualify.
and typewritng clear and distinct.
Nothing unusual at All about them.
But the words burned into his brain
in letters OF IRE.
Dear John. You see 1 am able 10
carry out my promises If in three
DAYS YOU have not complied with my
demands. viii take further action.
Henry Caeewell is dead Joseph
Phelps Is dying Unless by Sdtui day
,aorniug YOU have deposited mil
hon dollars 10 ny credit in the Butter
milk National Bank. the next blow
viii fan ia your own household. L
do not need TO sign tins. but YOU must
know how that I am IN earnest
This was the gruesome thing that
had unsettled the mind of John Har-
rngton. millionaire.
Just ten days Ego lac had been Sit
tiLg in his study after dinner. when a
fo5tmar brought him the card of an
OLD freud. James Elder. man with
v nom Ee lad discovered the mine ia
Montana that brought MIN the nrst
stable instalment of lis great for
tine ana enabled him TO begin the
financial operations that were 10 make
him the richest man in the world.
Elder seemed fairly prosperous. and
together mey spent an hour talking
over old times. Trey recalled the
weary days they had toiled il the
bleak mountain wastes together only
TO fms time after time that luck was
91anst them.
They reminded each other of the
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

HEN this great corporation
n became a fact the wireless
wv telegraph companies were
bitter enemies. but as soon
as il became necessary to secure air
PRIVILEGES from the international At
mospheric Company or else run the
risk of paying huge penalties for tres
passing on the air the difficulty was
at an end
Harrington expert examined ali
the different wireless systems and
reported on Barkoni-WOod Wireless
as the best Harrington and his
friends Immediately secured control
Of its stock. and the International
Atmosphere Right Of Way Company
forthwith contracted with the Bar
koni- Woods Company for exclusive
use of the air for Geographic pur-
poses.
He was now contemplating an in
ternatfonaI consolidation to control
the Universal Elastic Ether, that
elusive clement which scientists say
exists everywhere, and carries the
light of the sun across millions OF
miles of otherwise empty space 10
warm the worlds.
Experts for rival companies had
been trying to prove that the Inter
national Atmospheric Company had
10 rights over the universal elastic
ether. and "a communication was just
aoout 10 be established with Mars
this opening up another possible ave
nae Of progress that John Harring-
ton felt he could not AFFORD to neglect.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
In Troubled sIumber.

Thus pondering means OF successful
hattie against these forces OF dark
ness, he fen into troubled slun-
Der. which left him in the morning
stiH much shaken, and not at all IKE
himself
That afternoon he stood by the omen
grave OF Henry Caswen and saw an
that was mortal Of HIM laid to rest.
and that evening end the day follow
ing passed without anything 70 dis
turb him. When the next day came
he had almost persuaded himself that
dual accidents, coincident With the
threats Of his oid-time partner, had
seemed to fulfill his sinister promises,
and his mind was beginning to work
easily as he reacted from the weight
he had carried for so many days.
But in the evening as he sat al hts
desk in his study with the problem of
Universal Elastic ether fixed IN his
1ronffnfsaS or, Frfzhff po~aA
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
His Heart Sinks.

With a sinking at hearts Harrington
dropped into his char. The paper and
envelope were Of good quality and the
contents were typewriter. It was the
The Washington times., 1907-10-27
WHhhe Entire
World mills
Palm, He
CoUdNotBe
Happy.
Ohm HERRINGTON, tril

Iionaire, sat in the luxuri-
Gus study of his palatial
Fifth avenue home and
stared at a letter that lay on the
great walnut desk. He could COM
mand more millions than any other
man in the history of the world,
but he was plainly i'll at ease.
He it was who had taken over
the postal service of the world and
created the International Mail Com
pany improving the delivery of
letters and papers and deriving i'm
menSe wealth from the monopoly
of parcel carrying, which he had
forced the express companies to
surrender, and from the profits of
which he had cheapened the cost of
letter postage, national and inter-
national.
His acute brain had foTeSeen the
time when wireless biography
should fill the air with tremendous
electrical impulses and render it
valueless, and he it was who had
found the solution of the problem
in the organization of the great IN
ternational Atmospheric Right of
Way Company with privileges Sc
cured from every nation.
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

October 81. 1907
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

CONTINUED on EiEhth Pager
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

HEN this great corporation
l n became a fact the wireless
" " telegraph companies were
hitter enemies. but as soon
The Washington times., 1907-10-27

P sc Five