Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-11-14
PART III.
THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE.
p |.
THE


Although Richard Delroy was known
among his more familiar associates as
Dickie. he was not. as that diminutive
might seem to Indicate. merely a good
fellow and man about town. 1t is true
that his wealth WAS great. and that he
had never settled down tn that
Mrs. Delroy. Miss Croydon was of that
steady struggle for money which had
marked his ather's career. and which
many persons seem to think the only
lifting employment for a man in his
position. He had concluded, wisely per-
haps. that he had enough. and there
upon proceeded to an intelligent enjoy
ment of 1t.
He had an office in the Wall street
district. where he spent some hours
daily In interested contemplation of the
worlds markets and pregnant talks
with investors. promoters, and beggars
of various denominations. He had Il
ondnes for books and art. finer and
deeper thar Il mere mania for pur-
chasing rare editions and unique mas
terpieces: he was Il member of the
Citizens union and contributed freely
to every effort to suppress political
graft and %corruption: he was vice
chairman of the University Settlement
society, and belonged to many other
politico-evangelical organizations. He
had built two or three model emen
after that voyage of discovery among
the slums of London, which had also
resulted, as we have seen, inshis meet
lngt the woman who became his wife.
Among these varied occupations, he
managed to pass his time pleasantly.
and at the same time not unprofitably
In a word. If he did nothing very good
neither did he do anything very bad
indeed. he averaged up considerably
better than most men of his class-and
If NAV no added nc n ,>nssts,.. ,:,t..
that he had married for love and con-
tinued to regard his wife with an affec-
tlon somewhat unusual In it's intensity.
n great many people wondered why
he had married Edith Croydon, but
they were mostly those who had never
met her. h would be called attractive
rather than beautiful. with a quiet
charm OF manner which was felt most
intensely In the privacy of her own
home. She was quite the opposite of
V~1vacfous. yet there was about her no
appearance Of sadness. and her smile.
when 1t came. was the sweeter and
more welcome because long delayed.
She gave one a certain sense of valuing
1t. OF not wasting it. Certainly, she
succeeded in making her husband an
entirely happy which is. perhaps.
the highest praise that can be given a
wife. II ts almost needless to add
that she thoroughly sympathized with
MIN III his experiments for the better
ment of the condition of the poor, and
tina her marriage had not interfered
with her OWN active work in the same
direction.
Her sister was cast in a different
mould. Her beauty won an instant ap-
probation. Six years younger than
Mrs. Delroy. Miss Croydon was of that
striking. decisive type Of brunette
which takes a mans heart by storm.
One would think of her as anything
but daring and observation-disclosures.
ev~en--ready for any emergency and
willing to meet 1t squarely. open-eyed.
A man. looking at her. would feel ris-
Ing In his breast not that instinct OF
protection which most women awaken,
but rather that instinct Of the con-
queror which Is, perhaps. our heritage
from the Vikings.
II was to Richard Delroy that Ire
maine mad applied Tor assistance in
promoting the. Martinique railroad.
Q he gained an introduction, / do
not k~now-perhaps from some uncriticai
man IN the street: but gain II he did.
and ne used the opportunity to good
advantage. I can easily imagine the