Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-06-07
CHAPTER III.

| business room on the first fiOOr to dis
Cuss further this great project which
he had in his head, but Cambel thought
fit to remain where he was. Mr.. Shelf
nodded significantly toward the new
corners, as much as to hin that a third
person with them would be distinctly
an inconYenient third. Cambel turned
TO them, cue in hand. n proposed a
game of smoker.
That's precisely what we came up
for" said Amy Rivers promptly. Ham
ilton, get out the balls. Mr.. Cambel,
will you put the billiard balls away,
so that they don't get mixed?"
They played n talked merrily. Their
conversation turned on the wretched
show at the recent Academy, which
they agreed was a disgrace TO a civil
hzed country, n Cambcl made him
self interesting over the art of paint
ing in Paris, mural, facial and on can
vas. When he chose, he could be very
interesting, his man London had nick
named the great traveller, and he gem
orally chose, not being i'll natured
Mr.. Theodore Shelf left the billiard
room with a feeling beneath his waist
coat much akin to seasickness. First
Of all that plain spoken Patrick Cam
bel had not over-pOlitely limited tina
he was a canting hyprocrite and had
showed cause for arriving 1T this con
clusion. This was true, but that didn't
make II any the more digestive. And,
secondly, he himself in a Of
excitement had let drop to his same
pernicious Camoel (who, after all, was
n comparative strangely a proposal to
make the sum Of $500, 600 at one coup.
True, he had not mentioned the means,
but Cambel a at one concluded 1t
was to be gained by robbery, and he,
Theodore Shelf, had not denied the inn
parchment.
Consequently Mr.. Shelf went direct
to his own room, locked the door and
fortified his nerves with a liberal two
fingers OF brandy. Then he munched a
coffee bean in Difference TO the blue rib
bon on his coat lapel, replaced the
cognac bottle in the inner drawer Of
his inner safe and sat down to think.
II only he had understood Cambel,
end, better still, knew whether he
might trust him! There was q fortune
to be had. Yes, a fortune. And it was
wanted badly. The great firm Of Marin
aduke Rivers & Shelf, which called it,
SELF Agent to the Oceanic Steam
Transport company" but which really
ran the line of steamers which traded
under the flag, might work prosperous
TO the outer eye and might still rear
its head haughtily among the first
shipping firms of London port. u
the mar who Dragged aloud that he
owned it all, from offices to engine oil,
knew otherwise. He had mortgages
cut in every direction, mortgages SO
cdnn.ngly hidden that only he himself
was aware Of their vast total. He knew
that the firm was rotten, lock, stock
and barrel. He knew that through any
of twenty channels a breakup
might come any day, and following on
the heels of that, a smash which would
be none the pleasanter because from
ifa ufyn md Hnyrggtaffpp aFf1y4a {t ",.,,,II
live down into history.
He, Theodore Shelf, would asSuredly
not be in England to face il. Since his
commercial barometer had reached
stormy" and still showed signs of
steady descent he had been 3ransmit-
ting carefully modulated doles to GER
tain South American banks and had
even gone so far as to purchase-under
q nom d'escroc-a picturesquely sit
uated hacienda on the upper waters of
the Rio Paraguay.
There, in case the cyclone broke, the
extradition treaties would cease from
troubling, and the weary swindler
would be at well fed rest.
But Mr.. Theodore Shelf had no lust
for this tropical retirement. He liked
the powers of his present pinnacle in
the city, and he loved the halo which
ne wore among the improving young
men. And, moreover, that howl of ex-
eCration from every class of society
which would make up his paean OF de-
feat was an opera which he very natur-
ally shrank from sitting through.
AS he thought of these things he
Rugged closer to him the wire haired
fox terrier which sat upon his lap.
George. old friend said Mr.. Shelf
IF things do go wrong, believe you're
the only thing living IN England which
won't turn a-ainst me-
George slid out a red tongue and
licked the angle OF Mr.. Shells square
chin. Then he retired within himself
again and looked sulky. The door had
opened, and Mrs. Shelf stood on the
mat.-There was q profound mutual dis
like between George and Mrs. Theodore
Shelf.
You alone, Theodore? I thought Mr..
Cambel WAS here. However, so much
the better. l have wanted TO speak
with you all the morning. DO turn
that nasty dog away"
George was not eviCted as Mr.. Shelf
inquired CURLY what his wife was
pleased TO want. She seldom invaded
this business room OF his. and when
she did il was for q purpose which he
was beginning TO abhor.
she came TO the point at once by
handing him a letter which was most
ly III copper plate. He read it through
with brief, sour comment.
HIN! Bank, Your private account
~overdrawn. That's the third time this
year, Laura. Warming seems to be no
use. You are determined to know
what ruin tastes like
ruin, pshaw! You don't put me off
with that silly tale. To begin with.
don't believe it for an instant, and even
IL Ii We're true I'd rather be ruined
than retrench. You and l can afford
to he candid between ourselves. Theo-
dore. You know perfectly well that we
have gained our position in society
| purely and solely b. purchase
To my cost / do know il. But. hay-
ing paid your entrance fee at least
eight times over, 1 think you might be
content with an ordinary subscription
That bali last n'gst for instance'-
Was necessary. And l couldn't ar
ford 10 do the thing otherwise than
! CONSCIOUSLY
"Gorseously. DO you think Tn
Iroesus, Laura, to pay for gearing one
soom With red roses, and another with
pink ana another room with Marshall
| Nicls for fools to fit in during one
short night? This mornings paper in
forms me that those flowers carle by
special express from Nice and cost
G50o.'
AID yet you twit me with extrava-
sancs, All the papers have got in that
paragraph, as l took care they should,
and everybody will read ii. Yet the
Covers cEiy Cog a paltry $500, so that
In credit / am Es00 10 the good, be-