Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-01-12

the fellows that used to go up to the
mourners' bench at the revivals.
felt as If had suddenly emerged from
the parlor of dive and it's stencil OF
sickening perfumes, into the pure air
of Gods heaven.
l signed the bill, and we went afoot
up the avenue. Sam, as | saw with a
good deal of amusement, was trying
to devise some subtle, tactful way OF
attaching his poor, clumsy little sue
tion-pump to the well of my secret
thoughts.
What is it Sammy" said | at last
What do you want to know that
you're afraid to ask me?"
Nothing" he said hastily. I'm
only bit worried about-about you
and textile. Matt,"-this in the tone
of deep emotion we reserve for the
attempt to lure friends into confiding
that about themselves which will give
us the opportunity to pity them, and,
If necessary, to sheer off from them
Matt, l do hope you haven't been
hard hit?"
mot yet" said l easily. DRY your
tears and put away your black clothes.
Your friend, Tom Langdon, was lit
tie premature"
I'm afraid I've given you a false
impression" Sam continued, with an
overeagerness to convince me that did
not attract my attention at the time.
Tom merely sid, L hear Blackjack
is loaded up with textile shorts
that was all. A careless remark.
really didn't think Of it again until l
saw you looking so black and glum."
That seemed natural enough, so
changed the subject. AS we entered
his house, l said:
I'll not go up to the drawing-room.
Make my excuses to your mother,
will you? I'll turn into the little
smoking-room here. Tell your sister
and say I'm going to stop only a mo-
ment."
Sam had just left me when the but
Ter came. Mr. Ball think that was
the name, sir-wishes to speak to you
on the telephone"
| had given Ellersly's as one of the
should it be necessary to consult me.
l followed the butler to the telephone
closet under the main stairway. AS
soon as Ball made sure it was |, he
began:
I'll use the code words. I've Just
seen Fearless, as you told me to-"
Fearless-that was Mitchell, my spy
in, no Of vyhn
my principal rival in the business Of
confidential brokerage for the high
financers. Yes" said |. What does
he say"
There has been a great deal of
heavy buying for a month past
Then my dread was well founded
textiles were to be deliberately rock
eted. Who's been doing it?" | asked.
He found out only this afternoon.
It's been kept unusually dark. It"
who? Who?" l demanded.
intrepid" he answered.
Intrepid-that is, Langdon-Mow-
bray Langdon.
THE whole thing was planned care
fully" continued Ball, and is coming
Ou W oCHtuulC. ICdiiSSo
overheard a final message Intrepid's
brother brought from him to-day"
So it was no mischance-it was an
assassination. Mowbray Langdon had
stabbed me in the back and fled.
Did you hear what | said?" asked
Ball. us that you"
Yes" l replied.
ft.Nt
the other end of the wire. You were
so long in answering that | thought
I'd been cut off, Any Instructions"
NO" said |. "Good-by."
| heard him ring off, but l sat there
for several minutes, the receiver still
to my ear. l was muttering: Lang
don, Langdon - why - why-why?"
again and again. Why had he turned
against me? Why had he plotted to
destroy me-one of those plots so fire.
quent in Wall street-where the assas-
sin steals up, delivers the mortal blow,
and steals away without ever being
detected or even suspected? | saw
the whole plot now understood Tom
Langdon's activities, l recalled Now
bray Langdon's curious phrases and
looks and tones. But-why-why-
why? How was | in his way?
1t was all dark to me-pitch-dark.
| returned to the smoking-room, light
ed a cigar, sat fumbling at the new
situation. | was in no worse plight
than before-what did it matter who
was attacking me? In the circum-
stances, novice could now destroy
me as easily as a Langdon. Still,
Rails news seemed to take away my
courage. 1 reminded myself that L
was used to treachery of this sort,
that / deserved what l was getting be-
cause l had, like a fool, dropped my
guard in the fight that is always on
ery-man-for-himself. But | remind
ed myself in vain. Langdon's smiling
l. a II L.