Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-05


 whose rheumatism confined her to a chair, had her grandson wheel her out upon the porch, and as the dusk fell and she finally saw her husband com ing at laggard pace, leaning upon his cane. his chin sunk on his breast. she frankly told Norbert that although she had lived with that man fifty-seven years she would never be able to un- derstand him. She repeated this with genuine symptoms of hysteria when she discovered that the colonel had not come straight from the Tabor house, but had stopped two hours at Peter Bradbury's to talk it over"
 One item of his recital, while suff1- ciently startling to his wife, had re- markable effect upon his grandson. This was the information that Ariel Tabor's fortune no longer existed.
 .'Whats that?" cried Norbert, start ing to his feet. What are you talk ing about?"
 Its true" said the colonel deliber- ately. "She told me so herself. Eskew had dropped off into sort of doze- more like q stupOr perhaps-and we all went into Rogers old studio, ex- cept Louden and the doctor, and while we were there talkin' one of Pike's clerks came with basket full of tin boxes and packages of papers and talked to Miss Tabor at the door and went away. Then old Peter blundered out and asked her point blank what it was, and she said it was her estate almost everything she had, except the house. Buckalew, tryin' to make a joke, said he'd be willin' to swap his 1 house and lot for the basket, and she laughed and told him she thought he'd be sorry; that all there was, to speak of, was pile of distillery stock"-
 "What?" repeated Norbert incredu- lously.
 "Yes. It was the truth" said the colonel solemnly. T saw it myself. Blocks and blocks of stock in that dis tillery trust that went up higher n a kite last year. Roger had put all of Jonas good money"-
 Not into that" shouted Norbert, un- controllably excited.
 "Yes, he did. tell you saw it!'
 "I tell you he didn't. He owned Granger gas, worth more today than 1t ever was! Pike was Rogers at torney in fact and bought it for him before the old man died. The check went through my hands. You don't think I'd forget as big check as that, do you, even if it was more than a year ago? Or how it was signed and who made out to? It was Martin Pike that got caught with distillery stock. He speculated once too often!'
 NO, you're wrong," persisted the colonel. T tell you saw 1t myself"
 "Then you're blind," returned his grandson disrespectfully; you're blind or else-or else'- He paused, open mouthed, a look of wonder struggling its way to expression upon him, grad ually conquering every knobby out post of bis countenance. He struck his fat hands together. Where's Joe Lou den?' he asked sharply. ''I want to see him. Did you leave him at Miss Tabor's!"
 He's goin' to sit up with Eskew. What do you want of him?"
 q should say you better ask that" Mrs. Flitcroft began shrilly. Its enough, I guess, for one of this fam fly to go runnin' after him and shakin' hands with him and heaven knows what not! Norbert Flitcroft!'
 But Norbert jumped from the porch, ruthlessly crossed his grandmother's geranium bed and, making off at as sharp a pace as his architecture per mitted, within ten minutes opened Ariel's gate.
 Sam Warden came forward to meet him.
 Don't ring, please, suh." said Sam. "Dey sot me out heah to tell inquirin' frien's dat po' ole Mist Arp mighty low"
 q want to see MT. Louden," return. ed Norbert. T want to see him i'm. mediately."
 "I don reckon he kin come out yit. ' Sam said in low tone. But kin go in an ast i'm"
 He stepped softly within. leaving Norbert waiting. and went to the door of the sickroom. The door was open the room brightly lighted, as Eskew had commanded when, little earlier he awoke.
 Joe and Ariel were alone with him leaning toward him with such white anxiety that the colored man needed no warning to make him remain silent iu the hallway. The veteran wa. speaking. and his voice was very weak seeming to come from great cis tance.
 Its mighty funny, but feel like used to when I was a little boy. reckon I'm kind of scared-after all Airie Tabor-are you-here?"
 "Yes. Mir. Arp"
 T Tthought-so-butI- IT don't see yer. well-lately. 1-wanted-to-know-t, 1 know"-
 "Yes-to know:" She kpelt close be side him.
 "It's kind of-foolish." te whispered "I just-wanted to know If you wal still here. It-don't seem so lonesom' : now that I know"
 i, She put her arm lightly about him and he smiled and was silent for time: then he struggled to rise upoI his elbow. and they lifted him little. !. "Its hard to breatbe.- gasped the olt i man "I'm Dretfy near-the big road