The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-10-26
Belinda Deals
81 NELLIE NV eILLnaoRE

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Copyright BY Daily Story Pub. Coz
The quarrel had been brief but hot
Both had said bitter things they were
going to regret. but neither would have
acknowledged it just then--and neith-
er would have conceded an inch to the
other had they hung for their obsu-
macy.
But It was not until Warren had
flung himself out of the house and
banged the gate behind him that Be
linda allowed her face to declare the
CONSERVATION and disappointment she
felt; and it was not till he had left
the little green cottage in the distance
that young Templeton lesan to be
conscious Of the void in his heart that
ached like a physical hurt.
They had been married exactly Is
moLths. and with $4,000 to start
with, Warren Templeton had done
nothing more than collect the regular
six per cent interest quarterly. and
plod through the Office work six days
out of the week at S25! And Belinda
was beginning to resent her hus-
bands easy-going stupidity as she
phrased It, Why. there was Billy
Creighton, her sisters husband. who
had taken half the sum and trebled it
in cotton in half the timel 1t was in
vain that Templeton assured her of
his inexperience in such matters; she
would not listen TO his theory Of safe,
moderate investment and returns He
must work his way into the great
financial centers ard become a power
there, like other men.
And so the battle had come about
inevitably; she. from her unreasoning
standpoint, he because Of his wounded
pride and affection.
When a fun hour had elapsed and
there was no sign of her husbands
returning to make it up" Belinda
sat down by the window and gave
herself up to tears. 1t was the first
time in their welded life he had ever
ignored her this way, and it caused
her far keener pangs than the cruel
words he had spoken. But after a
little. she dried her eyes with swift
resolution. She would pack her things
and 60 home that very day to her
parents in Boston, and let Warren
smart bit for all the vexation he
was causing her. When he came home
to luncheon at one he should realise
that there was an equal amount OF
spunk on both sides.
The prospect of the separation. how
ever brief. filed Belinda with wretch
edness. but pride rallied quickly to
her assistance and she put every
thought out of her head except that
it was going to be a lesson to Warren
Templeton that would last him q life
timet Of course he would either be
coming after her in a week, OF i'm
ploring her to return to him. But he
could not treat her this way, and the
sooner he came to his senses, the
better It would be for him.
1t required less than 80 minutes to
make her arrangements and order
cab to take her to the depot She
had dressed herself hurriedly in
simple dark travelling suit, with a lit
tie brown tnrban resting on her gold
curls. A thick ven was designed to
efectually conceal her features. AS
she took up her grip and parasol and
started down the stair steps, the maid,
coming up with note, intercepted
her.
Belinda recognized her brother-in
laws handwriting at glance and
tore open the envelope with suddenly
unsteady hands
Dear Belinda: Warren is down
here doing his level hest to sink every
red cent he's got in some tricky steel
jump. I've done all 1 could to get him
to quit and go home, but he acts just
like a crazy man Unless he turns
loose pretty soon. he's gone to smash.
If you could manage to get him a mes
sage that you are very III, or some
thing equally urgent. before he makes
any more plunges. / think We might
succeed in saving something from the
ruins. Yours ii haste. BILLY"
Belinda gasped and turned pale. She
was the cause Of all this-she. The
letter futtered from her neveless
fingers to the floor. For a dazed mo-
ment. she stood clinging to the
banister rail- for support while the
world vert round. Then abruptly she
jerlsed herself together and ran down
stairs to The telephone and rang up
her brother-in-law at his brokers'. He
answered the summons himself.
THAT Biny?"
"Yes-Berndag He cleared his
throat. "Tm afraid it's too late now
to do anything He's staked every
dollar on the thing. and if it doesn't
take a marvellous rise. he's swamped."
THAT means
"Just so; steel was rushing up like
fury, Warren got Wilde bought
and bought and bought till he'd put
a..