The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-06-06
CHAPTER III.


Cambel of there and then to his own
business room on the first floor to dis
cuss further this great project which
he had In his head, but Cambel thought
ut to remain where he was. Mr.. Shelf
nodded significantly toward the new
comers, as much as to hint that a third
person with them would be distinctly
an inconvenient third. Cambel turned
70 them, cue in hand, and proposed a
game OF smoker. s.
That's precisely what we came UP
for" said Amy Rivers promptly. Ham
iton, get out The balls. Mr.. Cambel,
will you put the billiard balls away,
30 that they don't get mixed?"
They played and talked merrily. Their
conversation turned on the wretched
show at the recent Academy, which
they agreed was a disgrace to a civil
lized country. and Canbel made him.
self interesting over the art of paint
Ing In Paris, mural, facial and on can
vas. When ne chose, he could be very
interesting, this man London had nick
named the great traveller, and he gem
orally chose, not being III natured.
Mr.. Theodore Shelf left the billiard
coat mitch akin TO Seasickness, First
Of all that plain spoken Patrick Cam
bel had not oyer-politely limited that
he was a cantlng hyprocrite and had
showed cause for arriving ut this con-
clusion. This was true, but that didn't
make II any the more digestive. And,
secondly, he himself In a moment OF
excitement had let drop to this same
pernicious Cambel (who, after all, was
comparative stlanger) proposal TO
make the sum OF G500,000 at one coup.
True, he had not mentioned the means,
but Cambel had at once concluded 1t
was to be gained by robbery and he,
Theodore Shelf. had not denied the i'm
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.
If only he had understood Cambel,
end, better still, knew whether he
might trust him! There was r fortune
TO be had. Yes, a fortune. And it was
wanted badly. The great firm of Marm-
aduke Rivers G. Shelf, which called it,
eelf Agents 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. But
the man 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
end barrel He knew that through any
one Of twenty channels a breakup
might come any day, and following on
n ngla faI n
be none the pleasanter because from
It's size and devastating effects it would
live down into history. "
He, Theodore Shelf would assuredly
not be In England to face it. Since his
commercial barometer had reached
stormy and still showed signs of
steady descent he had been transmit
ting carefully modulated doles to GER
tain South American banks and had
even gone SO far as to purchase-under
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 swindIer
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
hugged closer to him the wire haired
fox terrier which sat upon his lap.
George, old friend" said Mr.. Shelf
If things do go wrong, j believe you're
the only thi g living I'm England which
won't turn sainst me-
George slid out a red tongue and
licked the angle OF Mr.. Shelfs square
chin. Then he retired within himself
again and looked sulky. The door had
opened, and Mrs. Shelf stood on the
rnat.-Thcre was profound mutual dis
like between George and Mrs. Theodore
Shelf
You alone, Theodore? thought Mr..
Cambel was here. However, so much
the better. have wanted to speak
with you all the morning. Do turn
tn: nasty dog away"
!, George @as not evicted as Mr.. Shelf
Inquired curtly what his wife was
pleased to want. She seldom invaded
this business room OF his, and when
she did II was for purpose which he
was beginning to abhor. ....
She came to the point at once by
handing him letter which was most
iy in COOPER plate. He read it through
with brief. sour comment.
Hint Bank. Your private account
overdrawn. That's the third time this
year. Laura. Warning seems to be no
use. You are determined to know
what ruin tastes like"
! Ruin, pshawl You don't put me off
NIL that silly tale To begin with. l
don't believe it for an instant, and even
III it were true I'd rather be ruined
than f,--ssT@ nch. You and l can afford
70 &c candid between ourselves, Theo-
dcSe You know perfectly well that we
ave gained our position in society
purely and solely by purchase"
To my cost do know IT. But hav-
lnS paid your entrance fee at least
eight times over. think you might be
content with an ordinary subscription.
That bail last nsg.t for instance
was necessary. And couldn't af-
ford 10 do the thing otherwise than
gorgeously." ... -.
"Gorgeousiy. Do you think I'm
CroesGs. Laura. to pay for gearing one
room with red roses, and another with
pink ard another room with Marshall
Niess for fools to flit in during one
short night? This mornings paper in
forms me that those flowers came by
special express from Nice and cost
G5O0."
II -. ,,o,, t,,,tt 80 ,,,ttt,