Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-01-12
THE CHANCE THAT CAME.

| ticker was choking out us lneSNdSe, put
he paid no heed to it. From the streets
outside came mems voices uplifted in
mingled despair and rage.
Throgmorton street was like pandemo-
mum. Men seemed to have lost their
reason. Many were shouting invectives
against this man who sat alone in his
empty offices. People did not know that
he was here Some declared he had bolt
ed from the country; others were equally
positive he would stay and face the
music These last had judged his char
acter accurately.
| The schemes which that wonderful
financial genius had built up, and Ill
which the public had placed confidence
and their money, had fallen to the
ground in one fatal hour. Perhaps there
was hardly a soul in London Who would
have believed it. yet the fact remained
that Reuben Stern was himself beggared.
He left his office, passed from the place
which had seen his triumphs, and finally
reached the West End. Entering one of
the fashionable streets in Mayfair, he
paused before Il house. Then, setting his
mouth a little more grimly, he walked up
the steps, and, ringing the bell, asked to
see Lady Gertrude Kingsley.
She detected at once the anxiety in his
eyes. and came hurriedly forward.
"Reuben!'r she exclaimed what is
wrong?"
What is it," she questioned again.
Tell me at once. pleased"
Il am ruined!"
He spoke the words in Il dull, lifeless
tone, and watched her face The color
died away from it. The sweet mouth
5oftness. Every feature stiffened She
glanced at him in amazement.
"Ruined!" she murmured, What do
you mean?''
My plans have all miscarried. All
that yesterday was mine have lost, ex-
eept the most precious thing of all, and
that is your Lowell"
She laughed hardly.
Did you think me a sentimental
schoolgirl? Was it likely that l should
love man who sprang from obscurity,
from nothing? Let me be frank with you
in this hour. My sisters have, most of
them, married Well / mean to marry q
rich man. | would have preferred a man
of good family; but when you proposed
you were too good match for me to
refuse. As for love; am ! the woman,
do YOU suppose. who would let love in
tluence her? | would have made you an
excellent wife, have no doubt. | should
have liked to be the mistress of a great
London house. | wanted to entertain
to be woman of real Importance in my
world. And you led me to imagine that
every ambitious social dream of mine
should be realized" She paused for a
moment, and then went on in a low
choking voice, And now you have the
audacity to ask me to share your pow
erty!"
Her gaze was pitiless in its coldness
A culver of rage shook her. Her restless
hands were tearing Mt the flowers in her
/ bosom. She was suffering an agony of
| disappointment. She had felt so secure;
had gloried in the anticipated social
triumph which this mans money was to
purchase for her; had even boosted of the
future among her own set. and of the
rich gifts it would hold for her. And
now to see every promise it had CON
tanned melted away.
"Will you please 90 now?" she said.
The Atlantic liner was blowing its
swift passage through the sea on its
homeward way to England. The dav
was brilliantly fine, and the smoke that
rose in Il floating column from the
steamers tunnels was the only dark
patch against the cloudless summer sky
| Two people were slowly pacing the up-
lper deck-a man and a woman. The for.