The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-05-11

BTcut. CTuoufuB. 2iCOuSUstnU .SU~At
81 pity for Bob. and ] dropped ny
head on my hands and wept II ~
hard to admit It, but 1t is true--f
wept uncontrollably. In an inStene
the room was quiet excep. for the
sound Of my own awful grief. heAfd
It, was ashamed Of It, but, could net
stop. The telephone rang again and
again. wildly, shriily, but there was
no answer. The stiffness became 20
oppressive that even my own sobs
auieted. gasped az the lump IN my
throat choked me, then i slowly raised
my eyes. 4
Bob's towering figure was In front
Of me- His head had fallen forward;
and his arms were folded across hiA
breast. But that ne stood erect I
should have thought him dead, 70
still was he. ! jumped to my feet and
looked into MS face, down which great
tears we're dropping silently. ]
touched him on the shoulder. <
Bob, my dear old chum, Bob. for
give me. For Gods sake. forgive ne
for intruding or. your misery" 8
looked at him. will never forget
his face. No heartbroken w0mab's
could have been sadder. He slowly
raised his head, then staggered ana
grasped the ticker-stand TOR support.
Don't, Jim, don't-don't ask me 70
forgive you. Oh. Jim, Jim, my Oh
friend, forgive me for my madhesi:
forget what said to you, forget the
brute you just saw and think Of me a.
OF old, when ] would have pluckSd
out my tongue II had caught II say
ing d harsh word to the best and
truest friend man ever had. Jim. for
get It all. was mad. am mad, I
have been mad for a long time. but it
cannot last much longer. know IT
cant, and, Jim, by all our past love,
| by the memories Of the dear old days
at st. Paul's and At Harvard. the
dear old days Of hope and happiness,
when we planned for the future, try
to think Of me only as you knew me
then. as you know that should now
be. but for the Systems curse"
The clerks were pounding on the
door: through the glass showed many
forms. They had been gathering for
minutes while Bob talked in his low,
sad tone, a tone that no one could be.
lieve came from the same mouth that
few moments before had poured
forth a food OF brutal heartlessness.
Bob went to the door. The once
was in an uproar. Twenty or 80 Of
Bob's brokers' were there, aghast at
not getting a reply to their callt
Many were pouring in through tho
outer ONCE Bob looked At them cold
ly. well. what is the troublef u
II possible we are down to point
where the stock exchange rtishes
over to mans once when MS wire
happens to break DOWN." tx
They saw his blum. You cannot a.;
ceive stock exchange men,, At lesSt
not the kind that Bob Brownlex en-
ployed on panic days, but his ccSl-
ness reassufed them. and when they
saw me II was odds-on that they
guessed to a man why Bob. had Il.
nored his wires guessed that had
been pleading for the life Of the
street" N'ss
"well, where do you stand?'
Frank Swan answered for the
crowd: 1.-THE panic Is In fun swing.
She's . cellar-to.ridge.pole ripper.
They're down 40 or over on an AZ.
erage. Anti-People's Is down TO IS,
and still coming like sawdust over =
broken dam Barry Conant's house
and a dozen other Of Reinhart's have
gone under. His banks and trust
companies are going every mintite.
The whole street viii be overheard
before the close, The governing corr.
mittee has Just called meeting to see
whether II win not be best to adjourn
the exchange over to-day ana to.mor.
| row" s~! y
Rob listened as II he had been .
master at the wheel ina gale, re-
ceiying reports from his mates.
| There was no trace now Of the
scene he had Just been through. He
| was cold. masterful, like the seasoned
ses-dog who knows that In spite Of
| the oceans rage and the winds howl,
the wheel will answer his hard and
i the craft its ruddAr. Jim, come over
TO the exchange" The crowd f0l.
lowed along. I'VE have but minute
and want to have you say you for
| give me-" he said to me. II know.
| lin, you understand 1t ain hut1 must
tell you how sorrowful ] am that in
my madness 7 should have 80 forgot.
| ten my admiration. respect, and lSys
for you. yes, and my gratitude TO YOU
as to say what did. III do the only
thing ! can to atone. ] will stop this
| panic and undo as much as possible
| Of my work; and now that I have
wrecked Reinhart am through with
this game forever, yes, through for.
ever" sf.s
(TO BE CONTINUED.
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Good Infl,,ane> S.t =