The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-03-29
Seleet Stnrp.
THE CHANCE THAT CAME.

THE CHANCE THAT CAME.
The man collapsed into chair before
his desk. In corner of the room the
ticker was clicking out its message, but he
paid no heed to it. From the streets out.
side came mems voices uplifted in mingled
despair and rage
Throgmorton street was like pandemo-
mum. Men seemed to have lost theil
reason. Many were shouting invectives
against this man who sat alone in his emp.
ty offices. People did not know that he
was here. Some declared he had bolted
from the country; others were equally pos
tive he would stay and face the music.
These last had judged his character accur-
ately
The schemes which that wonderful f.
nancial genius had built up, and in 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 to Mayfair, he
paused before house. Then, setting his
mouth 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!'' she exclaimed, "What is
wrong?''
''What is it?'' she questioned again.
''Fell me at once, pleaseP'
81 am ruinedr'
He spoke the words in a dull, lifeless
tone, and watched her face The color
died away from it. The sweet mouth sud-
denly hardened. The eyes lost their soft
ness. 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 l have lost, ex-
cept the most precious thing of all, and
that is your love!'
She laughed hardly.
"Did you think me sentimental school
girl? Was it likely that 1 should love a
man who sprang from obscurity, from
nothing? Let me be frank with you in
this hour. My sisters have, most of them,
married well. [ meant to marry rich
man. would have preferred man of
good family; but when you proposed you
were too good a match for me to refuse.
AS for love; am the woman do you sup
pose, who would let love influence her? [
would have made you an excellent wife, 1
have no doubt | should have liked to be
the mistress of great London house. [
wanted to entertain, to be a woman of real
Importance in the world. And you led
me to imagine that every ambitious social
dream of mine should be realized. :" She
paused for moment, and then went on in
a low, choking voice. "And now you
have the audacity to ask me to share your
poverty"
Her gaze was pitiless in its coldness. A
quiver of rage shook her. Her restless
hands were tearing at 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 boasted 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 contained melted
away.
"Will you please 60 now?' she said.
The Atlantic liner was plowing its swift
passage through the sea on its homeward
way to England The day was brilliantly
fine, and the smoke that rose in floating
column from the steamer tunnels was the
only dark patch against the cloudless sum-
mer sky. Two people were slowly pacing
the upper deck-a man and woman.
The former was Reuben Stern. He had
altered great deal since that time, four
years ago, when his failure had caused a
sensation in the financial world.
During the official investigation of his
bankruptcy he had remained in England !;
but this concluded, he sailed at once for the
United States. And in these four years,
commencing at the bottom again, he had
regained a certain standing among the
minor fnanciers of that country.
But the longing to return to England
had come over him, and, badly in need of
rest, he had decided to 60 there on a
brief holiday. His companion was wo-
man whose acquaintance he had formed
some weeks back at mutual friend 8
house. 1t was with certain degree of
pleasure that he had learned she was also
going to England by the same boat
Tomorrow, I suppose, We shall say
goodbye, Mrs. Poole" he remarked to
her now. 81 trust, if you are staying in
London, you will let me call on you, or do
you any service that is possible?''
"You can do me SERVICE she re-
sponded, quietly, ''if you will. And that
is, help me find some one-some one who l
am convinced is hidden in that great will
derness of city, and whom 1 have come
here to seek!'
eff it is possible" he said, "you may
rely upon my doing my best. But you
had better give me your confidence.
"'There is little to tell" she answered.
''I am that despised thing-a deserted
wife! My husband left me. We had
shared three bitter years together, and
then, without word, he went away!'
"And you want to find him; you care
for him still?''
"Oh, no-but, yes, I do want to find
him. He treated me as badly as man
can treat woman. And yet must find
him p
"And what is your idea as to the cause
of his disappearance?'
Che nausad some moments