The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-10-08

10 define my new course? And az
textiles, unsupported, fell toward the
close OF the day, my content rose to
ward my normal high spirits There
was no whisper in the Street that
was In trouble; on the contrary, the
Idea was gaining ground that l had
really long ceased TO be a stock
gambler and deserved a much better
reputation than | had.
| searched with a good deal of anx-
iety, as you may imagine, the early
editions of the afternoon papers. The
first article my eye CHANGED upon
was a mere wordy elaboration of the
brief and vague announcement Mon
son had put in the Herald. Later
came an interview with old Ellersly.
Not at all mysterious" he had said
to the reporters. Mr.. Blackjack
found he would have to go abroad
on business soon-he didn't know
just when. On the spur of the mo
ment they decided to marry" A
good enough story, and l confirmed
1t when | admitted the reporters.
read their estimates of my fortune
and of Anita's with rather bitter
amusement-she whose father was
living from hand to mouth; | who
could not have emerged from a forced
settlement with enough to enable me
to keep a trap. Still, when one is
rich, the reputation of being rich is
heavily expensive; but when one is
poor the reputation of being rich can
be made a wealth-giying asset.
Even as | was reading these .SJies
of my millions, there lay on the desS
before me a statement of the exal
posture of my affairs-a memorap.
dun made by myself for my own eyes,
and to be burned as soon as / mas.
tered 1t. On the face of the figures
the balance against me was appalling.
My chief asset, indeed my only asset
that measured up toward my debts,
was my Coal stocks, those brought
and those contracted for; and, while
their par value far exceeded my liza.
bilities, they had to appear in my
memorandum at their actual market
value on that day. l looked at the
calendar-seventeen days until the
organization scheme would be an
bounced, only seventeen days!
Less than three business weeks.
and | should be out of the storm and
sailing safer and smoother seas than
l had ever known. ITO indulge in
vague hopes is bad" thought I, but
not to indulge in a hope, especially
when one has only it between him
and the pit" And | proceeded to
plan on the not unwarranted assump-
ton that my Coal hope was a present
reality. Indeed. what alternative had
1? To put it among the futures un-
certainties was to put myself among
the utterly ruined. Using as collat-
eral the Coal stocks l had bought
outright, l borrowed more money,
and with it went still deeper into the
Coal venture. Everything or nothing!
since the chances in my favor were
a thousand, to practically none against
me. Everything or nothing!-since
only by taking everything could |
possibly save anything at all.
Home! For the first time since |
was squat little slip of a shaver the
worlc had a personal meaning for
me. Perhaps, if the only other home
of minS had been less uninviting. |
should not have looked forward with
such high beating of the heart to that
cold home Anita was making for me-
No, | withdraw that 1t is fellows
like me, to whom kindly looks and un.
bought attentions are as unfamiliar
as flowers to the Arctic-it is men
like me that appreciate and treas
ure and warm up under the faintest
show or shadowy suggestion of the
sunshine of sentiment. I'd be a lit
tie ashamed to say how much money
handed out to beggars and street
gamins that day. l had home to
go to!
AS my electric drew up at the viii
loughby's, carriage backed to make
room for it. l recognized the horses
and the coachman and the crest.
How long has Mrs Ellersly been
with my wife?" l asked the elevator
boy, as he was taking me up
About half an hour, sir" he an.
swered. But Mr.. Ellersley-I took
up his card before lunch, and he's
still there"
Instead of using my key, l rang
the bell, and when Sanders opened, !
said; rs Mrs. Blackjack in?" in a
voice loud enough to penetrate to the
drawing-room
AS | had hoped, Anita appeared
Her dress told me that her trunks
had come-she had sent for her
trunks! Mother and father are
here" said she, without looking at me.
followed her into the drawing.
room and, for the benefit of the ser.
wants, Mr.. and Mrs. Ellersly and
greeted each other courteously,
though Mrs. Ellersly's eyes and mine
met in a glance like the flash of steel
on steel. I'VE were Just going" said
she, and then l felt that | had ar.
rived in the midst of tempest of I'M
common fury.
You must stop and make me a
visit 3" nrOtnSfad u-f4b ,l,l,,,,+, -,