The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-30
CHAPTER XIX.
TIE SURPRISE.

MIR. SHELF'S LITTLE SURPRISE.
Mr.. Theodore Shelf had reached the
end of his tether, and like a shrewd
business man he knew it.
There is a certain mad excitement
In standing on a high ledge of an Ice
berg when the steps which you have
clambered up by nave splintereo away
and the hundred-foot cliffs above are
threatening every instant to descend
In crashing avalanche. You know you.
have to jump into the cold green wa
tiers below or be crushed out of exist
ence and lingering to the very last
second is not without it's fierce pleas
ure. The dive is chilly, the waters
beneath unknown. final escape most
hazardous. But it is not these things
which stay YOU. 1t is the nearnes.s Of
the crash behind. and thai is fascinat-
ing beyond all words.
Mr.. Shelf was in a similar position.
He knew that his commercial ledge
was growing more and more dangerous
every rninut by reason of the law of
the land which loomed above him, and
yet for the life of him he could not
tear himself away. He had waiting for
him hat snug hacienda on the banks
Of the Rio Paraguay which he had
time before made ready against q pos
sible cataclysm, but it was left to wait.
The excitement of lingering On in Lon
don. was meat n drink to him. His
daring would be spoken about after
ward, and though he might not be
blessed, 1T is true, still he-would, not
be forgotten. That last was perhaps
the chief reason which made him stay
on. The vanity Of the man was coIos-
sal. He had been tickled by the I'M
proving young men,. he had been tic
kled in his tabernacle. he had been
tickled by a parliamentary ~conssit-
nenCV. hIf these did mot o11,t hiv,. II,
wanted more, far more and If he could
not distinguish himself in the way his
wife had hoped he would at least be
famou In his fall.
He had a scheme. too, In his waiting
OF taking a vengeance on this same
him to fall at all. Without her wild
extravaganza he would have been able
to weather the commercial depression
which had weighed him down, but she
had scoffed at warnings and increased
the muster roll Of her guests and fed
them on bank notes. What thisiscbe1ne
was he conflded to no one but George.
and George did not split. George hated
Mrs. Shelf to the extent of showing
ivory whenever she was near him.
George" said Mr.. Shelf at the con
clusion Of one OF these grim conf
dences, Il shall be lonely man. You
must come out there with ME" And
oSoASS pohSQ d ColQ UldCR nose INTO
Mr.. Shells hand and said that he
should be vastly disappointed IL he
was left behind.
Now, Mr.. Theodore Shelf intended to
have his vengeance on the night 81 a
ball which his wife was going to give,
and which for sheer ~gorgeousness and
distinguished assembly was to rival by
far all her previous efforts. and he was
quite satisfied in his own mind thai
the action would be entirely j%ustifable
Still he was a mai not without natural
affections. He was extremely fond OF
his ward. Amy Rivers, even though
through the old fashioned wooden
headedness of his cotrustee he did not
have the actual handling Of a penny
Of her money. The %cotrustee was q
lawyer with an admiration for 4 De,
cent. corporation stocks. and he ill.,
sisted on Miss Rivers fortune staying
If these and showed cause why the
script should remain In his own office
safe. The money tempted Theodore
Shelf to the sin Of coveteousness con
tinually-he could have made such ex-
cellent use Of it-but to the mans
credit be it said he never visited his