Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-23
THE CHANCE
THAT CANE

THE CHANCE
THAT CANE i
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The man collapsed into chair be.
fore his desk. In corner Of the
room the ticker was clicking out its
message, hut he paid no heed to it.
From the streets outside came mems
voices uplifted in mingled despair
and rage.
Throgmorton street was like pande
monium. Men seemed to have lost
their reason. Many were shout '-g in
4 vectiyes against this man who sat
alone in his empty Offices. People did
not know that he was here. Some
declared he had bolted from the coun-
try; others were equally positive he
would stay and face the music. These
last had judged his character accur-
ately.
The schemes which that wonderful
financial genius had built UP, and in
which the public had placed conf
ldence and their money, had fallen to
the ground In one fatal hour. Per
daps there was hardly a soul In Lon
don who would have believed 1t, yet
the fact remained that Reuben Stern
was himself beggared.
Is He left his office, passed from the
place which had seen his triumplis
and finally reached the West End. En-
tering one of the fashionable streets
70 Mayfair. he paused before 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 for
ward.
'Reuben!s she exclaimed. what is
4 wrong?"
What is it?" she questioned again.
Tell me at once, please!'' 4.
Il am ruined!" i
He spoke the words in a DUH. life
less tone, and watched her face. The
color died away from 1t. The sweet
mouth suddenly hardened. The eyes
lost their softness. Every feature
stiffened. She glanced at him in
amazement. :sI
"Ruined!" she murmured. "What
do you mean ?''
My plans have all miscarried. All
that yesterday was mine have lost,
except the most precious thing OF all,
and that is your loye!'
She laughed hardly.
Did you think me sentimental
schoolgirl? Was it likely that / should
love man who sprang from obscur.
ity, from nothing? Let me be frank
with you in this hour. My sisters
have, most OF them, married well. l
meant to marry a rich man. / would
have preferred man Of good family;
but when you proposed you were too
good match for ME to refuse. AS
: for love. am the woman, do lou sun.
pose, who would let love influence
her? Iswouid have made you ian ex-
cellent 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 am
bilious social dream OF mine should
be realized. She paused for a: mo-
ment, and then went on In low.
checking voice, and. now you have
the audacity to ask me to share your
poverty!"
Her gaze was pitiless in It's cold
ness. a culver OF rage shook her.
Her restless hands were tearing at
Y 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 pur-
chase 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
1t had contained melted away.
will you please go now?" she
said.
The Atlantic liner was blowing its
swift passage through the sea on its
homeward way to England. The day
was brilliantly fine, and the smoke
that rose In a floating column from
i the steamers tunnels was the only
dark patch against the cloudless sum-
mer sky. Two people were slowly
pacing the upper deck-a man and a
woman. The former was Reuben
Stern. He had altered great deal
since that time, four years ago, when
his failure had caused sensation
: In the financial world.
h During the official Investigation Of
his bankruptcy he had remained in
England: but this concluded, he sail
ed 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 f.
nanciers Of that country.
But the longing to return to Eng.
land had come over him, and, badly
In need OF rest, he had decided to
go there on brief holiday. His CON-
panion was a woman whose acquaint.
ance he had formed some weeks back
at a mutual friends house. 1t was
with a certain degree of pleasure that
he had learned she was also going
to England by the same boat
Tomorrow, suppose, we shall say
good7by. Mrs Poole" he remarked to
her now. II trust, If you are staying
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