Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-01-04


What's the matter, old man: You're
sour tonight"
Never IN better humor.' / assured
him, and as | spoke the words they
came true What / had been saying
about the Travellers and all il repre-
sented-all the ~snobbery, and slnirk-
ing, and rotten pretense-my final and
absolute remuneration of 1t all-acted
on me as I've seen religion act on the
fellows hat used to go up to the
mourners' bench at the revivals. / felt
as if | had suddenly emerged from the
parlor of a dive and it's stencil of sick
ening perfumes into the pure air of
Gods heaven.
L signed the bill. and we went afoos
up the avenue. Sam, as | saw With a
good deal OF amusement, was trying
to devise some subtle, tactful way OF
attaching his poor, clumsy little sue
ton pump 10 the well of my secret
thoughts.
What is it, Sammy" said / at last.
What do you want to know that you're
afraid to ask me?"
Nothing" he said hastily. I'm only
a bit worried about-about YOU and
Textile. Matt"-this in the tone OF
deep emotion we reserve for the at
tempt to lure our friends into confid-
ing that about themselves which Will
give us the opportunity to pity them,
and, If necessary, to sheer off from
them-"Matt, / do hope you haven't
been hard hit? p
Not yet" said / easily. Dry your
tears and put away your black clothes,
Your friend. Tom Langdon, was a little
premature"
I'm afraid I've given you a false
impression Sam continued, with an
overeagerness to convince me that did
not attract my attention at the time,
.1us Aazl --4I IT LAn- UlnnIlnnly liz
loaded up with Textile shorts-that
was all. A careless remark. | really
didn't think of it again until | saw
you looking so black and glum.
That seemed natural enough, SO |
changed the subject. AS we entered
his house j said:
I'll not go up to the drawing room.
my excuses to your mother, will you?
I'll turn into the little smoking room
here. Tell your sister-and say I'm 60
ing to stop only a moment"
Sam had just left when the butler
came. MIR. Ball think that was the
name, sir-wishes TO speak 10 you on
the telephone"
l had given Ellerslys' as one of the
places at which / might be found.
should it be necessary TO consult me.
/ followed the butler to the telephone
closet under the main stairway. As
soon as Ball made sure it was /. he
began:
I'm use the ode words. " just
seen Fearless, rs you told me to-"
Fearless-that was Mitchell, my spy
in the employ of Tavistock, who was
my principal rival in the business of
confidential brokerage for the high H.
nanciers. Yes said l. What does
he say"
There has been a GREAT deal OF heavy
buying for u month past"
Then my dread was well founded
Textiles were to be deliberately rock
eted. Who's been doing ftp" l asked.
He found out only this afternoon.
It's been kept unusually dark. Ii
Who? Who?" / demanded.
Intrepid" he answered.
Intrepid-that is, Observation-Disclosures
Langdon!
fully" continued Ball. and is coming
off accordingto schedule. Fearless over
heard a final message Intrepid's brother
brought from him today"
So It was no mischance-it was an
assassination. Mowbray Langdon had
stabbed me in the back and fled.
Did you hear what ! said?" asked
Ball. rs that you?"
Yes" | replied.
oh" came in a relieved tone from
the other end of the wire. You were
so long in answ>~ing that / thought
I'd been cut off. Any instructions?"
No." said /. "Good-by."
I heard him ring off, but | sat there
for several minutes, the receiver still
to, my ear. / was muttering: Lang
don, Langdon-why-why-why?" again
and again. Why had he turned against
me? Why had plotted to destroy me
one of those plots so frequent In Wall
street-where the assassin steals up, de-
livers the mortal blow, and steals away
without ever being detected or even
suspected? 1 saw the whole plot now
/ understood Tom Langdon's activities,
/ recalled Mowbray Langdon's curious
phrases and looks and ones. But-why
-why-why? How was | In his way?
1t was ell dark to me-pitch dark.
/ returned to the smoking room, lighted
a cigar, sat fumbling at the new situa-
ton. / was in no worse plight than be-
fore-what did it matter who was at
lacking me? In the circumstances. a
novice could now destroy me as easily
as a Langdon. Still Balls news seemed
to take away my courage. / reminded
myself that / was used to treachery OF
this sort, that / deserved what I was
getting because L had, like a fool. drop
ped my guard in the fight that is al
ways an every-man-for-himself. But I
reminded myself in vain. Langdon's
smiling treachery made me heartsick.
CONTINUED Next Week.)
SfeapIa lack Risked HE ;fa