Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-02-20

she had lived with that man fifty-seven
years she would never be able to I'M
derstand him. She repeated this with
genuine symptoms of hysteria when
she discovered that the colonel had
not come straight from the Tabor
house, but had stopped two hours at
Peter Bradbury's to talk it over"
One item of his recital, while sufl-
GENTLY startling to his wife, had re-
markable effect upon his grandson.
This was the information that Ariel
Tabor's fortune no longer existed.
whats that?' cried Norbert, start
ing to his feet. ssWhat are you talk
ing about?'
Its true" said the colonel deliber
ately. "She told me so herself Eskew
had dropped off into sort of doze--
all went into Rogers old studio, ex-
cept Louden and the doctor, and while.
we were there talkin' one of Pixies
clerks came with basket full of tin
boxes and packages Of papers and
talked to Miss Tabor at the door and
went away. Then old Peter Numbered
out and asked her point blank what 1t
was, and she said it was her estate
almost everything she had, except the
house. Buckalew, tryin' to make a
joke, said he'd be willin' to swap his
house and lot for the basket, and she
laughed and told him she thought he'd
be sorry; that all there was, to speak
of, was pile of distillery stock
"What? repeated Norbert incredu-
lousy.
Eyes. 1t was the TRUTH said the
colonel solemnly. Il saw it myself.
Blocks and blocks of stock in that dis
tillery trust that went up higher n
kite last year. Roger had put all of
Jonas good money
mot into thatv' shouted Norbert, I'M
comfortably excited.
Yes, he did. / tell you saw It'll" +
81 tell you he didn't. He owned
Granger gas, worth more today than
it ever was! Pike was Rogers at
torney in fact and bought it for him
before the old man died. The check
went through my hands You don't
think I'd forget as big a check as
that, do you, even If it was more than
a year ago? Or how it was signed and
who made out to? 1t was Martin Pike
that got caught with distillery stock.
He specialized once too often!'
"No, you're wrong" persisted the
colonel. II tell you saw it myself"
"Then you're blind" returned his
grandson disrespectfully; you're blind
or else-or else He paused, open
mouthed look of wonder struggling
its way to expression upon him, grad
ually conquering every knobby out
post of his countenance. He struck his
fat hands together "Where'ssJoe Lou
den?' he asked sharply. 81 want to
see him. Did you leave him at Miss
Tabor's?"
Hes goin' to sit up with Eskew.
What do you want of him?'
81 should say you better ask that!"
Mrs. Flitcroft began shrilly. ITS
enough, / guess, for one of this fam
lily to go runnin' after him and shakin'
hands with him and heaven knows
what not! Norbert Flitcroftr'
But Norbert jumped from the porch,
ruthlessly crossed his grandmothers
geranium bed and, making off at as
sharp a pace as his architecture per-
mitted, within ten minutes opened
Ariel's gate
Sam Warden came forward to meet
him.
Don't ring, please, suh,'' said Sam
"Dey sot me out heah to tell inquirin'
frien's dat POI ole Mist Arp mighty
low"
ed Norbert. ST want to see him i'm
mediately."
II dom reckon he kin come out yit,"
Sam said in low tone. But 1 kin
go in an asst inn
He stepped softly within, leaving
Norbert waiting, and went to the door
Of the sickroom The door was open,
the room brightly lighted, as Eskew
had commanded when, little earlier,
he awoke.
Joe and Ariel were alone with him,
leaning toward him with such white
no warning to make him remain silent
in the hallway. The veteran was
speaking, and his voice was very weak,
seeming to come from great dis
lance
tits mighty funny, but feel like 1
used to when / was little boy.
reckon I'm kind of scared-after all.
Airie Tabor-are you-here"
Eyes, Mr.. Arp"
II thought-so-but III don't see very
well-lately. I-wanted-to-know-to
know
"Yes-to know?'' She kpelt close be-
side him.
"It's kind of-foolish," Re whispered.
I just-wanted to know IL you was
still here. It-don't seem SO lonesome
now that r know -