Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-03-19


| ame. Yet you never have an accident
| With them, while your two new uninsured
| lippers ran each other down.
well. what more can | doW replied
| he merchant. "They arr thoroughly rot
| en-. l have done nothing for them for
| years. Sooner or later they must go. !
| ,anuot do any more"
I'D make 'em go down quick enough
muttcred Ezra with an oath. why don't
yor make old Mggs bore a hole in them,
or put light to a barrel of parafin ::
rhe things done every day. What's tho
lsc of being milk-and- watery about itT
NO, no. Ezra !" cried his father. Not
that. not that. It's one thing letting
matters take their course, and it is an
other thing giving positive orders to scut-
lie a ship. Besides, it would put us in
>Iggs' power. 1t would be too danger
ous"
please yourself" said Ezra with Il
Sneer. You've got us into the mess and
| YOU must take us out again. If the worst
comes to the worst III tell you what I'll
do. I'll marry Kate Harston wash my
hands of the firm, leave you to settle mat
ters with the creditors and retire with
the forty thousand pounds with which
threat the Junior partner took up his hat
| and swa agsered out OF the Office.
After his departure John Girdlesto1a
spent an hour in anxious thought, arrang-
;ng the details of the scheme which he
had just submitted to his son. AS he sat
MS eye CHANGED to fall upon the two let
ters lying on his desk, and it struck him
| Il, -. L., 4 - lnI 70
| lid not suit his plans to fall back upon
his credit just yet. 1t has been already
shown that he was man OF ready re-
source. He rang the bell and summoned
| his senior clerk.
Good morning, John" he said affa-
bly,.
Good morning. Mr.. Girdlestone, good
| morning, sir" said wizened little John
Gilray, rubbing his thin yellow hands to-
gether. as sign of his qualification.
| Il hear, John, that you have come into
| A legacy lately" Mr.. Girdlestone said.
| Yes, sir Fifteen hundred pounds,
sir"
What have you done with the money.
John?
Banked it, sir, in the United Metro
politan.''
I'm the United Metropolitan. John?
| Let ME see. Their present rate of inter
est is four and half?'
-Four. ST. said John.
-Four Dear me, John, that is poor
intehest very poor indeed. 1t is most
fortunate that l made these inquiries. |
was on the point of drawing fourteen
hundred pounds from one of my corra-
spondents as a temporary convenience
For this l should pay him five per cent
| have no objection, John. as you are an
old servant of the firm, to giving you the
preference in this matter. l cannot take
more than fourteen hundred-but l shall
be happy to accommodate you up to that
sum at the rate named"
John Gilray was overwhelmed by this
thoughtful and considerate act. 1T is
really too generous and kind. SIR" ne
said. Il don't know how to thank you"
Don't mention it, John" the senior
partner said grandly. The firm is always
glad to advance the interests of its EN-
ployes in any reasonable manner. Have
you your check book with you? Fill It
up for fourteen hundred. No more, John,
| cannot oblige you by taking any more
John Girdlest ones private residence in
Eccleston square was large and sub
stantia house in district which the
wave of fashion had passed over in is
westward course. The building was stern
and hard, and massive in its external APP
pearance but the interior was luxury lr.
self, for the old merchant had a due ap-
probation of the good things of this
world Indeed there was an oriental
and almost barbarous splendor lbout he
great rooms. where the richest furniture
vas interspersed with skins from the Ga
boon. hand worked ivory from Old Gala
bar, and the thousand other strans4 val
uables which were presented by his agents
to the African trader.
After the death of his friend, Girdle-
stone had been as good as his word. He
had taken Kate Harston away from the
desolate house at Fulham and brought her
to live with him. From the garrets of
that palatial edifce to the cellars she was
at liberty to roam where she would, and
do what she chose. No cares or RESPONSE
blities were imposed upon her. The do
nestle affairs were superintended by 4
stern housek eeper, who arranged every
detail of housekeeping. The young girl
had apparently only to exist and to be
happy.
John Girdestone had been by no means
overjoyed upon the return of the Dims-
da les from Edinburgh to learn that his
ward had been thrown into the company
of her young cousin. He received her
coldly, and forbade her to visit Phillimore
Gardens for some time to come. he even
took the precaution of telling Off conf
Dental footman to walk behind her on
all occasions. and to act either as an es-
cort or as sentry.
II CHANGED however, that one day, q
few weeks after her return, Kate found
an opportunity of recovering her freedom.
The footman had been dispatched upon
some other duty. SO she bethought her
self that book was to be bought, AMI
some lace to be matched, and several 9TH
er important feminine duties to be full
filed 1t happened, however that as she
walked sedately down Warwick street
her eyes fell upon a very tall and SQUARE
shouldered young man, who was lounging
in her direction tapping his stick listless-
ly against the railngs. as is the habit
OF idle men, At this Kate forgot incon-
tinently all about the book and the lace,
while the tall youth ceased to tap the
ratings, and came striding towards her
with long spr.ngy footsteps and smiling
face.
why, Cousin Tom, who would have