Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-05

to one side from his position in front of the door and Bennett, without so much as backward look, passed out.
 The boss, like man in daze, sank heavily into chair and gazed straight ahead of him, his usually red face gray and pasty. ,..
 But he was not to enjoy even the scant boon of solitude. From the ante room Gibbs strolled in.
 They're going over some unimpor- tant preliminary business" remarked the broker, 'so I came out for breath of fresh air How are things going?"
 We're beat" grunted Horrigan, not looking up. ...
 "Beat?" screamed Gibbs, ashen and inert at the news. You don't mean 1t! You can't mean it! Great heavenw
 The sight of the others eowardly emotion seemed to rouse Horrigan from his apathy.
 If can stand it, you canp' he snarl- ed. You only lose your percentage on the deal, while I''--
 "A percentage?" echoed Gibbs, too panic stricken to heed his own indis- erection. Every cent I had in the world. I'-
 He checked himself an instant too late. ...
 "So?" drawled Horrigan, his keen little eyes soaring the other with boundless contempt. "So it was you who were secretly buying up the stock and tailing in on to our game, hey?"
 'Pm ruined! Broke! And'-
 And you've got it coming to you, you whining traitor! The man who goes back on his partners deserves all the kicking he gets"
 TT didn't mean any harm!' mum bled the crushed Gibbs. Tt couldn't hurt you people to have me buy Bor ough stock for myself, and I'd have cleared up million and more. Oh, don't glover like that, Horrigan, but try to think out some way off
 '.Of what, you cur?" ........
 Isn't there any way even now to make Bennett let up on his fght?'
 If there was you couldn't be of use to us, so why should talk about 1t to you?" .-tf--... ss.
 But I'd do anything in the world anything ...
 "You would?" cut in Horrigan sharply. -..- .- .-...-.
 .'Yes, yes! Only give me a chance! Pd''-
 Horrigan considered, then said re- dectively: -.- -.-... ..--...
 No chance is too slight to take at time like this, and nobody's too rotten to be of use. I've found there are three things, one of which will always buy any. mana woman, ambition or cash. We've tried Bennett on ambi. ton; he doesn't need money, so only the first of the three remains"
 "A woman? don't understand"
 Miss Wainwright"
 "But'-
 Listen here. Bennett's in love with Wainwright's niece. You've cut him out. Go and tell him if he'll let our bill alone youn smash the engagement and leave her free to marry him. SeeT
 'I cant! I-hold on, though! After ward l could deny the whole thing, couldn't I? It'd be his word against mine, and she'd never believe could do such thing. IT might try" .-.
 ''Yes," growled Horrigan, you might. "A cur that's lost all his nerve can try things that even an ordinary crook would balk at"
 But Gibbs did not hear. He had re- turned to the corridor in search of Bennett The man scarcely deserved the opprobrium heaped on him by Hor- rigan. A brilliant daring operator, he was, unknown to himself, a rank cow ard at heart. For the first time in his life the cowardice had cropped out, and, to do Gibbs justice, it had driven him temporarily insane. In his nor nal senses he would never have stoop- ed to the plan he was now so eager to carry out It was a putrid bit of jet DdLl dA "hAlh d AAnuuLAaAAf man did not scruple to clutch.
 Horrigan followed him from the room, his own splendid nerve quite re- covered from the crushing blow his hopes had received. He had staked heavily on the deal. Moreover, its fail ure. as he knew, meant the wreck of that mighty political prestige he had SO long and wearisOmely built up. It might even. if Alwyn fulfilled his threat about the notes, lead to graEer personal consequences. Yet the bull dog pluck that had carried this man Of iron from the gutter to the summit of political power did not desert him, nor did he show the loss of one iota of his customary monumental calm. Scarcely had Horrigan quilted the room when Perry and Dallas entered 1t You could cut the atmosphere in there with a cheese knife" Perry was ! saying. Williams doesn't think the ]. Borough bill will come up for half an !! hour or s0. We'd better spend the | time i'll then in here than to stay there ] and turn our lungs into a nicrUbe 700 Dallas did not answer. She sat down | by the table and rested her head de ! iectedIy on one little Eioved hand. The sight of Bennett his grave hopeless appeal to her: the .Sslm. utter despair ! Of his brave face-afl these had affect l cd her deeply. Perry noticed with . brUtheriy concern her look and attitude. Feeling fainfy' he asked
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