The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-02

"out with it. mani Don't stand STAN
mering therew
For indeed the poor acting superip-
tendent was swaying from side to side,
wringing his short plump hands. his
fun ruddy complexion faded 10 N
| ashen pallor. with fine REGULATIONS of
purple running through the flesh tint
like rivers on a large scale physical
! globe.
Mr.. Romer waited a little in order TO
allow his ancient subordinate to re-
cover himself Then he said authori-
tatively. Now, Mr. Grindling"
Its Kahn! Kahni" he gasped, and
/ could say no more.
well. what of Kahu2" There was at
+ least sou.e anxiety ii the mind of the
master of CORN Castle. Kahn had much
/ il his power, and this man was in ear
nest.
lie has gone away" said Grinding,
i at last steadying himself.
Gone away" cried Jacob Romer,e his
face now as pale as the superintendent
'"Why. what makes you say that2 More
i-alouslY2'
oh" cried Grinding. tortured in his
conscience of a man Of all since save
those of L. S. D.-"he does not owe YOU
anythilg-the purchase money! He has
paid II 10 you-oh, say he has paid it,.
/ stick He put his feet wider apart so as
i TO stand flrmer on the earth. He felt the
need. When he spoke /. was in chang
ed voice. and there was a stupid top
/ pling feeling ir his head.
No" he said; @no-he has not yet paid
me-but that is nothing. It is large and
difficult matter. 1t takes time TO ar
range. l trust him.
You have trusted him too long, Mr..
Romer.' groaned Grinding. oh you
may he angry with me. As an office
/ boy | began with your uncle. and what
ever ! have done and been no man can
say that / ever defrauded Incubus Rome.
& Co of a single copper
Il know know, Grinding said Mr..
Romer: but what is this nonsense about
Kahn?'
Grinding told him-the swift prepare
ton, the hurried, hardly touched meal,
the many-pocketed mtoor-coat, and the
open safe Then it was time for the mas
Ter of millions to pull himself together
also
This much is true" he said firmly;
Mr. Kahn was to meet me and my
lawyer Mr.. Rivers. yesterday afternoon
in the Kirktown Bank to make over to
us the purchase money and the found
er's shares"
THE shares, too" cried Grinding; he
has sold them with the others! You are
out of Incubus & Co.-oh, the villain
that ever l should live to see the day.
And your private investments-
He spoke now like a cross-eXaminins
advocate getting at the facts.
They have been in Mr.. Kahn's hands
for many years."
"Oh, Mr. Romer,' cried Grinding. con-
torting himself in agony; and after what
we all thought of you.'
Mr.. Romer pale to the lips, but still
quiet and resolute, was searching his
pockets.
Il should have a letter somewhere" he
said; zone that was brought to the bank
by a messenger while we waited. It ex-
planned Mr.. Kahn's failure to come-as
it seemed to us, most satisfactorily"
He found the crumpled piece of paper,
smoothed it out and read in the hearing
of his acting superintendent-for Phil Cal
mont had discreetly betaken himself to
distance:
THE Caravanserai, Thursday, $3.50 pm
My Dear Friend and Honoured Pa
iron (Humph," said Grinding, who al.
ways addressed his lord as "sir'): l
have been seized with painful sickness,
palpitation of the heart, which makes
it impossible for me to be at the bank
today, as promised. [ am well accus-
toned to this disabling, but happily quite
temporary, illness l have just taken the
remedy. Now l shall go to bed. and
twelve hours sleep will make me a new
man again. l shall be at the bank with
all money and papers at the same hour
tomorrow. Or, if | am still somewhat
suffering, would it be too much to ask
I you and Mr.. Rivers to drive up to my
house. l expect, however, to be all
right long before that time. l have sue
ceeded in everything you have committed
to my care, far beyond my expectations
or yours.
"Regretting the unavoidable trouble I
am giving,
~ am, dear and honoured sir,
Very faithfully your obliged servant
JAMES KAHN"
ITO Jacob CORN Romer. Esqr.'
well, SIR said Walter Grinding,
grimly, when that letter was dated,
James Kahn was two good hours on his
way with the booty. Do you know, sir.
who brought the letter."
Mr.. Romer had put his hand to his
head. He seemed suffering there Al
any rate he was not attending, for Grind
ling had to repeat the question more
than once.
"Casimr, I believe" he said. Yes, 1
think l saw Mr.. eastman at the bank"
well, he has also taken his hook. He
followed his master!'
The old man sat down rather heavily
on the pine trunk, the same which Vida
could see from her window through Bill
ly's spyglass. He was still holding his
head and muttering. No one spoke to
him for full five minutes. Then up
through the scattering light and shade of
the birches on the slopes came a small
| fitting figure. certain bright specks
danced as he rama boy in buttons, ana
making more haste than such usually do.
| He came close up to where Mr. Grinding
stood, and Mr. Romer sat on the log.
please, SIR" he began, as Mr.. Romer
raised his head to look at him. please
sir, IN Gregsons boy-young Gregson-
l tried the safe door. 1t opened easy
as anything. There wasn't anything in
it--except just this. l think Mr. Kahn
! took the resti"
| He handed the old man a strip of paper
! shaped like a cheque.
! 1t was the birth certificate of one Vida
Romer, the daughter of Jacob Romer and
| Caroline French or Romer his wife.
The old man dropped as If felled, the
/. paper still gripped in his fingers, while
| Grinding. marveling greatly, stood and
| regarded him. 1t struck him for the first
time in his life that there was something
in what eoroners' juries called the visi-
| tation of God"
| CHAPTER XII.
/ Fathers Homecoming.
Phil came running at once. He thought
| it was mere faint, the result of some
bad news. But the heavy, lifeless drop Of
the limbs of the left side, the open, star