The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-01-01
The Chance that Came
AnoAonnoooe

The man collapsed into a chair be-
fore his desk. In corner Of the room
the ticker was clicking out Its mes
sage, but he paid no heed to it. From
the streets outside came mems voices
uplitted in mingled despair and rage.
Throgmorton street was like pande-
moniun. Men seemed to have lost
their reason. Many were shouting In
vectives against this man who sat alone
In his empty Offices. People did not
know that he was here. Some declared
he had bolted from the country; 9th
ers were equally positive he would
stay and face the music. These last
had Judged his character accurately.
The schemes which that wonderful
financial genius had built up, and In
which the public had placed confidence
and thew money, had fallen to the
ground In one fatal hour. Perhaps
there was hardly soul In London who
would have believed 1t, yet the fact re-
mained that Reuben Stern was himself
teggared.
He left his office, passed from the
place which had seen his triumphs, and
finally reached the West End Enter
Ing one Of the fashionable streets In
Mayfair, he paused before house.
Then setting his mouth little more
grinly, he walked up the steps, and,
ringing the bell, asked to see Lady
Gertrude Kingsley.
She detected at once the anxiety In
LIS eyes, and came hurriedly forward
Reuben" she exclaimed what is
wrongW
what Ia lt2" she questioned again
"Tel me at once, pleasew
II am ruined y
He spoke the words with dull, life
less tone, and watched her face The
color died away from 1t. The sweet
mouth suddenly hardened. The eyes
lost their softness. Every feature
stiffened. She glanced at him In amaze
ment.
Ruined! !" she murmured what do
you meanY
"My plans have all mlscarried All
that yesterday was mine have lost,
except the most precious thing of all,
and that is your lovew
She laughed hardly.
"Do you think me sentimental
schoogirlI Was it likely that |
should love Il man who sprang from OBJ
scWlty, from nothing? Let me be frank
WITH J "a in This hour. My sisters have,
most Of thcm married well. | mean
to marry a rich man. / would have |
preferred man of good family: but |
when you proposed you were too good
match for mt to refuse. AS for love, |
am | the woman, do you suppose, who |
would let love influence her? | would |
have made you an excellent wife, |
have no doubt l should have liked to
be the mistress Of great London |
house. / wanted to entertain, to be a |
woman of real Importance In my world.
Allu Nbu lNh Alit W lliuL every
ambitious social dream of mine should
oe realized" She paused for mo-
ment, and then went on In low, chok-
Ing voice: And now you have the
Oudacity to ask me to share your pow
erty"
Her gaze was pltlless In its cold
ness. A qulver OF rage shook her. Her
restless hands were tearing at the
howers In her bosom. She was suffer
ing mn agony Of disappointment She
had felt so secure had gloried In the
anticipated social triumph which this
mans money was to purchase for her;
had even boasted of the future among
her own set, and Of the rich gifts 1t
would hold for her. And now to see
every promise 1t had contained melted
away.
"Nlll you please go now?" she said
The Atlantic liner was plowing Its
swift passage through the sea on Its
homeward way to England. The day
was brilliantly fine, and the smoke
that rose in Il floating column from
the steamers tunnels was the only
dark patch against the cloudless sum
mer sky. Two people were slowly
pacing the upper deck--a man and a
woman. The former was Reuben Stern.
He had altered great deal since that
time, four years ago, when his failure
had caused Il sensation In the financial
world.
During the official investigation OF
his bankruptcy he had remained in
England; but this concluded, he sailed
at once for the United States. And
H. those four years, commencing at the
bottom again, he had regalned Ger.
tain standing among the minor tinan-
cle.s Of that country.