The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-01-14
The Chance that Came


the ticker was clicking out Its mes
sage, but lie paid no heed 10 il. From
the streets outside came mems voice
uplifsed In mingled despair and rage.
Theogm0rton street was like pande
moniuin. Men seemed to have los
their reason. Many were shouting In
veetlves against this man who saf alons
In bis empty offices. People did not
know that he was here. Some declared
he had boited 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 ballt Up. and La
which the public had placed confidence
and their money. had fallen to the
ground In one fatal hour. Perhaps
there was hardly a soul In London who
would have believed 1t. yet the fact re-
manned that Reuben Stern was himself
teegared.
lie left hts Office. passed from the
place which had seen his trlumphs. and
finally reached the West End Enter
ing one OF the fashionable streets In
Mayfair, he paused before q house.
Then. setting his mouth a little more
gri'nly. he walked up the steps. and.
ringing the bell. asked TO see Lady
Gertrude Kingsley.
She detected at once the anxiety I'm
Lis eyes. and came hurriedly forward.
Reuben :" she exclaimed what ID
wronx:~
what Is ltT- she questioned again.
TEL me at once. pleaset'
Il am ruined ls
He spoke the words with duli. life
less Tone and watched her face. The
color died away from IT, The sweet |
mouth guddenly hardened The eyes
lost their sCftness- Every feature
stifTened. she glanced at him 10 amaze
gent.
Ruined :" she murmured. what do
you neanY-
My plans have all misearried. All
that yesterday was mine have Lost,
except the most precious thing OF nil.
and that In your Lowell"
She laughed hardly.
.'Do you think me sentimental
schoolgirlf Was IL likely that 1
should love man who sprans from OBJ
scurity, from Dothingi Let me be frank
with you in this hour My sisters have,
most OF them. married veil. mean
to marry a rich man. / would have
preferred man Of good family; bat
when you proposed you were too good
4 match for ma 10 refuse. AS for love.
am ! the woman. do you suppose. who ,
would let love influence herr / would I
have made you an excellent wife. /
have no doubt 1 should have liked TO I
be the mistress of great London
rouse. / wanted TO entertain. 10 be n ,
woman Of real Importance In my world. q
Ind You led me to imagine that every
ambitious social dream Of mine should
e realized" She paused Tor a mo /
nent. and then went on In a low. chok- b
ug voice: @And now you have the d
udaeity TO ask me to share your poy- /,
rtyl~ q
Her gaze was pitiIess In its cold r,
ess A culver Of rage shook her. Her p
sstiess hands were tearing at the
overs In her bosom. She was suffer- n
~ an agony of disappointment. she ~
ad felt so secure; had glorfed In the to
anticipated social triumph which this
ans money was to purchase for her tc
nd even boasted Of the future among tF
Pr own set, and OF the rich gifts IT Us
0uld hold for Der. And now TO see in
Iery promise 1t had contained melted BIZ
way. le
"iviIl you please 20 nowr she said. fir
The Atlantic liner was blowing Its he
lift passage through the sea on its
'meward way to England The day WI
~ brilliantly fine, and the smoke
at rose in floating column from ey
e steamers tunnels was the only I'M
rk patch against the cioudless sum-
r. sky. Two people were slowly ha
cling the upper deck--a man and q thu
man. The former was Reuben Stern. an
; had altered a great deal since that Iic'
Ne. four years ago. when bis failure
caused sensation In the financial In
rid.
During the official Investigation OF reg
bankruptcy he had remained In Jes
siand; but this concluded, bio sailed hui
once for the United States. And ren
these four years. commencing at the one
tffn again, he had regained Ger edl
n standing among the minor anan- strs
re- OF that country. Rvs