Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-06-18
A RIVALS DOWNFALL
Out of Bitterness the Lovers
Snatched Happiness.
BY ESTHER AINsLEE.


IL Dalzelrs store advertised a sale OF
silk dress goods in the Monday issue
| OF the RoSemont Banner IL was q GER
tainty that the papers Tuesday night
number would contain an ad. from
Thompson's store across the street tell
Ing OF bargains IN satins. with a side
line of embroideries, at which Rose
mont smiled approximately and reaped
the benefit.
The town was proud OF the proprie-
tors OF the two leading dry goods
stores, for most of the young men left
for the adjacent big city when 1t came
time to make their way in the world,
but Malcolm Dalzell and Lewis Thomp-
son within year of each other set
tied down TO make living In their
home town
Perhaps II were better to say Rose
mont was proud OF their enterprise. for
: Lewis Thompson was not the type to
inspire affection In the hearts of his
! townsmen. A man cannot be blamed
for lack OK magnetism and an attrac-
tive nature, but nevertheless he suf-
/ fers for 1t. and Thompson possessed
besides these drawbacks a hot headed,
quarrelsome disposition and theory
that every man had right to look out
+ for himself to the exclusion of any pos
sible rights OF others.
His aggressiveness made him enc
mics where Malcolm Dalzell won
friends by his mere cheerfulness and
diplomacy. But each fiourished on his
own side of the street.
Not only were they rivals In busi-
ness, but from the days Of carrying
schoolbOoks there had seemingly been
but one girl I'm the world In the eyes
J of each, Milly Wainwright, with the
waves OF soft brown hair and eyes
that matched. with the sweet voice
and appealing little ways.
! Shrewd people even said the reason
both boys stayed In Rosemont was that
each was afraid to leave the other a
! shown any preference between the
/ two.
Lewis Thompson was a different
man with her. Her mere presence
smoothed and softened the aggressive
/ young business man, and she smiled
I increduously when stories of his cold
/ shrewdness and overreaching deals
came to her ears.
Yet unknown to herself Malcolm
Dalzell occupied place In her life
from which no one could dislodge him.
Milly was I'm the delicious and dreamy
state OF indecision which n girl always
| prolongs unwittingly Life was sweet
to her and even the growing wildness
: or her younger brother. Dick. which
was aging her father and mother, had
not power to do more than depress her
, momentarily
ITS only because Dick is young"
she told her mother half Indignantly.
HE will zee the mistake Of his ways
before he ever does anything really
! wrong. Why, Dick wouldn't be really
/ bad. It's absurdr'
She was great chums with the hand
some eighteen-year-old brother, and
because she did have faith I'm him the
I boy turned to her always In his rare
spells OF repentance. At present he
1 had gone to work In a bank I'm the next
town, six miles distant
The Rosemont Banner had two col
umns Of description. speculation and
denunciation when Thompson's store
was robbed. Malefactors were rare In
Rosemont, and the night watchman's
work was perfunctory, but neverthe-
less Lewis Thompson discovered
back window pried open and nearly
/ $500 worth OF silks and laces missing.
| Three weeks later he was reduced 10
explosive rage by the discovery that
again his store had been entered. This
time Il hundred dollars worth OF goods
vanished. In his wrath the owner OF
the store telegraphed for a city de-
tective and established a night patrol
/ for the block. The city detective look
ed Important, smoked good cigars OF
the leading citizens, who wanted to
tell him their theories as to the rob-
berry, had very pleasant time and de-
parted with dark hints as to future
developments.
AT any rate" Lewis Thompson said
vigorously, with Maloney on hand as
Waterman the thief won't get an
other chancer
| Its hard luck, Lewis" sympathized
Malcolm Dalzeil with his business RI
val. Thompson regarded him coldly.
OF late Milly had been In Dalzelps
company more than he liked.
Thanks" he said. "Irs funny the
thief doesn't attack your premises,
Malcolm. / don't understand such ia
! foritism unless it's because he knows
where the best goods arew He smiled
/ somewhat maliciousiy as he made the
| fling.
Superiority has its drawbacks,
| Them" Dalzell said quietly, holding his
temper. He understood Thompson's
grudge against him and could afford to
be magnanimous, for he had begun to
cherish a certainty that he had dis
I tanced Thompson with Milly. For her
he would endure much.
Lewis Thompson did not relax his
vigilance as the weeks went by. One
, Thursday night, as he made one Of his
personal trips OF inspection, about 1
o'clock he started for his store ON a
run after finding the Waterman. Ma
loney, knocked senseiess at the corner
And he was rewarded. The revolver
in his hand covered the dark form OF
the man standing at the rear window
with the faint CLEAN OF a dark lantern
on the floor beside him.
Yet even Lewis Thompson was
speechless when after his trembling
fingers had turned on the rear light he
saw the man before him was none
other than Malcolm DaIzau x,ho St0od