Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-06-24
A RIVALS DOWNFALL
Out Of Bitterness the Lovers
Snatched Happiness.
BY ESTHER AlNslEE.
Copyright. 1909. by Associated Literary
Press

If Dalzells store advertised a sale Of
silk dress goods In the Monday issue
Aof the Rosemont Banner it was GER.
HFsinty that the papers Tuesday night
Number would contain an ad. from
Thompsou's store across the street tell.
Ing Of bargains in satins. with a side
line of embroideries. at which Rose.
mont smiled appreciatively 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 it came
time to make their way in the world.
but Malcolm Dalzell and Lewis Thomp-
son within year Of each other set
sstRd down to make living in their
Ahome town.
Perhaps it were better to say Rose
mont was proud Of their enterprise. for
Lewis Thompson was not the type 10
inspire affection In the hearts of his
townsmen. A man cannot be blamed
for lack Of magnetism and all attrac.
tive nature. but nevertheless he suf.
fers for it, and Thompson possessed
besides these drawbacks hot headed
quarrelsome disposition and a theory
that every man had a 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 hourished on his
own side of the street
Not only were they rivals in bust
ness. but from the days of carrying
schoolbooks there had seemingly been
but one gil in the world in the eyes
of each, MiIly 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
clear field with Mllly, who had never
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
increduously when stories of his cold
shrewdness and overreachlng deals
came to her ears.
Yet unknown to herself Malcolm
Dalzell occupied a place in her life
from which no one could dislodge him
Milly was in the delicious and dreamy
! state of INDIGESTION which a girl always
( prolongs unwittingly Life was sweet
to her. and even the growing wildness
of her younger brother, Dick. which
was aging her father and mother, had
not power to do more THAN depress her
momentNrily
ITS only because Dick is young"
she told her mother half Indignantly
"He will see the mistake Of his ways
before he ever does anything really
wrong. Why. Dick wouldn't be really
bad. It's absurd
She was great chums with the hand
some eghteen-year-old brother. and
because she did have faith in him the
boy turned to her always in his rare
spells of repentance. At present he
had gone to work in bank in 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 a
back window pried open and nearly
5000 worth of silks and laces missing.
Three weeks later he was reduced to
explosive rage by the discovery that
again his store had been entered. This
time a hundred dollars worth OF goods
vanished. In his wrath the owner OF
the store telegraphed for 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 a very pleasant time and de-
parted with dark hints as to future
developments.
SAT any rate" Lewis Thompson said
vigorously, with Maloney on hand as
Waterman the thief won't get an
yAher chancew
~ ITS hard luck, Lewis" sympathized
Malcolm Dalzell with his business I'll
val. Thompson regarded him coidly.
or late Milly had been in Dalzelrs
company more than he liked.
Thanks" he said. Its 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 arer He smiled
somewhat maliciously as he made the