Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-11-03
CHARLES GARVICE

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glass screen of pressed ferns and sea
weeds was placed before it. The lamps
there were more than One-were ex
Quisite specimens of modern orna
mental art. One near him was shad
ed with a cool, green-glass cover
which threw, Notwithstanding its
GOODNESS, a rather disagreeable TIM
upon Sir Richards face.
| But it did not matter. No ladies
ever entered that, his business apart
ment, and few men for whose opin
ions as to his personal attractions ST.
| Richard cared.
On the table, an inlaid one of the
numberless secret drawers and snug
hiding places, were piles of letters
heaps of account books, and two for
midable- looking ledgsrs. One of the
latter lay open before him, and his
| white hand, upon which scintillated
two diamond rings of value, traced the
figures down the column or copied
them into a smaller book beneath his
other hand.
Has the reader realized the luxury
and comfort with which Sir Richard
softened even the hard matters OF
business?
A gentle knock at the door evoked
sharp:
Come in"
A servant entered.
"Mr. Dewlap, sir
HE may enter
The servant stood aside and al
lowed a stout, thick-set man, with a
pale, careworn face, rendered restless
md acute by pair of keen eyes, to
enter.
rhis was Mr.. Dewlap, Sir Richards
onfidential man of business, if the
tile is not misnomer, Sir Richard
posing confidence in no one.
There was snow on Mr.. Dewlap' S
,vercoat, and he paused on the thresh-
iold of the superlatively comfortable
DOM to divest himself of the garment.
"a cold night, Sir Richard"
SIS it?" answered his master. "Ah,
it SHOWS, l suppose"
Eyes, every prospect of hard WIN
ter" replied Mr.. Dewlap. in a sup
pressed, still sort of voice, which
changed to grave tone when he next
spoke. which was after the servant
had left the room and in answer to
Sir Richard.
''You are late: have been expect
ing you this last half hour" he said,
in a cold, imperious way, that was
painfully acute in its feigned calm.
81 am sorry, Sir Richard, but I was
kept waiting at Lloyd's."
''Ah, you have been there; well?"
Il am sorry" said Mr.. Dewlap, TAX
ing the chair toward which Sir Rich
ard had waved his white hand, 81 am
sorry to bring bad news, sir, but the
Arethusa has come to grief; the fear
III storm in the Baltic has sent her TO
port with nine hands lost"
mine hands," retorted Sir Richard,
sharply. Never mind the hands
the cargo, man, the cargo!"
'The cargo, Sir Richard, is entirety
ruined
Sir Richard leaned back and raised
his hand to his face. 1t grew pale; or
did the sickly green shade produce
that unpleasant hue?
"All spoiled he repeated. Dearly
bought and only half insured. Bad
news, indeed"
Il regret, Sir Richard, / deeply re-
greet" said Mr. Dewlap, in still gray
er tones and with visible reluctance,
ito say that there is still worse.
looked in upon Brooks, the stockhold-
er, as l passed, seeing a light and
hearing voices, and heard that Vincent
of Manchester, had-Great Heaven!
Sir Richardi'
The man arose and leaned forward
in alarm.
Sir Richard had fallen back in his
chair with his face deadly white-1t
was not the lamp this time-and his
teeth clinched as if he were near
death.
AS Mr.. Dewlap approached him he
waved him back with his hand, raised
himself as if with an effort, and brave
to the last with that courage which
bad men share with heroes, looked his
man full in the face.
Il beg your pardon; sudden faint
ness. l have been writing too long,
and overlooked my dinner hour.
Don't be alarmed; it has passed. You
were saying that Vincent, of Man
chester
Mr.. Dewlap, used as he was to his
masters GOODNESS, was too astonished
for the moment to continue.
81 hope, Sir Richard, was not too
sudden?"
'You forget said Sir Richard,
with wan smile, you have told me
nothing yet. Has anything happened
to Vincent of Manchester"
"They have failed, Sir Richard
Failed" Sir Richard repeated,
y;'Ho oa-fifi -sme'ra lhhde st