The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-02-03

John w. Harding
Copyright, 1908. by G. w. Dillins-
ham Co.

IuCh uuO UCCA Win AAAAA, sAAA~~ AA~ $500, |
won time and time again. He had
wanted his wife to share his good for
tune, but had not dared to tell her
how he had obtained the money, so he
had invented the story Of outside work
His run of luck had continued, how
ever, until it had become phenomenal,
and this it was that had caused his
extravagant optimism. He had wager
ed larger and larger sums until his
winnings had represented secret
bank account of $4,000. 1t was one
day when he had plunged" and won
thousand dollars that he had con-
ceived the fiction of his promotion with
reward Of back pay.
Soon after their installation in their
more expensive quarters, however, a
series Of reverses had come. His luck
had deserted him. First his bank ac-
count went; then he had drawn on the
collections in his efforts to retrieve his
losses. He had plunged and lost,
plunged and won, plunged again and
lost. 1t had not been long before his
"borrowings' had reached such ter
rifying amount that he had realized
that discovery was inevitable unless
he could replace the money within
brief delay. He had chung to the de-
spairing hope that by wagering heavi-
ly he could win enough during VIII
liams' absence to hide his pilfering
and postpone examination. While this
could be deferred there was hope.
| Now he knew that his cunning. re-
lentless employer had been watching
| his gradually lettering progress on the
tight rope of dishonesty and, prepar
ing trap to catch him in, had chosen
his own time to spring it.
At the thought of this Brooks worked
himself into a perfect frenzy of fury
He ragged up and down the room, ours
ing Williams. and hurled a cushion to
the floor and ground it with his foot as
though it were his enemy's hated face.
"You have cheated me out of liv.
ing, you fiend! he almost hOwled.
"And now you have taken my wife"
The sound of his own voice startled
and calmed him, and he peeped out in
the corridor apprehensively, for fear
any one might by chance have been
nigh and heard him. He was exhaust
ed by the violence of his paroxysm
His breath came quickly in gasps
, and he stood with staring eyes and
heaving bosom until the nervous reac
t ton set in. Then he staggered to tbt
3 sofa, threw himself upon it and burs
! into tears.
, The lachrymcse effusicn was Of brie
: duration, and it was succeeded b.
Il deep detection. He sat up and glanced
0 at his watch. 1t was II O'clock. On
| after another he got all the paper
/ and magazines there were, only t.
e throw them impatiently to the floor
r 1t was impossible for him to rea'
? them.
S Emma had been gone long time
: What was OBTAINING her-what, eS
r cept-
, His face began to twitch. He rose
+ lit cigarette, took two puffs at it an
i put it down.
4 After all, the chief thing was tina
i she should be successful.
n He filed a glass with water that
:. bellboy had brought up iced for hi
;, mother-in-law and drained it at
draft. Then he picked up the news
- paper nearest to him and tried to req
j.. again, but it was useless. He thre'
!, It down.
~ What If Williams had refused to t
" persuaded?
&C The suspense was becoming unel
~ durable. A look of Discriminate
~ came into his face, and he went to IL
~ telephone, but as his hand touched
&c he changed his mind, walked hack
the table and lit another cigarett
10 Then he went to the window III
~ stared out ut the opposite houses wi
u unseeing eyes. Presently his hal
sought his watch pocket. The tim
10 piece it drew out marked ten minut
81 past IL. He held it to his ear. 1t W
gu ticking steadily.
= Only ten minutes since he had look
a. at 1t before! impossible! Fully
H. hour had elapsed. The watch mu
q have stopped in the interim. ImI
en- tient. he went to the telephone q
'ot asked for tho right time. The
e. tel clerk replied that It was Just
'ts minutes past II. On his way to
~ table to get another cigarette be b,
nd pened to catch sight Of himself
the mirror over the naantelpiece. ]
ne thin. haHgard. ashen visage he y
nE there frighteusd him. He laughed ne
ne ousiy.
" A. he ga % the door 6ehind b
= epensd. Starting - violentiy that
20 let fan the boz Of cigarettes, he turn
q 3lrs. Harris. n high Audgeon. .wall
ac a, followed b. Beth.
he
to s
r. CHAPTER XIV.
a1#~ a - HEN MRa RFnnka IN