Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-03

that they had known ali along that
this would happen. When Muriel
started up in his defense they turned
upon her as if they would rend her
also She covered her ears with her
hands and fed from the room. her
heart beating furiously in a storm Of
futile anger
Jim. her idol. tottering on his pedes-
tai. had never seemed so heroic 6g
ure. She read every line the newspa-
pers printed about the scandal In his
company. She did not understand the
technical terms. but her intelligence
grasped that he was charged with
fraud. that his creditors were insinuat-
ing his money had been made dishon-
estly and that be was threatened with
ruin and disgrace. She read the worst
side OF the story. for her people pat
ronized the yellow journals. and she
pictured him sitting alone. deserted by
those who had fawned upon him in his
palmy days. and she longed to show
him by some tangible sign that one
person at least did not believe in his
infamy. Waves of sympathy were not
powerful enough TO fit this case. Ii
needed actio-. and Muriel neryed her
self TO act. She must see him; she
must let him know that she under
stood. that she had faith in his power
to silence his detractors. then she
could better bear the tyranny in her
home.
The morning papers pictured graph
ically the scene in his ofiice-the outer
rooms crowded with a mass OF excited
men and women clamoring for their
money. while alone in his private Of
fee sat James Douglass Manning. his
head bowed. his whole attitude one of
misera BILE detection.
Then Muriei could hold out no long
er. She would go TO him ut once and
perhaps her feeble sympathy might
help him to regain the courage he
seemed in danger of losing She dress
ed herself in her most becoming
clothes and slipped ont OF the house
quietly. thus avoiding the questions
which otherwise would have tormeuted
her conscience.
James Douglass Manning did not
look like man on the verge of de-
spair as be sat in his Office debating
lCtbCA 0lNNI iGllCt du0 SuIOhluS ODe
black cigar after another. He was
be would confess to
that-and the shareholders had pes. |
tered him with their unreasonable de-
mands for an accounting. but he did |
not doubt his ability to weather This |
storm as be had weathered others in |
his checkered career He was busy. and |
he looked up impatiently as his cont |
Dental clerk entered with u card.
Il can't see anybody. Jones'" he said |
irritably. He was a big man, massive |
Of frame. massive of feature. with |
power irradiating from every pore.
Its lady. sir. She begs you will |
see her. She's not an investor. She's
quite young"
Manning held out his hand for the
bit Of pasteboard. Miss Muriel DIM
ock," he read. then wginkled his brow
But he had a good men,
Dry. and be could look back ten years
without effort The Dimock kid" he
He remembered how the
Dimocks had scoffed at him when he
needed help and how he had paid them
back when he was on top of the heap.
But the kid had known nothing
IF all this, and be had been fond Of
he little mouse-like child. with her
.imid ways and her big. frightened
Eyes. He paused a moment reflective
y. "All right. Jones. Show her in."
Fhcn he dismissed his secretary.
MurieI appeared in the doorway, her
hands elasped tight beneath her muff.
Ter heart humping audibly &c her
.ars. her eyes suffused and her pretty
mouth trembling.
Jim she faltered. then stopped.
shocked into silence by the reality.
Here was no covering. broken man
leedful of a woman's tender ministra-
ions. Manning's whole personality /
adiated confidence in himself 1
He came forward wonderingly.
Could this pretty. dainty girl be the I
sd whose scrawny appearance had ,
Ilwags called forth pity on his part? I
'Muriel. child. how you have grown
vas all he could manage to get out.
She smiled family. "It's ten years ]
ince you've seen me. Mr.. Manning"
he could not call him Jim now.