The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-07-14


During this period / managed to
find time to pay court to Della Cole.
/ cannot say that I made the head.
way there that I did in everything
else. Miss Della seemed to avoid mo,
and though / couldn't tell that Graham
was making any progress, / was quite
sure that / was not getting along rs
/ should.
! was not a little puzzled at her at
titude, and I remember one evening
in particular that I called at her home
and tried to get ar explanation from
her.
"Mr. Gordon" she said with a lit
tie nervous laugh, you are so used to
having your way about everything
since your return to town that you
imagine that l ought to fall into your
arms almost before / know you"
That sounded SO satisfying to my
self-love that l was beginning to feel
quite gratifled, when / suddenly won
dered what she meant.
II scarcely know" / began, when
she interrupted ne.
MIR. Gordon, with all your money,
power ard talents, we of Frankfort
often wonder why you bother to spend
It all on is. Why you don't. In short,
to a larger place or spend part
OF your time in travel?"
why Miss Cole, don't you know I
couldn't leave town. mean l won't
leave while you are here?"
A noise like the falling of a chair
In the next room, or the violent slam
ming Of a window blind by the wind,
startled us.
That night when | was walking to
my hotel / was seized by four ruff
fans who bound, gagged and threw
me into a light wagon standing near.
/ fought as I had fought before,
for / realized what / should lose
should they succeed in getting me be-
yond the city limits. We had nearly
reached that point when l succeeded
in jumping out of the buggy. The fall
nearly killed me, but a passer-by saw
1t and came to my rescue.
What was the eason for my at
tempted abduction? Had anyone
guessed my secret? If so, I knew that
my days Of power were over. While
anyone would hesitate TO murder me,
I had enemies who would not hest
tate to commit the lesser crime Of alb
Quoting me.
AS l thought Of my stay in Frank
fort Ennu r hnI MOI hnfraunI NV
self to anyone, unless I had to Della
the evening OF the night l was as
saulted. Had she proven herself q
Deliah, or had my secret been over
heard when I had almost given II
away to her?
As. soon as l was able and present.
BILE, ! called again and told the story
Of the assault.
From the manner In which she
heard 1t ! was certain that she had
no hand in a plot against me. II any
one knew they had overheard the slip
Of the tongue I had made and guessed
the rest.
For the first time in my life I was
afraid. A ridiculous ending was la
BILE to come to all my ~pretensions at
almost any minute. I pleaded with
Della for her love that evening. I
loved her more than I thought II pos
sible for me to love. She represented
the only thing in Frankfort that I
was not sure of. The very desire Of
possession seemed to feed my passion
a h~updredfold.
Sympathy or love, I could not tell
which, made her unusually kind, and
while she would not say yes, yet gave
me some hope.
The next day I went to my lawyer
and studied over the contents of the
will carefully. Then, / did a very uE-
usual thing. / bought block after
block OF the business center OF Frank
fort, and as fast as possible sold what
l had Just purchased even II ] only
got half or two-thirds Of the O I
had previously paid. AS fast as I got
the money from these sales / banked
1t, until l had a trife over two hun
drei thousand dollars.
SO"hSAhic SVCiy Ouc ScCIcly tlOuGDL
I Rad gone crazy.
Then, | went to the girl had come
to love better than life itself, and In
the privacy of my carriage, In the
middle OF the road, safe from listening
ears and tattling tongues, I told hsr
something of the story OF my life. and
OF my uncle Aaron's will.
"And you forfeit everything She
said with wide and wondering ayes.
by telling me thisy"
Everything In the world I do not
have In my own name" I corrected.
but would give It all, and more, too.
II had IT. for your respect, your
love"
Soft arms stole around my neck.
Yes. ! know said Mr.. Boles. .T
know all about It; you have lost and
won out. Perhaps II is best, for I
Imagine someone suspected your Sc
cret. But what passes my understand
ing Is. why didn't you get millions OF
your uncle's wealth transferred to
your Manner
1t seams 70 me that with Della. my
property In town and 5000, 900 In the
bank onstn to do pretty WE'LL I re-