The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-01-20

The pool room and the availability Of
the company's money had offered to
him great opportunity to win what
hs could not earn, and. encouraged BY
his first success, be had taken advan-
tage Of It. He had begun by making q
study Of racing and risking small sums,
Luck had been with him, and be had
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. 80 be
had invented the story Of outside work
His run Of luck had continued. how.
ever, until It had become phenomenal
and this 1t was that had caused bis
extravagant optimism. He had wager
ed larger and larger sums until his
winnings had represented secre'
bank account Of 5000. 1t was one
day when be had plunged" and won
thousand dollars that he had con.
ceived the fiction of bis promotion with
reward Of back pay.
Soon after their installation in their
more expensive quarters, however, Q
series Of reyerses 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 bis
losses. He had plunged and lost
plunged and won, plunged again and
lost. 1t had not been long before his
borrowings" had reached such a ter
rifying amount that he had realized
that discovery was inevitable unless
be could replace the money within
brief delay. He had chung to the de
spairing hope that by wagering heavi
~ be could win enough during WI
liams' absence to hide bis pilferine
and postpone examination. While this
could be deferred there was hope
Now be knew that his cunning. re
ientless employer had been watching
bis gradually tottering 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 perfect frenzy Of fury.
He ragged up and down the room, ours
ing Williams. and hurled q cushion to
the floor and ground 1t with bis foot as
though II were bis enemy's hated face.
you have cheated me out Of liv.
ing. you 6endr' he almost howled.
And now you have taken my wife,
The sound Of bis own voice startled
and Gained him, and he peeped out in
the corridor apprehensiyely. 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 be stood with staring eyes and
heaving bosom until the nervous reac.
ton set In. Then he staggered 10 the
sofa, threw himself upon 1t and burst
into tears.
The lachrymose effusion was Of brie1
duration, and II was succeeded BY
deep detection. He sat up and glanced
at his watch. II was IL O'Clock. One
after another he got all the papers
and magazines there were, only &c
throw them impatiently to the door
II was impossible for him to read
them.
Emma had been gone q long time
What was OBTAINING her-what. ex
cept-
His face began to twitch. He rose
III cigarette. took two puffs at It and
put II down.
After all. the chief thing was that
she should be successful.
He filed q glass with water that q
belIboy had brought up iced for his
mother-in-law and drained II at q
draft Then he picked up the news
paper nearest to him and tried to read
again. but II was useless. He threw
| Il down.
What II williams had refused to b.
pcrsuadedi
The suspense was becoming unen
durable. A look Of determination
came into bis face. and he went to the
telephone. but rs his hand touched Il
be changed his mind. walked back t.
the table and III another cigarette
Then be went to the window ant
stared out at the opposite houses with
unseeing eyes. Presently his hand
sought his watch pocket. The time
piece II drew out marked ten minutes
past II. He held II TO bis ear. II wa
ticking steadily.
Only ten minutes since he had looked
at II beforel Impossible. Fully sr
hour had elapsed. The watch mus
have stopped In the interim. Impa
tient. he went to the telephone and
asked for the right time. The no
tel clerk replied that II was Just ter
minutes past II On his way to th,
table to get another cigarette be hap
pencd TO catch sight Of himself II
the mirror over the mantelpiece. Tn
thin. haggnrd. ashen visage he saw
there frightened him. He laughed nerv
ously.
As he did 90 the door behind hin
opened. Starting 20 violently that h
let fall the boz Of cigarettes. be turned
Mrs. Harris. IN high dudgcon, walket
In, followed By Beth.
On kpTsrR yTv