The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-07-22


have nothing to do with you!
Instantly Steele began to regret;
also he was somewhat scared; the
passion which had gripped him SO
strongly that he had forgotten himself
was q neg thing in his experience.
He had never made such an exhibit.
tion OF himgelf-to his knowledge, at
Ieast-so causeless1y. He glanced
around the room. shame-faced, won.
dering who had witnessed his trans
port.
| There were two witnesses; Hunt,
Office partner OF the firm Of G.. d.
Hunt & Wilder, through which Steele
cleared his transactions, and In whose
Offices he was accorded q desk as a
courtesy; and a stranger to Steele
stout man, horid of complexion, thic1l-
set Him Steele intuitiveIy knew for
Tausfg, Belden's partner.
.Oh," he said, shortly, you're Tau.
sig?" The fellow nodded. tive moth
ing against you personally, Tausig,"
Steele continued more calmly; 'sbut
| Belden! A damned scoundrel-
gives you bad name, Tausig. But
this is what I wanted to say: you tell
Belden what I had intended to, that
your firm will get just the same treat
ment from US as the rest of the shorts
in this deal. And-and we're not dis
posed to be hard on the shorts"
Tausig nodded CURLY. "That's what
we wanted to know, Mr.. Steele" he
replied. tsIf there's to be no discrimi-
nation, we may pull through. Good
day" And he left
Hunt watched the door close before
speaking. Then he laughed shortly.
If Belden's looks go for anything,
Steele" he commented, you'll pay
high for that
Steele stared at him duly under
heavy eyelids.
ooh, Belden," he said, after while,
slowly; .he be damn. Anyhow, his
power In the street Is broken"
To himself his tongue seemed thick
and unwieldy; he had some difficulty
in enunciating distinctly. It annoyed
Steele, and Hunt was watching him
strangely.
EYES," he heard Hunt say, "but this
isn't the first time that Belden's been
broken. Maybe it isn't to be the last,
either
ITO tell the TRUTH said Steele, very
carefully, Il didn't mean to flare up
that way. Something seemed to snap.
dor.-.u.s, -.
Reaction, perhaps suggested
Hunt, coolly philosophical in the con-
sideration Of another's troubles.
you've kept yourself keyed up to the
fever pitch for several weeks, and
reactions bound to come"
Steele did not directly reply. He
sat down, with his hands in his peck
cts, and stared gloomily at the carpet.
Anyhow" he said, rising again
after an interval, "Tm-tired, tired.
I'm going home-noW. Take care of
things
He reached blindly for his hat and
staggered pace or two toward the
door. Hunt jumped up, alarmed.
Here, old mani" he said.
Steele fell, like column pushed
from Its base; he fell, to lie inert, su
pine, breathing heavily.
It was three months later, almost to
a day, before the Street again knew
Jim Steele's footsteps.
Following his discharge from SAM
tarium as convalescent-a discharge
accompanied by a warning that he
would return to business life within
three years at his peril-a few weeks
had been put IN at Palm Beach. Now
Steele and his wife were to spend a
few weeks in town until their sons
spring term at school should be end
ed, when the three of them were to
go abroad.
AS for Mrs Steele, she was radiant
" happy; for the first time in their
twelve years of married life she had
what she most desired In all the
world place In the thoughts Of
her husband. For 1t was an under
stood thing that Steele had given up
the Street and all It's works" for bet
ter or worse" Steele had laughed
when he promised.
Yet 1t was with distinct shiver Of
that the woman looked up
from her breakfast plate, on the morn
ing following their return to the city,
to find Steele cycling her with a gaze
half doubtful, half deprecating.
She put down her fork deliberately,
her eyes upon the letter which he had
been reading, and still held in his
hand. Steele fancied that she lost a
shade Of color, and he could not ig-
more the anxiety In her eyes.
I. What is it," she demanded, almost |
He laughed lightly to .reassure her.
why, nothing Of any great impor-
lance, Sara; only that I'm going down
own for an hour or two today" He
saw her little hands clinch until the |
xnuckles stood out white and hard |
against the firm pink of her flesh, and
hurried to explain: Hunt writes me
hat he wants to buy my seat on the
Exchange. He's establishing couple
of branches, and thinks that the firm
needs another floor member to handle
is increased business. He'll pay