The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-06
CHAPTER |.

]
had not yet sunk behind the low hills
that surrounded the little suburb: its
slanting golden beams Just reached
! the upper windows OF the houses
| Chewing nervously at the cigar
which he bad put into his mouth
an hour before at his office and
had forgotten to light, Parry cross.
ed the still desolate garden and ap-
preached the front door. AS he FUN
| bled for his keys he heard the sound
of thin feminine voices in the ami
able commonplaces or departure, and
hastily withdrew TO path that led
! to a side veranda. Mrs. Parry, hear
ing step in the library. looked in.
You here, Walter. You frighten-
ed me. What made yod come in that
way like a tramp
Walter Parry removed the unlight
ed cigar from his mouth; his lips
trembled as if now that he had
to speak he had lost the power APP
parently his worn, distressed appear.
ance escaped his wifes attention
for as he failed to reply she repeat
ed her question impatiently.
"Why are you home so early? I
was just going over to mothers for
the children. There's the carriage
now"
She turned towards the door, but
Parry, quickly raising his hand, de-
tanned her Wait a moment" AS
she merely paused in her purpose,
he added in a burst "Sit down, Nita
Something to say to you-something
important"
Mrs. Parry now looked at her hus-
band more closely, and impressed by
what she read on his face walked
back across the room. For the first
time she noticed the grimy wrink-
les of his forehead, the rumpled
black hair, the crushed and soiled
look of the man.
What is it?" she demanded
sharply.
"Nita!" the man cried. Then he
wavered q moment, but finally burst
out: It's all up with mel"
What do you mean? Don't you
feel well?" she asked briskly but
with outward calm. Then more urg-
emily: Has something gone wrong
in business?'
"Everything's gone wrong; I've
lost a lot of money-and-"
She waited.
I've stolen it-stolen it," he
ierked Que defiantly.
Stolen it?" she repeated wonder
ingly. What do you mean?"
Just that-isn't it plain enough"
Whose money!"
The firms, he said with weary
shrug.
After a moment she demanded
What did you take it for?"
He laughed unpleasantly.
"Why-to keep afloat, to make
good-what do men steal for?"
His eyes wandered in silent com
ment above his wife's head into the
drawingroom and out beyond where
the horses were standing.
What do you mean?' Mrs. Parry
demanded impatiently, a touch of
hardness in her even tone. There
was vague and figurative quality
in her husbands mind that always
irritated her. Even at a moment like
this he did not seem able to say a
plain thing in a plain way.
"Mean?" he repeated, turning
fiercely and flinging his unsmoked
cigar into the CRATE. 81 mean that
/ have been skating over thin ice
for about eight years. bluffing the
world, squeaking through the mar
row holes. Now l am caught-yes,
caught good and hard"
UncOnsciously, he Strengthened
himself with the words.
Il don't understand what you
mean"
Cant you. Don't you see that we
have always lived on the edge-ever
since we were married. Now we're
pushed over"
Walter" she exclaimed irritably.
Won't you explain yourself plainly
don't be so vague"
About this last hole? Oh! I got
caught with a lot of weak stocks.
So | fed the broker-Teddy Lord,
you know-with some bonds the firm
bought for a customer. He sold me
out this morning Tomorrow they'll
want to know at the office what's
become of the bonds. Understand
now?"