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

ket;; the publ q Ways bull ish had
lost confidence and could not be.
tempted 10 buy
on the opening, Rope TWina
broke three points. steale's support
fell away from him, For d while he
felt as though stunned Then came d
slight reaction, due to covering BY the
shorts. Steele, encouraged, strove to-
better the advantage. II proved to be
d momentary thing, however; again
the price began to scale. point BIZ
point, slowly, surely.
And Belden, In his office, smiled
/ grizzly at the reports brought him hy
his Neuranants, smiled vet more heart
lessIy as he thought OF the final blow
he was preparing to deal. s
The floor was III tunult. 10 Steele
It seemed that at least tWo-thirds OF
the traders were engaged In the strug-
gle that ragged about the q. r. 81
post. Steele himself, HollWedel and
| Beiden's broker were the storm cen
| ters, around whom revolYed a bowling
| mob Of frantic brokers, red-faced and
wilde eyed all and all perspiring, bran
dishing a1oft their arms, threatening
one another with their pads and pen
ellis, pushing. crushing this way and
that, surging to and fro, shouting,
yelling, shrieking chanting monet
onous dirge OF a hundred notes and
| but one word, that filled all four mar
| Bile walls of the great room To lis
| golden ceiling with one neVer-ending
cry of Sell Sell. Sell!
And if one dared bIeat ttBuyl" be
was overwhelmed by an instant on
sIaught. Steele felt that hours passed
thus, while he strained his ears to
catch change, however slight. In the
insistent iteration of Sell Sell
Sell" And IN the end, when at length
it came, he hardly knew II; for he
had lost heart and his head and was
raving In unison with his fellows.
And then, Just as he began TO real
lie that the tide was turning. some
one thrust a telegram IN his face. He
never knew who It was. AZ first he
refused to notice 1t, but 1T was thrust
at him persistently. Finally he was
forced to comprehend that the mes
sage was for him. He seized 1t, and
somehow the envelope was torn away
from It. He backed up against the
post and held It up before his eyes,
trying to steady himself The words
danced n1adly; 1t was some time be-
fore he grasped their import
Your wife Is dying. Come home at
once. Dexter. S
The shock seemed, ii way, to
deaden all his senses.
His fortune stood at stake. But
what di 4 1t matter? What was money
to himIife even without her? Men
pressed about him, like wall deter
mined men without understanding
But he lowered his head, sprang at
them, bucked way through them By
main strength and carelessness Of
consequence, fighting like q mailman.
Presently he was In Broad Street
hatless, his coat ripped up his back,
his collar lying about his neck sod
den pulp Of linen, one sleeve hanging
from the shoulder almost BIZ a single
thread. And 1t was raining, q steady
furious doWnpour Of April. He hardly
was conscious OF It. He found a taxi
cab, mainly by intuition; he could not
have been said to have seen It; and
jumped in, believing large promises
to the chauffeur.
She was reading, or had been, when
he staggered into her room. She arose
suddenly from her chair, and the book
crashed on the floor; she gave little,
startled cry, and one hand went tentaf
lively toward her heart. Her face was.
very white and apparently drawn, and
Steele saw that she had been crying.
Why, Jlmt'' she said.
Your you're all right?'' he gasp
ed, incredulously.
Yes, z she told him, wondering.
She came towards him slowly, hesi-
tatfng. beWildered.
IT her, e he said, after an interval,
what does this mean ?''
He extended his hand, opening his /
fingers: q little ball Of yellow paper
rested In his palm, damp with It's
moisture.
Read IT," he said, impatiently.
She unfolded It, read 1T with q
growing wonder, then looked up at
him.
& do not know" she said, with what
seemed an effort, what 1t means,
YOU are all right, sweetheart? You
are not i'll 7"
At present, not In the least
He pondered the problem, scowling.
Thank God, !" he whispered, once or
twice. And finally he Strengthened up.
with a single cry: "Belden e He had
fathoned the mystery.
An enemy sent It to me- he ex-
psafned, sitting down heavily. It was
handed TO me on the door OF the Ex-
change. SO came at once" He
attempted q smile, but without signal
success .At once he repeated,
dreariIy. THANK Godi'
Oil did that for me, Jim r. she said,
softly. For me And did not think
you cared so much! z
Ct did not know how much / cared