The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-06-30


him. Don't know It from pzIdar.a
own lips, that Is But he's rtyyi,a
the Notwithstanding Net Com.
| mon"
Net Common" she inquired
puzzled.
New England Transit, common q"
he translated, impatiently: his no,
stock. He wants to boost It BY wash
sales as high as the market will stand
and then he's going to unload AZ hfg
proht' He plans to add the Bennipg.
ton extension to the New England
transit system, and he needs money
10 BUY in the bond issue. Bennington
extension, he continued, as though trv.
ing to make It perfectly clear to him.
| self, beyond possibility of error 'is q
Dig independent trolley line running
! north out OF Hartford. It's practically
bankrupt, and will default on the IN.
terest, due on the first, for its first
mortgage fouT-per-cent bonds. Belden
wants to buy them in, so that he can
toreclose on the minute, and make
bennington extension a part of New
England Transit. Slick, isn't he?"
But West was not asking a question
to be answered, for he continued. al
most without a break: "Belden found
out that he wouldn't get EN- for a
song yesterday" he said, chuckling.
bennington Fours are selling at fifty
nine, and drug on the market at
that. But I'm holding block on be-
| half of Western syndicate, and Bel
den has agreed to pay NE eighty for
EN-. I gave him to understand that
they'd never be a cent cheaper, so he
had to knuckle under, and pass me
his word to the deal"
Yes" she breathed. vaguely, not
greatly interested.
West paused to swallow his coffee,
then sat back and watched the cur.
tatns bellying in the warm June
breeze that had access through the
open window.
Tell you what" he broke out, Sc
riously, 1T was a great relief to me
when closed the transaction. I stand
to get three or four hundred thousand
out of It, and I need ready money the
worst way, myself. That last rise in
Ontario pinched me badly and the
banks are beginning to fight shy Of
my paper" He frowned, lettering alb
stractedly on two legs of his chair;
then suddenly pulled out his watch.
Hello" he announced. I'll have to
hustle. BY, Bess."
West arose, came around to her
chair, and bent over to kiss his wife.
She lifted her lips to his, and they
were barely parted; her eyelids droop-
ed heavily, and she sighed family.
For the instant ten years dropped
from their lives; Vests gaze glortfed
the firm curve of her cheek, the full
sweep of her bare throat; and he
caught at his breath sharply.
Also he noticed a little anxious
pucker between her brows, for which
he laid the blame at the door Of the
oppressive weather, nor understood in
the least that fear for him chilled her
heart.
Look here, m'dear." he suggested,
in a severely practical tone, as he
Strengthened up. Don't you think
you'd better run up to Newport"
"And leave you here, alone, to
stand the heat? No" she decided.
firmly. when Tom West takes a
vacation, his wife will. Meanwhile,
nothing worries me so much as the
knowledge that you are working TOO
hard-slaving your life out, dear. Be
careful today, won't you-for my
sake?"
For no one elses, Bess." he laugh
ed, lightly.
To dress for the evening was an or.
deal, but one to be faced with q smile
For Tom liked to find her just SO: it
was good TO him, when he had slough
ed the cares of the day, TO see her
fresh. unwilted.
Later. she recalled that it was while
she struggled to attire herself with the
grudged assistance Of cross maid
that she was suddenly convinced oy
subtIy psychic, womanly intuition that
something was amtss. either WITH Tom
or with Toms affairs.
But forebOdings such as that are
sternIy to be relegated to the limbo OF
superstitions until the event proves
their excuse.
She was at the head Of the stairs
when the door opened and West
slumped forward into the buffers
arms: crumpled, enervated, crushed
by the whitening heat. In another in
stan; she was by his side, abruptly
composed. mistress Of herself and OF
her fears; for this was what she had
been awaiting. this that contingency
the fear Of which had held her by her
bows side when she might have been
materially comfortable at the sea
shore
His forehead was like hot tile 70
her palm; dry, hard. slightly glazed.
His face was q pallid mask. his lips
feverish, and dry. and cracked, Ike
stale crust. Instinctively she knew
what was first TO be done.
ice water!" she demanded OF the