Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-07-14

passed 1t over it was
wnuzan~E@ part of her daily nfe-had
been a part of 1t ever since, ten years
before, the curtain had fallen upon
their honeymoon.
She was accustomed to say that for
ten hours of the day, from eight in
the morning to six in the evening,
Tom West was a mere money-making
machine, with no end in life save the
manipulation of the market, no con-
ception of anything in the world save
bank and railway statements, dtvi-
dends. tickers and the ebb and flow
of prices. Afterwards, from p. m.
to a. m, he was normal human be
ing with almost human interests, In
GLIDING a wife.
Therein she did West Justice, and
some injustice. In point Of fact, the
man adored his wife after business
hours But 1t was most true that he
forgot her completely throughout the
Wall street working day. And to that,
perhaps, may be attributed his remark
able successful the absolute concen-
tration OF all his faculties upon the
matter in hand: which generally con-
sisted in the bearing of some secur
ity which other men admired, but
which West looked upon with the jaun-
diced eye of the skeptic confirmed in
his pessimism so far as stock values
were concerned.
AS for his wife, for the time being
her thoughts as we'll as her slim white
fingers were busted about the tall cop
per pot in which the coffee brewed.
Now, with a little nod of satisfaction.
she placed the extinguisher over the
fame Of the alcohol lamp. and glanced
tentatively toward her husband. as
though fearful Of disturbing him.
or West. only his fingers were visi-
BILE; rough-hewn, blunt, heavy fingers
that conveyed a distinct impression of
the mans character, as the world saw
1t. They gripped almost fiercely the
edges Of the morning paper. which he
held outspread so as thoroughly to
curtain himself from his wife's gaze
Behind It he maintained an unbroken
silence; his big, broad brow thrust
forward aggressively. his lips set and
tense. his gray eyes fairly dancing uI
and down the serried columns of fig
ures, as he-to use his own phrase
tore the heart out of the market re
port.
The woman gazed upon the fingers
, with a tenderness glowing deep in he
, eyes; somehow they suggested to he
r very clearly the man she knew so wei
, that man whom the street reckonet
ruthless, but whom she loved with al
her being. and who loved her In return
= with a devotion almost womanish-
I after business hours again
a In time West lowered the paper IN
K I'll its upper edge was level with tn
bridge Of his nose He stared at he
absent-mindedly the creature ma
/. was asserting It's desire for refrest
a ment, though the business man wa
II lost in a bordering of men and meas
e ures. Coffee ready?" he demanded
and promptly returned his gaze to tn
list of the previous days transaction
o Ready" she replied, quickly an
r clearly. land waiting, Tom" Sh
!. dropped the indispensable two lump
o of sugar into Vests cup. added tn
cream, then brimmed 1t with til
steaming black liquor.
n AS she had multiplication sh
e studied the man elosely-the sound {
% her voice and the stir of the tabl
ID ware distracted the current of b
thoughts. Reluctantly he folded III
news sheet. and laid 1t at the side
,, his plate. accepted the cup. and bega
}, to stir the coffee with his spoon. M
at notonously. as though he feared
Il. might lose virtue through inactio
meanwhile glazing at his plate.
She forebore to question him: 81
Oh knew that before long he would beg
err to talk. Always, ever since she cou
6 remember. he had interlarded b
IN breakfast with a one-sided discussio
ke a running comment on the ways of Il
street. and on the part he happened
be playing therein at the particul
as time
m And SO. inevitably. It came to pas
n. Presently he dropped the spoon al
ne began to use his fork: and. Fun
a thing about Belden." he observed, tai
ing more at. than to. her.
"Yes?"-with the rising infection.
!" Yes. Funny thing about Beld
OF and myself We've been fighting too
ge. and nail for the last FIVE years or
V, and now it just happens that we
b, both hard up at the same time. {
incidence"
How do you know he is hard up
me Don't know it." He was looki
nts at ner now, and interestedly. but s
nd saw that he had forgotten her. T
my enthusiasm OF logical deduction pr
,rk sessed him thoroughly: his imagir
lai llon was wrapped with the JOY OF pei
ted 'rating rival operators secret.
ub. was happSS formulating into phras
The tale that yesterdays ticker ia
and today's market report had told
IN. him. Don't know It from Be1del
| L..
Ve- own lips, lhat Is. But mes rtggf
led the Notwithstanding Net Co
icy mon
met Common?" she inquir1
puzzled.
ng ne" England transit common