The Nevada County picayune., 1911-06-23

own lips, that is. But he's rigging the market-ballooning Net Com | mon"
 Net Common?" she inquired puzzled.
 New England Transit, common he translated, inpatiently; his pet stock. He wants to boost it by wash sales as high as the market will stand and then he's going to unload at a big profit. He plans to add the Benning ton extension to the New England Transit system, and he needs money to buy in the bond issue. Bennington extension" he contiued, as though try. ing to make 1t perfectly clear to him self, beyond possibility of error, Ifs a big Independent trolley line running north out of Hartford It's practically bankrupt, and will default on the in- terest due on the first, for ita first mortgage four-per-cent bonds. Belden wants to buy them in, so that he can foreclose on the minute, and make Bennington extension a part of New l England Transit. Slick, isn't he?"
 But West was not asking a question to be answered, for he continued, all most without a break: "Belden found out that he wouldn't get 'em for a song yesterday" he said, chuckling. | Bennington Fours are selling at fifty nine, and a drug on the market at that. But I'm holding block on be- half of Western syndicate, and Bel den has agreed to pay me eighty for 'em. 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 tains bellying in the warm June breeze that had access through the open window
 Tell you what" he broke out, se- riously, 'it was a great relief to me when closed the transaction I stand i to get three or four hundred thousand out of 1t, and I need ready money the worst way, myself. That last rise in Ontario pinched me badly, and the my paper" He frowned, teetering ab- stractedly on two legs of his chair; then suddenly pulled out his watch. "Hello!" he announced. 'Ill have to hustle. By. Bess."
 West arose, came around to her oh nd hnr to Gt h fn
 She lifted her lips to his, and they were barely parted; her eyelids droop- ed heavily, and she sighed faintly For the instant ten years dropped from their lives; Vests gaze glorified the firm curve of her cheek, the full caught at his breath sharply.
 Also he noticed 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? Mo-" 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 else's, Bess," he laugh ed. lightly.
 To dress for the evening was an or deal, but one to be faced with 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 1t was while grudged assistance of cross maid, that she was suddenly convinced by a subtly psychic. womanly intuition that something was amiss, either with Tom or with Toms affairs.
 But forebodings such as that are
  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- stant 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 boys side when she might have been materially comfortable at the sea shore.
 His forehead was like hot tile to her palm; dry, hard. slightly glazed His face was a pallid mask, his lips feverish, and dry, and cracked, like a stale crust lnstinctively she knew