Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1911-12-15
CHAPTER Il.-(continued.)


| happened to meet Bruce one day
at our noon luncheon. 1t was Satur-
day afternoon and my work was fin
ished for the week. He came into the
place where sat and dropped heavily
into seat beside me. His appearance
caused me TO whirl upon him. His
face was drawn tense as the skin Of
a drum, his eyes were heavy as
though with great weariness, and
his hands aspen in their shakiness.
He had the haunted look of a man
who has been crushed, soul and body,
by some appalling disaster. Marvel
Ing, at the evil transformation which
had come over him, l let my hand
fall upon his shaking fingers.
What LIS it, Bruce?" l cried sharp
ly. He blotted the perspira ton from
his face and answered me hoarse as a
crow
1T is all up. They have wiped me
out clean as whistle. Had every
thing | could rake and scrape on
System stock, and she has gore
straight to the bottommost pit Of in
ferno. And l was forty thousand to
the good and was going to quit for
ever at fifty thousand and marry
Clare" he burst into tears. And
now I can't marry her, for l am
ruined, busted, blown up, shot to
pieces. II any one should give me
an automobile couldn't raise the
wind to fill it's tires" His head
dropped forward, and wiping his eyes
dry he sat with chest heaving.
stared at him.
How much did 1t sink?" l asked
slowly after a moment. He waved his
hands helpiessly.
''It didn't sink; It didn't take time
to 60 that 1t just plunged, dived,
sounded-dropped like ton of lead
IN vacuum. l was wiped out before
could yell keno and crook finger.
Oh, the miserable shame of It! ASS
unspeakable! Fool uncomfortable!
Idiot unutterable! Ass! Idiot! Fool!"
Shocked but helpless l surveyed
him in silence. Presently his voice
arose again. this time angrily.
But that stock is only temporarily
knocked down, and is bound to come
up smiling long before the count. 1t
was that dannable published lie that
started the panic, and the scare will
be over in "a hours when the truth is
known If l only had $4,000 more
l could get back in good shape in no
time. But can't beg, borrow or steal
One-tenth Of that sum. I'm an alley
ilfesting, free-lunch pauper who can't
even sell his soul because Old Nick
figures he'll get 1t anyway free gratis
And there's our dear Uncle Abner sit
ting up there in his den this very min
ute blowing his fingers and nose
through $4,000 that he has just col
lected in currency. | was up to see
him in dying effort to get him to
stake me, but he only grinned at me
like totem pole and kept on count
Ing the bales of yellow backs until l
wanted to yen and had to run away
to get shut OF It," He got upon his
feet and in his anger banged the table
with metal object which he had
tightly clenched in his fist.
But I've simply got to get ten thou
sand for a month or two, tell you,
and I'm going to do It," Then sud-
denly subsiGing he turned to me in
helpless importantly. You couldn't
spare me anything in the shape Of an
advance, could you. old MANI"
Of 70
me, but ! shook my head. mo, Bruce.
l can give you nothing to speculate
with" l replied quietly. He got up
with a despairtng shrug of his shout
ders, nodded a hurried goodby and
was off on what was doubtless some
lsst despairing quest. | saw no good
In attempting to detain him and there
fore made no effort to call him back.
Thoughts of what he had told me-
filled my mind to the exclusion of all
else. 1t was bad news, very bad news,
indeed, and l knew that Clare would
knew she did, she would take his
troubles deep into her own heart. And
1t was a miserable shame, too. Forty
thousand dollars was a magnificent
start along the ROAD 10 lOrtunS loI d
man only twenty-eight years DID, and
it would probably be many years be-
fore he could climb that high again.
The suddenness Of the catastrophe
was a distinct shock to me. For an
hour | pondered over it deeply, then,
arising, took my own departure home
ward.
Uncle Abner was still nosing around
among his stacks of currency as
entered. He glanced up at me quick
" as opened the door, then, ignoring
me, picked up a thousand dollar bill
and began talking to 1t.
Look at me, you beauty. OF course
YOU don't know how I got you, but
I'm going to tell you. | schemed
for you days and laid awake for you
nights. sweat for you and | set
traps for you ard denied myself for
you, and finally I got you. You led
me a pretty chase. but In the end |
captured you because | had my soul
set upon you. And why did | want
YOU? Because you are the concentra-
ton of stored energy. All have to
do Is turn you loose in the world and