Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-07

He took her hand. 1t was cold and
he felt tremor run through her body |
at his touch.
Come, come. Nan, you're not silly /
child. I'm ashamed of you. If Cal Is
calling. so to him at once. You must /
see him"
Shivering in silence she led Stuart |
to the door of Bivens' room and fed |
to her own.
On a magnificent bed of cleaning |
ebony inlaid with rows of opals, thou |
sands of opals, Stuart found the little
shriveled form. The swarthy face was
white and drawn, the hard thin lips
fallen back from two rows Of smooth
teeth in pitiful. fevered weakness. The
shifting eyes caught sight'of Stuart.
It's awfully good of you to come
up here so soon," he began feebly.
I've some plans 1 want you to carry
out for me right away. You see
never thought before Of the world as
a place where there were so many
men and women sick and suffering
thousands and tens and hundreds of
thousands. These doctors say that
every night in New York alone there
are half a million people sick or bend
ing over the beds OF loved ones who
are suffering, and two hundred die
every day"
he paused for breath. and the black
eyes stared at his friend.
YIN, can't die! l haven't lived!
I've got to get up from here and do
some things I've meant to do-all those
sick people-rve got to do something
for them. I'm going to build palaces
for the lame, the halt, the sick, the
/ blind. I'm going to gather the great
| men of science from the ends of the
! earth and set them to work to lift
| this shadow from the world"
( A sudden pain seized and convulsei
| his frail body and Stuart called tina
doctors from the next room.
They stood by in helpless sympathy.
Cant you stop this pain?" the fl
nancier gasped in anger. What are
you here for? Am l not able to buy
enough morphine to stop this hellish
agony"
His family doctor bent and said:
Your heart action is too low just
now, Mr.. Bivens. you can't stand it"
We'll. | can't stand this! Give it to
me. I tell you"
The doctor took a hypodermic
syringe. filed it with water and in
jected it into his arm.
While Stuart watched the pitiful
trick. his eye wandered over the mag
nificent trappings of the room.
What irony Of fate" he exclaimed
nnder his breath.
The sufferer stared and beckoned e
Stuart
Handing him a key which he drew
from beneath his pillow he cried:
Unlock the right hand top drawer
of that safe. Jim-the door is open.
Hand me those bundles of stocks and
bonds and call those doctors"
Stuart complied with his request and
Bivens spread the brilliantly colored
papers on the white covering of his
bed. while the doctors drew near.
Listen now. gentlemen" he began
, still gasping with pain. You're our
greatest living doctors. I'm told. Well
I'm not willing to die. won't die-dC
. you hear? I'm only forty-nine years
/ old. You see here thirty millions in
' gilt edged stocks and bonds. Well
there are three of you. I'll give yOu
= ten millions each TO take this stone
off of my breast that's smothering me
: and give me FIVE years more of life"
The three men of science stood witt
I folded. helpless arms and made no eff
D fort to keep back the tears. They haC
D.. seen many men die. 1t was nothing
e new-and yet the pity and pathOs o
e this strange appeal found their way t.
D the soul of each. They never envie(
millionaire again.
They retired for another consulta
: ton. Stuart replaced the papers ant
: gave the key to Bivens.
Ask Nan to come here a minute.
he said feebly.
Stuart walked to the door and whis
:: pered to a servant When he return
4 ed TO the bedside the dying man looI
ed up into his face gratefully.
You don't know how 1t helps m
to have you near. Jim. old boy. II
lonely. Nan | guess is Ill and broke
Il down. I've lavished millions on hel
I've given her all possess in my will
but somehow we never found happ
ness. If | could only have been sur
of the deep. sweet, unselfish love q
one human soul on this earth. II
could only have won a girls heal
when / was poor. But l was ricl
and I've always wondered whethe
she really loved me for my own SAX
At least I've always thanked God IL
. you. You've been a real friend. On
hearts were young together and 20
stood by me when-I-was-poO
> An hour later when the GOVERN
was turned back from the dead bod
Stuart saw that the smooth little col
hand had gripped the key to his trea
, ures in last instructive grasp.
He looked again at the lump of col
( clay and wondered what was passin
> in the soul of the woman who VIZ
' now the heir of all his millions.
Why had she shown such strans
! and abject terror over his death-a
event she had foreseen and desired?
? A horrible suspicion suddenly fiashe
. through his mind. He determined
. know at once.
3 AS he had feared. Nan refused poll