The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1912-08-24
BY Melville Davisson Posf
Copyright by Edward ]. Clode

c'hu6O ~ tuS EtblutHCe Oh BARON
Adolph Won Hubert on Eighty-sixth
street. The baron was the American
agent Of the Berlin banking house of
Weissell & Co.
The little party on this evening con.
sisted OF Madame Won Hubert, the ba.
ron, Winfield Gerry and myself. Young
Gerry, who went everywhere among
people OF leisure, was taken to be
enormously rich. His brother, Marcus
Gerry. was certainly one OF the
wealthiest men in New York. He was
the largest stakeholder, and financial
dictator, OF the Fifty-eighth National
bank. Winfield Gerry was under thir.
ty, courtly young fellow, almost as
handsome as girl. He was extrava-
CANT, daring, It was said, and reckless.
He had been brought up from boyhood
on the continent, think, and was col
ored with the Latin temperament.
l do not remember ever to have
been SO fortunate at cards as on this
evening. When we arose from the
table, had won $500. OF which sum
the baron lost two hundred. The re.
ihoihuSh was thS lobb VI " lHutIu
Gerry. was glad of this distribution
Of the loss. Young Gerry was reputed
an idle young fellow with millions at
his finger tips.
The baron. keeping his money, like
q Teuton, in gold. handed me ten dou-
ble-eagles. Mr.. Gerry said that he
would give me check at the club,
nd aoEad 30 v-iI tnu ,.,lt IA
him in his carriage. We were scarce
ly seated before he turned to me and
said, in quiet. even voice. as though
he were announcing n score;
81 can't pay you, Mr.. Parks"
] turned In establishment to see II
he was testing. The electric light in
the carriage showed me face dis
tressingly drawn and tired. There
was no pleasantly behind that counte-
nance. The solution came to me in
stantly. This man, posing as a gen.
tleman, was In fact a cad; he was
about to question the regularity OF the
game. the regularity OF a friendly sit
ting at bridge in the house OF such
people as the Won Huberts. bristled
with indignation.
And may I inquire" I answered
frigidly, why is It that you cannot
pay me. Mr.. Gerry?"
The man did not at once reply. He
took cigarette from his pocket. light
ed II and leaned back on the cushions
Of the carriage.
For the best reason in the world,
Mr.. Parks" he answered; 81 have at
this moment, to be entirely accurate.
Just two hundred and thirty-eight dol
lars and seventy-flve cents"
I was greatly relieved. my dear
sir" laughed, II do not expect you
to carry about cash drawer ] knew
an Englishman once whose income
was something like a hundred thou
sand sterling. and who did not have a
shilling in his pocket from one years
end to the other. should be glad OF
your check. should be glad Of any
you are alone there" he said sim
ply.
My annoyance returned. detest
passages at banter. 81 trust" l said.
that you will permit me to under
stand you"
1T would be better, have no
doubt" he said, looking me evenly In
the face. 81 have not intended to be
either obscure or facetious. The sum
which ! have Just mentioned repre-
sents all the money that have in the
world. My reputation for wealth is
. mere shell. ! owe ninety-five thou
sand dollars, exclusive Of this little
debt to you. Stable and tailor bills,
various club dues. run fifteen hundred
more. ! owe twelve hundred In over
drafts. II is near hundred thou
sand. you see. Against this, i have
perhaps Ave thousand dollars OF per-
sonal effects; horses worth thirty.hve
hundred and a bundle OF worthless
stocks. am beastly poor, atrocious-
ly poor. you see. Mr.. Parks"
] listened In establishment.
"You will doubtless put me down a
cad" he went on. ito Join game OF
bridge when l had not the money to
pay my losses. In fact. ] did not In
tend to play. I called, intending to
make my excuses to the baroness and
depart. found this politely impos-
sible, and l sat down to the table
hoping that two hundred dollars
would cover my proportion of probable
Ioss."y He paused and made a depre-
eating gesture. ut was no idle fancy
OF the ancients to picture fortune
woman. l might have known"
Then he stopped, stripped of his
gloves, took out his purse, removed
two rings, unlocked a Jewel from his
tie. and, before realized what he
was doing, handed them all to me.
put. back his hand. He thrust the ar
ticles into his waistcoat pocket and
dropped his hand on his knee.
81 thank you for the courtesy" he
said, but you would much better take
them. They will presently be listed
by the referee in bankruptcy. One
Brazilian diamond. two and a half
carats, valued at three hundred dol
lars. One imitation ruby, valued at
fifty dollars. One baroque pearl, val
ued at twenty-five dollars. The very
jewelry is mostly sham. ] am rather
complete pretense. Mr.. Parks"
There was little to say. and ] said