Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-04-16
The
Millio ]: !,
Honeymoon

Ing maximum of spine chilling sea
with a minimum Of clothing and
courage. "Ugh!" he shivered.
"Cold, amt IT."
There's knife In the air, there
is" replied the policeman. who had
been praying for hours for that door
to open.
Inside there was fresh sawdust on
the floor, the urn was steaming, and
there was smell Of hot whisky. It
was the atmosphere Of luxury to the
stragglers who wandered in.
A woman was among the little
crowd. though not of them. Some
trace of better days, Of gentility, diff
ferentiated her. But she was falling
into the lowest pit. This was the
first time she had ever entered a sa-
loon and called for drink.
It was gin she ordered "a large
gin and she gulped It down hot.
When she emerged into the street
her worldly wealth amounted to
nickel and cent, She had that cent
long time, for she had kept it for
luck. And when the nickel was
spent she would still have the penny
and the same luck.
The previous day her landlord had
sued her for arrears of rent. She
had gone to the court and told her
story.
They gave her a quarter and said
something about making inquiries.
She did not know what they meant;
but she knew she had Is cents and
that she was hungry. She was al
ways hungry. but she had not always
quarter. She went straightway
and spent IS cents In one fell swoop
in one riotous Lucullan orgie!
What a feast 1t was!
After 1t she crawled back stated to
her garnet, cast her sewing aside,
and slept. She awoke In the early
morning, shivering, and recourse to
liquor-to something fiery and po-
tent-suggested itself. Now she was
going again to her garnet. without
warmth of the alcohol in her veins.
Was she still dreaming when there
came knock at the door and
beautiful woman In rustling gown
stepped anxiously toward her bed?
"You are Mrs. Albert Forshaw?"
she said, touching her on the shout
der How you frightened me, lying
there so still!'' .
The woman rose from the bed. No,
It was not dream.
II read OF your case In the pa
pers.n the visitor went on, and, oh,
how gl,.d l am 20 be able to help
you! In this envelope are FIVE 50
notes, and here Is some loose silver.
This is a letter to dressmaker who
will give you woI No; don't thank
me. Mine is the blessing to- be able
to give-to help. How easily might
fate have ordained that You should
be in my place and I in yours. Then
you would have done something to
help me. wouldn't you z"
She laughed brightly, with tears
gllstening in her eyes. 1t was good
to look upon her.
Good by!I shall hear how you
get on through my dressmaker."
The room seemed to go suddenly
dark. She had gone. The rumble
Of carriage wheels came up from
the street below.
It was early morning at sea, and
sunbeam and breeze waged friend
" contest as to which could be the
pleasanter. Gilbert Rhode Jeans, a
tall alert figure in white ducks, stood
on the deck of the great liner, taking
A dose, as he said, of the tonic of the
scene.
"Til give the prize to the breeze"
he remarked tc the woman who
leaned gently on his arm.
He gazed at her with proud admir-
alton
"You are reilly happy, Beatrice?"
Really, reall.
In the bright morning light 1t was
easy to guess their ages. Hers you
would have fixed at twenty-five, his
at forty-two. They had been married
week and were on their honeymoon
trip to America. He was a British
millionaire.
In the glow OF hot afternoon sun
the same day they lounged on deck
chairs. He was reading from a note
book.
And all these are your retain
ers?" he asked.
Yes
who is Marcelle Bruniere? Quite
a romantic name"
"She is milliner who would have
died but for q fortunate accident.
She was wrongly arrested for theft,
and her whole story came out"
Sure 1t was wrongly"
Yes. A case of mistaken iden-
tity. It was fully proved
and Hester Gwynne? Another
pretty name"
In brief chapter heads she re-
counted her story too, and that OF
half dozen others whose names APP
peared In the book. He kept turn
ing over the leaves and calling them
out.
What a host OF Them" he COM
mented. Surely you don't act az
banker to them all?'