The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1912-02-08

|
was a copy OF the New York Herald
containing an elaborate accoun, NJ A.
brilliant reception and musicale v,var
the previous evening at her home
With an exclamation of impatience he
rose from his seat, threw the naner
from him. and began to pace the floor
Was this the end of evervthino7
Had he reached the end of his rome ,
He must pay the reckoning, If not to.
day. tomorrow. AS his eyes wan.
dered around the room and he took
mental inventory of each costly oh
ject. he experienced a sudden sbock
as he recalled the things that were
missing. How could he explain their
absence? The art dealers were al
ready suspicious. They were not tn
be put of any longer with excuses
Any moment they might insist either
on the immediate return of their prom.
erty or on payment in full. He was
in the position to do neither. The
articles had been sold and the money
lost gambling Curse the luck! Every.
thing had gone against him of late
The dealers would begin criminal pro-
ceedings, disgrace and prison stripes
would follow. There was no way ont
of 1t. He had no one to whom he
could turn In this crisis.
And now even Alicia had deserted
him. This was the last straw. While
he was still able to boast of the
friendship and patronage of the arts
tocratic Mrs. Howard Jeffries he
could still hold his head high in the
world. No one would dare question
his integrity, but now she had aban-
doned him to his fate. people would be-
gin to talk. There was no use Keen
ing up a hopeless fight-suicide was
the only way outl
He stopped in front OF a mirror
startled at what he saw there. II
was the face of a man not yet 30. but
apparently much older The features
were drawn and haggard, and his dark
hair was plentifully streaked with
gray. He looked like a man who had
lived two lives In one Tonight bis
face frightened him. His eyes had a
fixed stare like those of a man he
had once seen in a madhouse. He
ii men looked like that when
they were about to be executed. Was
not his own hour close at hand? He
wondered why the clock was SO noisy.
I seemed to him that the ticks were
ouder than usual He started sud.
ienly and looked around fearfully He
hought he had heard a sound outside
lie shuddered as he glared toward the
little drawer on the right-hand side OF
lis desk. in which he knew there was
loaded revolver.
II Alicia would only relent escape
night yet be possible. If he did nor
ear from her 1t must be for tonight
inc slight little pressure on the trig-
er and all would be over.
Suddenly the bell of the telepbone
the apartment with the
lain hall downstairs rang violently.
Interrupted thus abruptly I'm the
1idst Of his reflections. Underwood
imped forward. startled. His nerves
'ere so unstrung that he was ever
pprehensive of danger. With trem.
lous hand he took hold of the re-.
eiver and placed it to his ear. AS he
Stoned. his already pallid face turned
inter and the lines about his mourn
ghtened. He hesitated a moment he
ore replying. Then, with an effort
e said:
Send him up"
Dropping the receiver. he began to
ak neryously up and down tho
'om. The crisis had come sooner than
2 xpected-exposure was at hand
his man Bennington was the man.
ser of the firm of dealers whose
'ods he disposed Of He could NOT
axe restitution. Prosecution was In.
liable. Disgrace and prison would
low. He could not stand II. he
ould rather kill himself. Trouble was
ry close at hand, that was certain
DIV could he get out of it? Pacing
hoor, he bit his lips till the blood
me.
There was sharp ring at the front
or. Underwood opened 1t. AS no
cognized his visitor on the tbresb.
|. he exclaimed:
Why, Bennington, this is a sur.
sci"
me manager entered awkwardIv
had the constrained air of man
% has come on an unpleasant err.
Id, but wants to be as amiable as
circumstances will permit.
You DIDN'T expect me. did your" he
gan.
shutting the front door, Underwood
tne way back into the sitting room.
making an effort to control his
YES. said:
SIT down. won't your"
tut Mr.. Bennington merely bowed
ny. 1t was evident that he did NOT
n mis- call to be mistaken Tor a So
visit.
haven't time, thank you. To be
TX, my mission is rather a delicate
Mr.. Underwood"
(ro BE coNTrNUED)
~ >S.\NlS<EY