Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-03-30


less as to throw him over at such a
moment. Crushed in his left hand
was a copy of the New York Herald
containing an elaborate account of the
brilliant reception and musicale given
the previous evening at her home.
With an exclamation of Impotence he
rose from his seat, threw the paper
from him. and began to pace the floor.
Was this the end of everything?
Had he reached the end of his roper
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 OBJ
ject, he experienced a sudden shock
as he recalled the things that were
missing. How could he explain their
j absence? The art dealers were al
ready suspicious. They were not to
be put off any longer with excuses.
ANY moment they might insist either
on the immediate return of their prop
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 luckl 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 out
of it. 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 aris-
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-
gin to talk. There was no use keep
ing up a hopeless fight-suicide was
the only way QUIT
He stopped in front of mirror,
startled at what he saw there. 1t
was the face of man not yet 80, 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 his
face frightened him. His eyes had a
fixed stare like those of a man he
! had once seen in a madhouse. He
wondered If 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;
1t seemed to him that the ticks were
louder than usual. He started sud-
denly and looked around fearfully. He
thought he had heard a sound outside.
He shuddered as he glared toward the
little drawer on the right-hand side of
his desk, IN which he knew there was
a loaded revolver.
If Alicia would only relent escape
might yet be possible. If he did not
hear from her 1t must be for tonight
One slight little pressure on the trig
ser and all would be over.
Suddenly the bell of the telephone
connecting the apartment with the
main hall downstairs rang violently
Interrupted thus abruptly in the
midst of his reflections, Underwood
jumped forward, startled. His nerves
we're so unstrung that he was ever
apprehensive of danger. With a trem
ceiver and placed 1t to his ear. AS he
listened. his already pallid face turned
whittier and the lines about his mouth
frightened He hesitated a moment be
fore replying. Then, with an effort
he said:
"Send him up"
Dropping the receiver, he began t,
walk nervously up and down tn,
room. The crisis had come sooner thar
he xpected-exposure was at hand
This man Bennington was the man
ager of the firm of dealers who's,
goods he disposed of. He could no
make restitution. Prosecution was in
evitable. Disgrace and prison would
follow. He could not stand 1t; h,
would rather kill himself Trouble wa
very close at hand that was certain
the floor. he bit his lips till the bloc,
came.
There was a sharp ring at the from
door Underwood opened It, AS b,
recognized his visitor on the thresh
old, he exclaimed:
"Why, Bennington, this is a sur
IS prisel"
d The manager entered awkwardly
s. He had the constrained air Of a NAL
S, who has come on an unpleasant Ell
10 rand, but wants to be as amiable a
s, the circumstances will permit.
d you didn't expect me, did your" h
a. began.
D. Shutting the front door, underwood
S, led the way back into the sitting room
y and making an effort to control hi
10 nerves. said: a.
Il "Sit down, won't your"
e But Mr.. Bennington merely bowe
d stiffiy It was evident that he did no
e wish his call to be mistaken for sc
s, cial visit.
e Il haven't time, thank you. To b
1t frank, my mission is rather a delicat
a one, Mr.. Underwood"