Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-05-10
.y.prER Il-(contInued.)

80 other reiauHes, xHtate-
s.I,isJ and pretty OlA
CHAPTER Il.-tcontInu'd.)
.,.d 10 meet Bruce one day
noon luncheon. It was Satur-
~ .-roon and my work was nm
y ar the week. He came into the
~ mere I sat and dropped heavily
~ cat beside me. His appearance
- ne 10 whirl upon him. His
drawn tense as the skin OF
,m his eyes were heavy as
= With a great WEAKNESS. and
s.nss aspen in their shakiness.
"a the haunted look or man
y -. been crushed. soul and body,
.s,rs appalling disaster. Marvel
Il the evil. transformation which
some over him. let my hand
a mon his shaking fingers.
what Is It. BruceT | cried sharp
IA blotted the perspiration from
y ,.ca and answered me hoarse as
4. all up. They have wiped me
!. elssn as q whistle. Had every
49, could rake and scrape on
~-.,.m' stock, and she has gone
...sght TO the bottommost pit Of In
20 And / was forty thousand to
4. good and was going to quit for
- al City thousand and marry
r.r,r He burst into tears. And
can't marry her. for l am
1900. busted, blown UP. shot to
800. II any one should give me
!, s,somobile couldn't raise the
M 10 Ill its tires" His head
,o,oed forward. and wiping his eyes
a he sat with chest heaving. l
arsd at him.
sHov much did It sink?" asked
1culy after q moment. He waved his
llnds helplessly.
n didn't sink: It didn't take time
= 40 that It Just plunged. dived.
Handicapped like a ton OF lead
d vacuum. was wiped out before
could yell keno and crook a finger.
A he miserable shame Of III ASS
.pspeakablel Fool uncomfortable!
Not unutterablel ASST IDIOT Fool!"
Shocked but helpless / surveyed
Nm IN silence. Presently his voice
nose again. this time angrily.
But that stock is only temporarily
nocked down, and Is bound to come
ID smiling long before the count II
VA that damnabIe published lie that
azrtsd the panic. and the scare viii
bs over in "a hours when the truth Is
lrown. II | only had $4,000 more
/ couM get back in good shape In nc
tine. But can't beg. borrow or steal
onetsnth Of that sum. I'm an alley
k,,stins, freelunch pauper who CAM
nen sell his soul because Old Mich
1gars he'll get 1t anyway free gratis
AID there's our dear Uncle Abner sit
lIng NJ there in his den this very min
uiz blowing his fingers and nose
through $4,000 that he has just col
kc.sd IN currency. I was up to SCI
IN IN dying effort TO get him u
fnks me. but he only grinned at m'
NE totem pole and kept on count
be the bales Of yellow backs until
vsntsd to yell and had to run awal
b get shut Of IT," He got upon hi
bet and In his anger banged the tabl'
Win . metal object which he ha'
tightly clenched In his fist.
But rye simply got to get ten thou
sand for q month or two, tell you
and I'm going to do It." Then sud
denly subsiding he turned to me Il
k>lplsss importantly. You couldn'
mare me anything In the shape OF a
sfyanoe. could you. old man7"
ne pathos Of the appeal touche
ne but shook my head. mo. Bruce
| can give you nothing to speculat
riih.. replied quietly. He got u
sih departing shrug Of his shou
ters nodded . hurried goodby an
va OF on what was doubtless som
Ast despairing quest. I saw no goo
b stamping to detain him and ther'
~ made no effort TO call him bacl
Thoughts Of what he had told m
tnsd my mind to the exclusion Of a
slse Il was bad news. very bad new
hzesd. and / Knew that Glare woul
nsF abe did, she would take b
troubles deep into her own heart An
4 was miserable shame. too. Fort
uoassnd dollars was a magnificer
f1rt along the road TO fortune for
nan only twsnty-sight years old. an
= would probably be many years b
nn be could climb that high agaii
ne suddenness OF the catastropf
Ws : distinct shock to me. For q
hour ! pondered over It deeply. the
kizing. took my own departure HON
ssrt.
Uncle Abner was still nosing arour
nong his stacks OF currency as
sntsrsd. He glanced up at me quic
vas opened the door. then. ignorii
ne. picked up thousand dollar b
snc began talking to 1t.
Look at me. you beauty. OF courI
w don't know how l got you. b
- going to tell you. I schema
n yon days and laid awake for y
a<na sweat for you and | s
esps Tor you and denied myself I
so1 and finally got you. You J
ne : pretty chase. but In the end
optured you because | had my 90
upon you. And why did ] wa
,eas Because you are the concentl
oa q stored energy. AL have
= turn you loose in the world a
naak In my chair and watch.