Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-24
CONTINUED from Saturday,


Langham had dropped back in his
chair. He was seeking to devise some
expedient that would meet his present
difficulties. His bondage to the gam
bier had become into,erable, any
thing would be better than a con-
tfnuance of that. The monstrous
folly of those forgeries seemed
beyond anything he could have per-
petrated in his sober senses. He must
have been mad! But then he had
needed the money desperately.
He might go To his father, but he
had been to him only recently, and
the Judge himself was burdenod with
debt He might go to Mr.. Linscott,
he might even try North. He could
tell the latter the whole cireum-
stance and borrow a part of what
was left of his small fortune; OF
course he was in his debt as it was,
but North would never think of that;
he was a man to share his last dollar
with friend.
He passed a shaking hand across
his eyes. On every side the night
mare of his obligations confronted
him, for who was there that he could
owe whom he did not already oWeE
He was notorious for his inability to
pay his debts. This notoriety was
hurting his professional standing, and
now if Gilmore carried out his threat
he must look forward to the shame
of a public exposure His very repu-
tation for common honesty was at
stake.
He wondered what men did in a
crisis such as this. He wondered
what happened to them when they
could do nothing more. Usually he
was fertile in eXpedients, but today
his brain seemed wholly inert. He
realized only a certain dull terror OF
the future; the present eluded him
utterly.
He had never been serupulous
perhaps, he had always taken what
he pleased to call long chances, and
it was in almost imperceptible grada-
lions that he had descended in the
scale of honesty to the point that
had e. last made possible these for
geries. Until now he had always
felt certain of himself and of his
the presence of his dear desires,
when he should have money to lift
the burden of debt, money to waste.
money to scatter, money to spend for
the good things of life.
But he had made the fatal mistake
of anticipa ting the success in which
he so firmly believed. Those notes
he dashed his hand before his face;
suddenly the air of the room seemed
to stife him, courage and cunning
had left him; there was only North
| to whom he could turn for a few
| hundreds with which to quiet Gill
more. Let him but escape the conse-
quences of his folly this time and he.
promised himself he would retrench;
he would live within his income. he
would apply himself to his profession
as he had never vet applied himself.
He scowled heavily at Gilmore, who
met his scowl with a cynical smile.
WELL what are you going to do|'
he queried
But Langham did not answer al
once He had turned and was look
| ing from the window. 1t was snow
| ing now very hard, and twilight, un-
| der the edges of torn gray clouds
was creeping over the square: he
could barely see the pickering lights
in Archibald McBride's dingy shop
windows.
Give me a chance, Andy" he said
at last appealingly.
"To the end of the month, not a
day more" asserted Gilmore.
Where am l to get such sum in
that time? You know l can't do it,
Don't ask ne, but turn to and get
it. Marsh. That's your only hope"
by the first of the year, perhaps,
urged Langham.
mo, get rid of the notion that ] am
going to let up on you, for l am t.
I'm going to squat on your tran unit
the moneys in my hand; otherwise,
know damn well / won't ever see q
cent of it, | amt your only creditor
but the one who hounds you hardest
will see his money first and | got yor
where l want you
"I can't raise the money, what vii
you gain by running me-" demanded
Langham He wished to impress this
on Gilmore, and then he would pro
pose as a compromise the few hun
dreds it would be possible to borrow
from North.
ITO get square with you, Marsh
will be worth something, and, frankly
| amt sure that | ever expected Il
see any of that money, but as long al
Won stood my friend / was disposed
to be easy on you.
'I am still your friend"
Just about $3.50. but you won
keep Moxlow-
81 CAN'T
Then I can't see where your friend
ship comes in Gilmore quilted hi
] chair.
"Wait, Andy said Langham has
tily
mo use of any more talk, Marsh
want my money! Go dig it up
Suppose. by straining every nerve
I can raise FIVE hundred dollars by tn
end of the month
''Oh. pay your grocer with that"
1 Langham choked down his rage
1 you haven't always been so con
temptuous Of such sums
$ I'm feeling proud today, Marsh
= I'm going to treat myself to a fey
t airs, and you can pat yourself on tn
4 back when you've dug up the none
y by the end of the month. You'll hay
: done something to feel proud of, too.
Suppose we say thousand" urge