Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-04-23

president of the Merchant Mechanic
Bank Of New York.
Arthur was small, thin, blond like
his brother, but the hair was so light
upon the top Of his head that he gave
one the impression that he was bald.
His eyes looked out from behind half
shut lids; his cheeks were cadaver-
Gus; his pale lips met in straight,
unpleasant line. There was not the
slightest resemblance between the
two brothers, either in their bodies
or in their souls. George recognized
this fact Immediately. He disliked the
man instinctively, just as he could
not help admiring his rogue of a
| brother
81 want you to go with me to my
house at once" began George.
"Please explain"
George disliked the voice even more
than the man himself. Everything
will be explained there" he replied.
"This is very unusual" the banker
complained.
"You will find it SO. Come"
George moved toward the hall, the re-
volvers in his coat-pocket.
"But / insist
"Mr. Wadsworth, everything will
be fully explained to you the moment
you enter my house. More I shall not
tell you. You are at liberty to return
home"
''It concerns the bank?" The voice
had something human in it now;
note of affection.
Arthur Wadsworth loved the bank
as man loves his sweetheart, but
more explicitly, as a miser loves the
hoard hidden in the stocking.
cit concerns the bank?" he repeat
ed, torn by doubt.
George shrugged. "Let us be 60
ing"
"Will it be necessary to call in the
police?"
''No."
ct suppose, them" said Wadsworth
bitterly, wondering, too, over the
strange animosity of this young man
he did not know-T suppose 1 must
do just as you say?"
Absolutely" Georges teeth came
together with a click.
The four of them passed out of the
house, each singularly wrought with
agitation. Fortune walked ahead with
George. Neither spoke. They could
hear the occasional protest from the
banker into Mortimer's ear; but Nor
timer did not open his lips. They
came to the house, and then George
whispered his final instructions to
Wadsworth. The latter, when he un-
1erstood what was taking place, be-
came wild with rage and terror; and
! it was only because George threatened
to warn the conspirators that he sub,
sided.
"And," went on George, elf you do
not obey, you can get out of it the
best you know how. Now, silence,
absolute silence"
He pressed back the grille gate,
and the others tiptoed after him.
Ryanne tipped the third bottle deli
cately. Not drop was wasted. How
the golden beads swarmed up to the
brim, to break into tile essences Of
perfume! And this was good wine;
twelve years in the bottle.
/ "It's like some dream; eh?"
| Wallace smacked his lips loudly.
Wallace" chided Ryanne, 'you al
ways drink like a sailor You don't
swallow champagne; you sip it, like
| this
Major Callahan swayed his glass
back and forth under his nose. Smells
like vineyard after rain
There's poetry for you" laughed
the butler.
| Mrs. Chedsoye seemed absorbed in
other things. She was trying to dis
cover what 1t was that gave this SUI
preme moment so fiat taste. It was
always so; it was the chase, the goal
was nothing. 1t was the excitement Of
going toward, not arriving at, the des-
tination. Was she, who considered
herself so perfect, a freak after all,
shallow like a hill-stream and as aim
J less in her endeavors? Had she pos
sessed a real enthusiasm for any
thing? She looked back along the
twisted avenue Of years. Had any
thing really stirred her profoundly?
From the bags Of gold her glance
strayed up and over to Ryanne. Love?
Love a man so weak that he could
not let be the bottle? She had hor-
ror Of drunkenness, the inane giggles,
the attending nausea; she had been
through it all. Had she loved him, or
was it because he loved her child?
Even this she could not tell.
eve could have taken every dollar
from the vault" said Wallace cheer
fully.
"But we couldn't have made our get
away with it, observed the butler,
holding his empty glass toward Ry-
anne, who was acting as master Of
ceremonies.
ga clear, unidentified Million"
unused Ryanne. "Into the cars with
it; over to Jersey City; on to Phila-
| delDhia: but there for EurOna. nT1iet-