Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-07-01

citement, her overweight condition
suggested cause less gradual, more
like a shock. He ran over sn his
mind the advantages Of giving her the
money. Nothing would be jeopardized
by it. 1t would simply be an advance
made on the sum they had agreed
upon.
Fifty thousands too much" he
said slowly. Put Eli be square to
you and I'll split the difference and
give you twenty-five. I'll give you the
check now and you can take it and go
! tonight"
She shook her head obstinately.
1T won't do" she said. What diff
ference does it make to you whether
you give it to me now or next year?
I'll give you receipt for it. There
won't be any trouble about it. It's as
broad as it's long. It's simply an ad-
vance on the main sum"
He looked moodily at her and then
down. Her demand seemed reason
able enough, but he distrusted her.
eff you don't believe me-" she in
sisted, send out that clerk Of yours
to buy my ticket to New York. Tell
him to go up to the fiat and he'll see
my trunks all packed and ready. |
tell you you've beaten me. You and
Mrs. Ryan are one too many for me"
He again looked at her, his lips
pressed together. his eye coldly con-
sidering.
'Til give you thirty thousand dol
lars and it's understood that you're
to leave the city tonight"
She demurred, but with less show
of yigor, and, for a space, they bag
gled over the sum till they finally
agreed upon thirty-flve thousand dol
lars.
AS the old man drew the check she
watched him with avid eagerness, re-
straining by force the hand that trem-
bied in its anxiety to become pos
scssed of the slip of paper. He no.
ticed, as she bent over the desk to
sign the receipt. that her fingers shook
so they could hardly direct the pen.
She remarked it herself, setting 1t
down to her upset nerves, and laugh
ing at the sprawling signature.
With the check in her hand she
rose, something Of the airy buoyancy
Of demeanor that had marked her or
her entrance returning to her.
Well" she said opening her purse,
this is the real beginning of our bust
ness relations. feel as If we were
Dor+Dore
The old man gave short. dry
laugh. He could not rid his mind Of
suspicious of her and the whole pro-
ceedings, though he did not see just
how she could be deceiving him.
"Wait till next year" he said
when 1 see the divorce papers I'll
feel a lot surer of the partnership"
She snapped the clasp of her purse,
laughing and moving TO the door. She
was wild to get away, to escape from
the dark room that held such unpleas-
ant memories, and the old man. whose
steeIy penetrating eye. fastened on
her. was full of unsatisfied query.
well, so longi" she cried, opening
the door. Next time we meet it will
be more sociable, l hope We really
ought to be old friends by this time"
She hardly knew what she was say
ing, but she laughed with a natural
gaiety, and in the doorway turned
and bowed her jaunty good-bys to
him. He stood back and nodded goad-
humoredly at her. his face showing
puzzlement under its slight, iroric
smile
Once in the street her demeanor
again changed, Her step became
sharp and quick, her expression keen
" absorbed and concentrated A
clock showed her that it was nearly
half-past ten, and she walked, with
speed that was as rapid a mode Of
progression as 1t could be without
attracting attention. to the great bank
on which the check was drawn. On
the way down on the car she had
thought out all her movements. just
what she would do. and where she
would 60 Her mind was as clear, her
movements as systematic as though
she were moved by mechanism.
She ran up IL steps to the bank
and presented the check at the paying
tsllers window
"ia one-thousand dollar bills, If you
please" she said. trying not to speak
breathlessly. "all but five hundred.
and you can give me that in one-hun-
dreds"
The man knew her. made some
vaguely-polite remark. and took the
slip of paper back into unseen regions.
Berry stood waiting. throbbing from