The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-26

the exchange was a bowling, frenzied
mob struggling desperately to speed
advancing fortune or to retain that
which was vanishing in the Alabama
Iron and Coal squeeze.
A glutton by methods that would
have done credit to the robber barons
had raped the treasure developed by
weaker brethren. And now greater
barons, more gIuttonous, springing upon
him In an unguarded moment, by like
methods were tearing the spoils from
his grasp. But no one saw a joke.
Before it could end two great banking
houses would be bankrupt at least one
daring, arrogant Spectator sensation
ally ruined and thousand little greedy
ones made penniless.
The mad scramble rose to climax.
In his Office the man who was the
storm center stood over the ticker.
He had struggled. with the unthinking
Yalor born Of desperation, against the
unwavering, relentless attacks made
upon him. They had forced him back,
farther and still farther back TO his
inner lines of defense, into the last
ditch Driven out of that he had
made a last vain stand. Now he
awaited the slaughter. He glared fix
eddy at the tape in his hand
Suddenly the fixity broke up In an
insane helpless rage that demanded
physical expression. From his twist
ed mouth came an inarticulate, wolish
cry. With convulsive jerk he snap
ped of the tape-kicked the ticker I'M
til it fell with crash. A clerk in
the outer office heard the noise and
rushed in. Immediately, frightened
by what he saw, he withdrew, closing
the door behind him.
Stephen Hampden was not good to
look upon as he rushed up and down
the room, striking and kicking at the
objects in his way. His face was pur-
ple-cOnvulsed He poured out unin-
teldgible imprecations on the "curs, .
the Crooks" the TRAITORS who had
broken him. He had no thought for
those upon whom he in his turn had
fallen. He was obsessed by the pas
sion OF his defeat.
The paroxysm spent itself. He flung
himself, painting and still glazing, into
chair. The telephone rang. He
paid no attention to it.
The clerk, trembling, opened the
door. You're wanted on the long dis
lance, Mr.. Hampden. It's
II won't talk to them!' HampdeI
snarled back.
The clerk withdrew, then reappear
ed. 'Beg pardon, Mr.. Hampden," he
insisted timidly, "but it's Mr.. Blake
Of New Chelsea. He says he mus
talk to you"
"AI right" Hampden caught vi
the telephone. He waited until thu
click told him that the clerks receives
had been hung up, then snapped: 'Thi'
is Hampden. What do you want?"
The precaution was unnecessary
The mess. ge was strangely worded
1t would have meant nothing to al
outsider. But Hampden had the key
He hung up the receiver. And for ;
moment he allowed himself to b.
beaten down. Fear before danger in
Cured In the heat of battle and nov
become imminent, terrible, through tn
folly of another, ousted rage. Mer
defeat, bankruptcy, paled before thi
new penalty which he must pay. AM
fear steadied him, cleared his brain
He wasted no time in futile regrets
His mind ,darted hither and thithei
swift and calculating, bordering an
rejecting hundred avenues of escap
from the peril which must be averte
before ne could set out to recoup hi
losses. There was no thought of say
ing Warren Blake-only himself.
Late in the day he went QUITO be
the mercy he had never shown.
Katherine Hampden was alone tina
evening. She was often alone nova
days, but not entirely because, as sh
had told John Dunmeade, she ha
been assigned berth ON the shelf n
served for unmarriageable females
There were many men who would hay
gladly undertaken to relieve her sol
tude. But these found her extremel
unapproachable Those whom sh
would have welcomed most gladly ha
least time for dalliance in DRAWN
rooms.
The truth was, she was disappointeC
Mature perception. quickened by
glimpse OF different ideal of life, ha
seen beyond the false setting OF n
nance behind which men seek to hid
the ugliness of the greedy, unscrupl
lOus scramble for gold She would hay
married Gregg had 1t not been for I'll
fact that the acid of his calling wa
etching more and more clearly upo
his frank, clean exterior picture {
what lay within. AS it was. she ha
sent him away.
She was waiting for her father
homecoming. While she waited 81
glanced through the evening paper.
1t the days doings on the stock e
change were featured. lie accom-
had 1t that Hampden had been hal
hit-even vaguely limited that he migi
have to fail. She was amazed at Il
lack of emotion with which she res
that their fortune, hitherto so potel
and all suficing, had In n day bee
sadly shaken if not totally destroye
She tried to picture to herself what
must mean to them-the economies, Il
privations even, the loss of caste anon
a set that measured worth by stool
and bonds Somehow the picture cou
not profoundly alarm, partly perhal
because she knew too little OF want
draw convincingly. She could not eve
feel deeply for her father, althoug
she had for him a genuine daughter