Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-01-15
cHAPTER III.-contlnued.


three bank accounts, two of them not
very large and seldom checked upon,
The third was in New York's all-nighT
bank. He kept busy. Il feel as If |
ought to see the sun rise often he
explained "Sunrises are so beauti-
full"
He seldom heard from Jonesville in
these days. Judge Spotswood some
times wrote, TO him, his uncle never,
For time he had endeavored to keep
up a correspondence with the girls,
but this had languished through his
own exceeding occupation at more
pressing matters and Josie Richards
sorrowful conviction that he did not
tell her, in his brief, infrequent let
tiers, about all the girls whom he was
meeting in New York.
His first shock came when the All
Night bank wrote him a letter, asking
his to call and talk of his account. and
this did not occur until four years
had vanished in the haze of Broad
ways lights. 1t made him sit straight
in his chair and blink as cold dash
from a settler bottle sometimes had
when he had needed it, Rankin, en-
tering, asked him if he had a pain.
You bet | have" said he. And
I'm afraid it's serious"
Shall | call doctor, sir?"
NO. call a banker"
Rankin, puzzled, withdrew carefully.
He had learned to step with catlike
tread when he discovered that his
master was in serious mood. He had
no wish to anger him. No butler in
the history of butling had ever had
a place so utterly ideal. Pickings
PLENTIFUL work trivial; all life had
been congenial for Rankin since he
had encountered Broadway Jones.
The day of the banks letter was the
first after he had reached New York
when Broadway did not go about his
gay and simple routine of up Broad
way in the afternoon and down Broad
way at night, with movements so
timed that they made long pauses near
the Circle and near Forty-second
street seem natural He went home
before i've.
When Rankin ventureG to express
surprise at his return to the apart
ment at that hour, he snarled at him
Go to the devil, Rankin!" he sug-
gested when he fingered
yes, sir; thank you, sir" said Ran
kin and withdrew.
He reached the kitchen with face
SO troubled that the Japanese boy, who
had sought domestic service here with
Judging from his wages the COM
mendable intention of periodically
sending home, each year, enough
American money to build warship
for his nations navy, showed interest.
wat ISIS matturr, Ranekeen?" the
sympathetic Oriental queried.
Il know men," said Rankin, 'and If
| didn't know that Mr.. Jones is really
a millionaire-made it out of chewing
gum, his family, I'm told should say
he was hard up"
The Japanese boy stared politely;
he did not understand at all
"Of course he's not hard up" Ran
kin continued. mo hard-up man could
have sworn at me as he did just now.
It can't be money, so it must be
women"
"Limmin," said the Japanese, who
had not mastered VS..
Lemons" Rankin granted. You're
almost right. l never saw a man
more popular. He spends his money
like he didn't care for it, and does it
we'll because that is the fact. He
doesn't care for it. never saw
bed. had a chance to see his arm.
Quite muscular 1t is-just as it felt
when he was joking with me-"
The next day, by chance, while visit
ing the kitchen, Rankin had sudden
inspiration. 81 wonder if he is in
Iove?' he pondered. That Mr. Hen
riot that | attended just before he
married that grass widow was as alb
sent-minded-oh, quite absent-minded,
quite Now, which one
Rankin suddenly came to stand in
horror. Even to the small and very
yellow cook it was plain that tragic
thoughts had flashed into his mind.
II wonder" he soliloquized If it
could possibly be that terrible Gerard
old woman. She's had her eye on him
ever since the first night that she got
a glimpse OF him"
AS he spoke his master, as request
ed, was talking with the first vicepres-
ident of the bank. The man seemed
rather serious-minded, although on
that previous occasion when he had
marked the beginning of their ac'
quaintance. when Broadway had gone
to open his account with just two
hundred thousand dollars, he had been
geniality itself.
Il merely wished to have little
talk with you-er-Mr. Jones, said he.
you know your balance is-er-run.
ming rather low.
rs what?" said Broadway. in amaze.
ment.
rs running rather low"
"You don't mean that I've"