Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-07-17
CHAPTER V.
The Forfeit of the Bond.

room rang lnSl6tently. lie naO gone to bed three hours before, and he struggled to shake of sheer. stupid drowsiness. He rushed to the tele- phone. Its ring had become per- emptory.
 "Hullo," he called briskly.
 "Hullo. old chap" Merry answered him gaily. "The top O. the morning to you"
 Good morning." Wentworth's alert ness died in a second. Something flashed back to his mind, something unpleasant. and an ugly frown corru. gated his brow.
 "Grouchy this morning?" cried Merry with laugh. "Or say. did 1 wake you from your beauty sleep?"
 You certainly did"
 "Old man. I'm sorry, blamed sorry. Some day I'll show you I'm grateful. couldn't sleep last night. l lay think ing of something can do for you when my production begins to pay. I'm going to drag you away from the everlasting grind. We'll 80 to Switzer- land next summer and carry out your dream. We'll sit on mountain tops. crane, our necks over the edge of a crevasse. and skid down a glacier"
 ''1'd rather go back to bed," growled Wentworth.
 You lazy old dutier. you may 60 in . second. only want to, talk to you about the luckiest sort of accident. Last night ran across a fellow who's rolling dn money. He'e cnazy to get in on theatrical venture. We can catch him, know. want you to have a big share. to manage the thing and make all you can out of it."
 Did you tell him 1t was-yonr play?" Enoch's tone was brusQue.
 No. I thought I'd break that gently. He thinks now I'm a devil of an actor; he might imagine couldn't have. so much versatility; that my play might be of the brand some actors turn out"
 Good" cried Enoch, warmly. You have more sense than gave you credit for"
 Really! Now. old pal. go back to bed, But tell me first when can see you. I want long talk with you."
 Make 1t four, I've pile of work ito do before that time."
 All right. four o'clock. Good-by."
 Wentworth hung up the receiver and passed hand across his forehead; it was cold and damp. He did not re- turn to bed, but dressed hurriedly, pausing once or twice to stare at him. self in the mirror. His face looked un- familiar. It seemed to have aged. There were lines about the clean sshaven mouth he had never noticed before.
 At four o'clock Enoch sat in his library. He was so absorbed that he did not hear step In the hall. When he lifted his eyes Merry stood before before he took the outstretched hand.
 Merry had changed. He looked young, handsome and vivacious--he was better groomed. A few stems of Roman hyacinths sat jauntily in his buttonhole. His trimness seemed odd in contrast to the old whimsical care lessness, as if he had already achieved fame and was living ur to 1t, dressing up to it. These were the thoughts that flashed through Wentworth's mind while Merry took his hands affection ately between his own. Andrew was odly a few years younger than Enoch but occasionally he fell into fond. dem onstrative ways which were boyish Wentworth drew his hand away sud denly and pointed to the low chair op jposite. His friend sat down half per ,plexed, half anxious.
 Say. old man, aren't you we'll? You look groggy."
 'I'm well enough"
 You're working too hard, you al 'xayt did!p { Wentworth did n,t answer. His eyei were studying a pattern in the rug be meath his feet. 4! < ,te :, s"Say, Enoch,, you're going to tend tt the whole business. aren't you?"e
 The newspaper man lifted his eyes rYes; Pm going to tend to the who'll puElu86H. lA uohc " tuo AAO0t -paN 4uction: that New York has seen 1, years:y 'The House of Esterbrook' il goingsto win money and-fame."
 "Good!" Merry jumped up ant 4lung his arms around the shoulders O the older man.
 "Sit down." said Enoch. We're go ing to talk business"
 He rose, walked to his desk. ant emptied drawerful of papers on th' table. Merry watched him with pug Eled expression.
 "You never guessed. Andrew. thai your ambition was mine?" Enoch dit not lift his eyes or pause for reply 'sFor years and years and years have dreamed just one dream, only one that some day might produce grea play. See how worked!" He swep the manuscript into an untidy heap There were thousands of sheets. HI had written on paper like onion slin It looked like toil-one had feelinl of years of tcil-after glance at thu laboricusly underlined and reconstruct a sentences. Wentworth crushed nh1rcilessly into loose punches and be