Middletown transcript., 1914-02-21

nitely seized him in his tolls. The an
cient but viVacious dame was very
affable-most agreeable indeed She
was not motherly; she was flirtatious.
And she accompanied her coquetry by
a shrewd exposition of the magnitude
of her unquestionahly enormous
wealth. 1t staggered him.
If he had not at the moment had a
simple little Josie Richards letter in
his pocket he might have been swept
under. A thousand times he had dis
covered the necessity Of assuring him
self, as he travelled up and down
! Broadway, that he did not care for
Josie Richards. She was not the sort
Of girl who captivated one who knew
life as he knew it; she was dear, but
she was simple, unsophisticated and
what he most admired was wide So
phistication; he thought as little Of
her as he could, but now she popped
into his mind and made him edge away
from the aged, wealthy widow.
When he went back to the fat he
found awaiting him new sheafs Of
bills, none pressing him-mere state
ments. The rumor had not started
that he was not good pay. Broadway
still delighted in him, still endeavored
to induce him to accept its credit. This
gave him new distress; he knew him
self-he knew he would go out that
night and run more debts.
Suddenly he knew what to do. It
came to him without an effort Of the
brain. 1t was a tragic inspiration.
Without word to Rankin, stealthily
and secretly, he went forth into the
afternoon in his smart runabout, still
driven by the taxi-cabman, who now
regarded him with something akin to
worship, and sought a gunshop and q
chemists.
In the former he made purchase of a
i4F6e sTfTi, bfittsa- steel ii ii
tol of the largest caliber they had in
stock, and secured one box Of cart
ridges. 1t seemed a waste of money,
which by rights was definitely the
property Of creditors, to buy SO many
cartridges, for he should need but one!
However, he feared that to ask for one
would pin attention to him and frus
trate what he had in mind, so he put
the heavy box into his pocket II
made it sag outrageously, which very
much annoyed him. No man on
Broadway was more careful Of his
clothes. But what, after all. did q
sagged pocket matter now?
At the chemists he secured an ounce
of bichloride of mercury, which had
been fashionable of late among smart
suicides. He had no difficulty in OBJ :
tanning 1t. This eased him and fur.
ther satisfaction grew out of the fact
that though it held potentialities as
deadly as the automatic gun and cart.
ridges could hold it made a little pack.
age, not heavy in the least, and so
did not sag the other pocket, where he
placed it very carefully.
As he whirled uptown In the run.
about he frequently felt of the deadly
things.
He liked the feel of neither Of them.
The revolver was SO hard and bust
ness-like, the pill bottle was so slip
perry, so cold and heartless! What an
end was this for Broadway Jones!
Again seated in the little study, he
solemnly reviewed his life. He saw no
points at which he had made very
great mistakes, save the important one
Of thinking that quarter of a million
is lot of money in New York.
I've been nothing but a piker," he
reflected, "and I've acted like the
trade-marked article. l ought to get
it in the neck and am going to get It
in the neck"
This unpleasantly reminded him and !
he caressed the neck wherein he was +
to get it. Never, in the past, when
he had used that slang expression had
1t really suggested his own neck to
him or any other actual neck. Now
it made his flesh creep and his blood
run cold behind his collar.
Well, here goes!" he whispered
and took out>a pill, afterwards arrang
Ing the revolver, which was already
loaded.
He held the pill between the fingers
Of tremulous left hand; gripped in
MS faltering right he held the weapon
Here goesl" he said again-and
Rankin raped uron the door
Hastily he hid the dreadful evi
lences of his dire intention.
Come in!" he feebly called.
(TO BE CONTINuEDl