Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-02-10

! some clarion alarm that bespoke thu
hour when he must pay. He wondered
when he heard it. If it were some mes
! senger from the bank-or worse-foI
/ twice in his sleep had come again thai
terrible dream of the bursting dam
Jane saw that he was exhausted
/ The morphia brought these spells OF
inertia and collapse. She kissed him
softly and slipped out of the room
The following day Reynolds was
able to get up and the next he went
downstairs. He was much stronger
now and though he felt no relief from
the melancholy depression that OBJ
sessed him he had regained a physical
poise that let him see things in their
true light. Jane talked again of her
plans and he let her rehearse them
without a challenge. He could find no
plausible fault with them. If Brand
had paid the overdraft he was freed
from imminent danger and there was
nothing for him to do but realize
such money as he could on the house
and go back to Staten Island or take
Jane and go away. He had not de-
cided definitely on that. They were
expecting Dick that afternoon and he
intended to talk 1t over with them.
The vital spark of ambition had
burned itself very low for Reynolds.
He was in that languid state of both
body and mind that accompanies con-
valescence, whether the recovery be
from physical or mental suffering. He
felt that he had fallen from some
great pinnacle like the lover who is
suddenly bereft of mate or who is con-
fronted with the realization that a
great passion is unreQuited. The re-
generation of James womanly affection
Gained and soothed him, but it aroused
in him no ambition to renew the bat
tie in which he had fallen.
Shortly after luncheon Dick came
and Jane received him with the Joy
BUSINESS of a child. His sincere en-
couragement and his cheerful way of
rendering it in those terrible days fol-
lowing Bob's downfall had raised her
from the depths completely and she
had come to regard his presence and
his promises as the salvation of both
her husband and herself
But today Dicks optimism seemed
strangely dormant. His response to
her glad greeting was halfhearted and
when she enthusiastically preached
the plans that the reporter himself
had suggested, he made no reply. He
made solicitous inquiries after Bo3's
health and persisted in them, alternate
ly pacing the floor and sitting, clutch
ing now and then at newspaper in
his pocket.
His nervousness and distraction puz-
zled Jane, but for once her womanly
intuition failed her. In her eagerness
to restore her husband to the plane
of her own renewed hopefulness she
tried to force their visitor into a con-
versation about the bungalow and
their future there, until Dick, unable
to contain himself longer, wheeled and
faced them. He jerked the paper from
his pocket, concealng the front of 1t
toward his chest.
you are sure you're ft-Bob?" he
asked breathlessly. Able to hear any
thing | say and act quickly?"
Reynolds, who had watched his
friend closely from the moment of his
entrance. had detected what Jane had
not. Something-he knew not what
had happened; something that augured
no good. He read the import of
Meade's constant questioning about
his strength and braced himself &C
He was prepared for almost
nything-anything except the dire
news that the reporter had actually |
brought The distress and alarm in
Meade's features as he stood facing |
hem should have fitted Reynolds for |
he worst.
"Bob-and-Jane listen to mel" he
cried brokenly. The Lusitania sails
1t one o'clock tomorrow morning. |
lave your tickets here-you must
latch the boat without fail-and 60
lnder assumed names"
With a wild, frightened look Jane
got to her feet and her husband pale
,ut more contained, did likewise.
What Is it, Dick?" he asked hoarse
v. Leave America-assumed names?
Cor Gods sake speak out. Don't keep
/ man in misery"
well, then, it's worse than misery.
Bob! It's hell! The dams gone. Went
lnder at two o'clock this afternoon!"
He thrust the paper with its flaring
headlines before their faces. With
ane swaying and clingng to her hus-
,and for support they read:
HUNDREDS DEAD!
'ecos River Dam Goes Out Sweeping