The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-15

The engineer half recoiled. you
mean-!' he gasped.
She nodded.
The three days battle which Bat
son Kendrick fought upon the stock
exchange single.handed. against the
pool OF rivals which had been organ.
lied against him, ranks In historic In.
terest with some OF the old.time
Gould.Fiske melees.
Desperately he met the onset Of his
foes. But now the last stand was
made. The floor OF the exchange was
in turmoil. No one yet had time to
reckon where he stood In the wild
swirl Of operations. Failures and sus
pensions OF smaller houses were be-
ing announced every moment. Then
the bell rang sharply. A sudden 81.
lence descended on the shouting, ges
ticulating throng Of brokers'. Every.
body sensed what was coming. And
then the formal notice was read out
The great house of Batson Kendrick
& Co. had gone to the wall.
Hatless, ooatless, his eyes bloodshot,
and his face working convulsively, the
man who three days before had been
one OF the biggest lowers on the
street" was up In his ONCE struggling
almost insanely with little group OF
supporters and clerks who tried in
vain to restrain and quiet him. Al
last he broke loose from them and
rushing out the door was lost In the
crowds along the streets.
In the same moment in a building
not half a lock away. Ruth, heavily
yelled, stool back from tho ticker
over which she had been leaning
tensely for the last hour.
It was In the private office Of the
leader of the rival pool. and as she
stood back, she turned to him and one
or two enthusiastic associates.
WELL she said. ITS over" She
pushed back her veil as she spoke
and they wondered to see her 90
composed.
YES" said the leader OF the pool,
at Is over, Mrs. Kendrick. and the
result is largely due to you"
He laid q folded slip Of paper on
tina table before her. This is q check
which l have Aade out to your order,
he said, "and I have left the amount
blank. You NAV fill II In for any sum
up to a million"
She nodded carelessly. but made nc
move to take It up. Then after few
moments OF further conversation, she
left the Office. 1t was not until after
her departure that they discovered
that she had le.t the check still lying
on the table.
Out at the entrance to the building
she found Blair waiting for her. He
caught her by the arm and guided her
swiftly to Limousine which stood be
side the curb.
He gave simply the direction up
| town." to the chauffeur. then stepping
in beside Ruth, turned to her eagerly
as the car moved forward through the
crowded streets. She stayed him with
quickly uplifted hand.
Don't, Fleetwood" she begged
Don't"
But he was not to be denied. Ear
nestly he pleaded with her to obtain q
divorce and come away with him to q
new life. For all the impression that
he made though, he might have been
talking to marble statue.
"Oh, can't you understand!" she
broke out at length, When one has
been as have In the grip Of great
crushing forces, all this sounds pitiful
ly trifiing and inane. Love! Protec
ton! Soft endearmentsi" her LIZ
ourled. They were all the world to
me once but now they don't arouse
even thrill. Do you think that q
woman can pull down all the pillar.
Of her temple Of life about her and
still remain the same? tell you tina,
l am dead here" and she struck her
self on the breast; my heart 10 n
cold and hard as q stone"
She was silent q moment as be drew
back, scarcely knowing how to take
her outbreak. Then she spoke with q
certain note Of weary appeal.
1T is useless, Fleetwood" she shook
her head, Absolutely useless. Leave
mo here, won't you. I want to be
alone"
Blair bent long glance Of scrutiny
upon the face she turned toward him;
and as he gazed, the hopes he had
cherished died within him.
She was right. The girl he had
known and loved was dead. This was
only 4 hard, bitter, disillulioned woman
In whom It would DO a difficult to
arouse spark Of 1--we as TO ia into
flame the cold ashes upon q dead altar.
And. noting the change-recallins
the vivid, glowing impersonation Of
youth ahe once had been, the promise
she had given OF splendid woman.
hood-his lips inroluntariiy framed
the question Of his Borrowing heart:
WHO'S GUILTY.