Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-06

asking Mrs. Howell to come and havc
Il few minutes conversation
Surprised and nuttcrcd. tho girl
agreed. She had recognized Ralph
MorEan's handwriting on tho envelope.
and naturally wondered what Burtons
mysterious manner portcndcd. She
knew within two minutes.
Her lover wrote:
John Burton has turned out to be
just the best ever. We have arranged
observation-disclosures. ring and time
and the minister is expecting us Now
hurry. darlinG!"
There was more. of course. but Mar
joric's eyes danced so In her head that
the remainder became II tumble OF in
cohcrcncics.
Mrs. Howell. greatly agitated by the
marquis's significant request. came to
him instantly She expected to be
asked forthwith TO sanction him ~
! her daughters sutton She was as
tonishcd and somewhat impatient,
therefore. when he began n detailed
account OF his birth and upbrng ing
sui. she consoled herself with tho re-
Election that this preamble could only
lead to one issue. and forced herself
L" display an intelligent interest.
At last John heard three short toots
OF motor-horn from the street. fol-
lowed by the hum of q fast mo owing car
Ralph Morgan, If slowGoing in somc
respects. was recognized scorchcr on
tho highway. John was puzxlinc his
wits as to tho best means of cxtricating
himself from a difficult situation when
Howell entered. The financicr WAS
bursting with good humor
Look AT that. my boy" he said.
handing burton newspaper. You
can get III now as soon ms YOU like
John glanced ut some OF the scare
headlines:
SENSATIONAL SLUMP On STOCK
MARKET.
BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF c.. . & r.
STOCK REACHES UNuEARD-or FIG
uRE OF "a AT CLOSE.
MARGIN TRADERS WIPED OFT.
SMALL INVESTORS RUINED
Howell was blandly unaware of tho
scathinE contempt in Burtons voice
when the latter inquired:
What price was your stock ycstcr-
day. Mr.. Howell?"
Away UP among tho gilt ed ed
propositions-los This is one OF tho
most successful coups ever engineered.
] must go back downtown. I'll be ,hcrc
till midnight. My wife phoncd that
you were here. so ran up to toll you
10 come In OH the ground floor
Burton seized the opportunity to
leave the house with tho hnancicr. lie
declined an offer. however. TO share
the lattcrs car. pleading the necessity
OF making short call elsewhere.
ri al ~
commission. so he hired a taxi AZ "A
matter OF fact. he had just remembered
the old Sateman and his devoted wife
II he went 10 their cottage at once,
he could not only rcassure them, but
greatly increase their small holding,
thus insurtnG them a competence for
the remainder OF their days.
Unfortunately the taxi broke down.
The driver after examination. an
nounced ruefully that a defective ear
burctor could be replaced only after
an hours delay. Thcreupon John de-
cided to walk. He was not we'll ac-
quaintcd with the district. however.
and lost his way. lie did not even
know the name OF the street he was
looking for. and could only describe
il as containing a grade crossing on
the G.. .. & Il. line.
There's plenty Of them, sir. wherever
tho c. .. & p. runs" Grinned a police
man when John explained his difficulty.
Finally, another man recognized tho
locality. and put the scarcher on his
way.
In the light OF subsequent events
these various delays would seem to
have been engineered by the tragic
fate which pcrsistently bcset the path
OF the tenth marquis OF Castleton.
When at last he reached the crossing
and found tho door of the cottage lock
cd. he experienced the first panG OF
n nameless fear. Bending down. he
cndeavorcd TO look through the key
hole. y Whit of gas reached his nos
trils. Without a moments hesitation
he burst open the door.
An unlighted gas burner was turned
fun and the atmosphere rccked
with the poisonous vapor. The old
gate lay sprawled over the table
a newspaper was clutchcd in his right
hand. His wife was seated in "A chair.
with her hands folded over her lap,
II needed only glance at the gentle,
worn face to see that she was dead.
John. holding his breath. seized the
old man In his strong arms and car
ricd him out into tho fresh air. II
was too late. The poor old fellow
could not Withstand the shock Of find
ing his hard-earned savings wrcstcd
from him. He had gone to that dis
tant land where wicked railroad prcsi-
dents cease from troubling and their
weary victims are at rest The open
newspaper told it's tale only too plain
w. and tho silent situation inside the
cottage showed that I'm all probability
the old woman had died from heart
shock whcrcupon her faithful husband
had promptly decided not to be parted
from her.
John re-entered the cottage. turned
off the gas and threw open the WIN
dows. He was about to summon as
sistancc when tho roar of train
reached his cars. and he remembered
the unEuarded crossing with its peril
Gus approach. He ran out and began
to wind down the slow-movinE gate.
hut left 1t halfway rs the train drew
nearer. Then he dashed into the
street in order to guard the curve.
hut had delayed just second too
long.
a car moving at sixty miles an hour
swept past like q phantom. II swerved
wildly at sight Of the approaching
train. but was caught by tho cow
n,f i,,fo t,.1,