Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-30
By LOUIS TRACY

asked forthwith to sanction him as
her daughters suitor. She was aston
ished and somewhat impatient, there
fore, when he began detailed ac-
count OF his birth and upbringing.
Still, she consoled herself with the re-
Election that this preamble could only
lead to one issue, and forced herself
to display an intelligent interest
AT last John heard three short toots
OF motor-horn from the street, fol-
lowed by the hum of a fast-moving
car. Ralph Morgan, if slowgoing in
some respects, was a recognized
scorcher on the highway. John was
puzzling his wits as to the best means
of extricating himself from difficult
situation when Howell entered. The
financier was bursting with good
humor.
Look at that, my boy" he said,
handing Burton a newspaper. You
can get in now as soon as you like.
John glanced at some of the scare
head lines:
SENSATIONAL SLUMP ON
STOCK MARKET,
BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF
c. O. & P. --
STOCK REACHES UNHEARD-OF
FIGURE OF "a AT CLOSE.
MARGIN TRADERS WIPED OUT.
SMALL INVESTORS RUINED.
Howell was blandly unaware of the
scathing contempt in Burton's voice
when the latter inquired:
What price was your stock yes
terday, Mr.. Howell?"
Away up among the gilt-edged
propositions-108! This is one of the
most successful coups ever engineer
ed. must go back downtown. IN
be there till midnight. My wife
phoned that you were here, so | ran
up to tell you to come in on the
ground floor"
Burton seized the opportunity to
leave the house with the financier. He
declined an offer, however, to share
the latters car, pleading the necessity
of making a short call elsewhere.
His own car was temporarily out OF
commission, so he hired taxi. As a
matter of fact, he had just remem-
bered the old gateman and his devoted
wife. If he went to their cottage at
once, he could not only reassure
them, but greatly increase their small
holding, thus insuring them a conf
petence for the remainder of their
days. ..
! Unfortunately the taxi broke down.
The driver after examination, an
nounced ruefully that a defective car
buretor could be replaced only after
an hours delay. Thereupon John de-
cided to walk. He was not well &C
quainted with the district. however,
and lost his way. He did not even
know the name Of the street he was
looking for. and could only describe
it as containing grade crossing on
the c. o. & P. line.
There's plenty Of them. sir, wher-
ever the c. 0. & P. runs" grinned a
policeman when John explained his
difficulty.
Finally, another man recognized
the locality, and put the searcher on
his way.
In the light of subsequent, events
these various delays would seem to
have been engineered by the tragic
fate which persistently beset the path
OF the tenth marquis of Castleton.
When at last he reached the crossing
and found the door Of the cottage
locked he experienced the first pang
of nameless fear. Bending down,
he endeavored to look through the
keyhole. A Whit of gas reached his
nostrils.. Without moments hesita-
ton he burst open the door,
An unlighted gas burner was turned
full on and the atmosphere reeked
with the poisonous vapor. The old
gateman lay sprawled over the table.
A newspaper was clutched in his right
hand. His wife was seated in a chair,
with her hands folded over her lap,
1t needed only a 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
ried him out into the fresh air. 1t was
too late. The poor old fellow could
not withstand the shock >of finding
his hard-earned savings wrested from