The Washington herald., 1916-05-21

nearo again from hutn. But not Gay
passed without his hearing much con-
cerning Batson Kendrick, whose employ
he had quilted on the morning after the
interrupted dinner.
Hendricks name was IN Wall Streets
mouth, nowadays. even more than usual.
He was, single-handed, conducting the
most audaciously brilliant deal in copper
stocks known in all the history of the
Street. By sheer genius, he gave prom
Use Of conquering the mighty clique op-
posing him, and of swelling his immense
fortune by many new millions. 1t was
a daring and stormy campaign. Like
Napolean. Kendrick was dominating the
whole situation. Unlike Napoleon, he
seemed about 10 crush his allied enemies
and to dictate a disastrous peace to them,
on his own terms
Then, OF a sudden, something went
wrong. Kendrick redoubled his efforts
But he could no longer make headwsy
against his opponents. Steadily, though
he fought every step Of the way. they
were forcing him back. All his genius,
all his resources went for nought He
could not understand the reason. But
he knew that for the first time in his life
he was being beaten. He knew, too, that
the treatment the wolf-pack gives to one
.of It's wounded brethren would be mer-
ciful compared with what he must expect
from his Wall Street enemies; once they
should get him down. They were re-
had long and bitter scores to settle with
him.
1t was on the afternoon Of the last day
Of the memorable copper raid" that
Fleetwood Blair received this brief tele-
phone message from Ruth:
Come here at once"
Blair obeyed the summons He found
0NN#h Ns9 l.
Hendricks great home. She had grown
thinner this past month Her beautiful
face was deadly pale. And her big eyes
glowed like live Goals
Il have done IT, she cried exutantly.
as Blair came into the room. I've done
it, Fleet. He is punished at last our
debt is paid in full"
''You-you surely haven't killed him 80
whispered Fleetwood, frightened at her
strange exultstion.
Killed him?" she laughed scornfully.
Not l. That would have been too mild.
He has no especial fear of death. What
he most breads is poverty. It is a night
mare to him. He has said a hundred
times that he would rather lose his life
than to lose his money and the power his
money gives him. Well. have stripped
him Of that money and that power The
idea came to me that night you were
that time had always yawned in his
face when he tried to talk business TO
me: as he was forever trying to But
from that on I changed my tactics"
"You-?'
He came home late and very humbly
asked my forgiveness for striking me.
I 'forgave' hiIn-as II any women would
forgive such thing!-and we had a
sweet reconciliation scene. I told him I'd
try to be more Of a helpmate for him:
and I encouraged him to talk over his
business plans with me. He was only
too glad to. He was starting this copper
campaign. And he was delighted to have
some one TO brag to about the wonder
full moves he was going to make. lis
tened. l wrote down, secretly, everything
he told me. And I sent il to the syndi-
cate that was fighting him"
No" exclaimed Fleetwood. in amaze
ment.
Yes Every move. every plan, every
trick. I sent news Of them all to his
enemies. And so they were able to block
him at one turn after another. Wall
Street campaigns are Just a great game
OF cards. 1 told Batson Hendricks op-
ponents every card he had in his hand
No wonder they have been able TO beat
him! For he Is beaten. The final crash
came half an hour ago. They sent me
word of il. And I telephoned 10 you, as
had promised. He played his last des-
perate card today. I told them last night
what the card was to be. They acted on
my information. And as a result. he's
beaten to earth. Their teeth are in his
throat He is ruined Ruined, past all
chance of recovery. And 1 have done It!
whom he cheated and tricked and
struck! l! He"
The library door was flung wide. On
the Threshold swayed Kendrick, dis
heveled, hsGEard, wild-eyed-
He had tried to drink himself into for
getfulness when the crash came. Then
he remembered he must break the news
to his wife.
OF late she had been gentler and more
sympathetic toward him than ever be
fore. He yearned, in his hour Of stark
ruin. 10 have her comfort him. So he
went home. AS he neared his house, he
saw Fleetwood Blair going up the front
steps. And a twinge Of causeless jeal-
ousy wrenched at his drink-crszed brain.
He followed less than a minute later;
letting himself noiselessly into the house
with bis latchkey. The sound OF voices
reached him from the library. Tiptoeing
to the closed door Of the room. he listen
at the hands Of his wife. And when he
could no longer bear the torture Of what
he heard. he threw open the door.
There he stood. his face ghastly. the
light OF madness in his eyes. For all
her courage. Ruth Quailed at sight Of the
man she had ruined Blair stepped be-
twen him and her
For an instant Batson Kendrick swayed
back and forth. drunkenly, on the thresh-
old, his blazing eyes fixed on his wife
Then, step by step, he advanced into the
T1oaN-inuy s1nu-1yr ~ her
She slipped behind a wide table that
stood in the center OF the floor Ken
drick slowly approached her. until only
the table was between them. Then. with
sudden gesture. he jerked open q
drawer whose knob was close TO his
hand, groped in 1t for an instant never
once taking his eyes from Ruth: and
drew forth a pistol that lay there among
some papers.
Ruth cried out, involuntarily. Blair
sharply thrust her behind him and,
shielding her, faced the madman.
Drop that gun, you fool" he ordered.
DO you want TO go to the chair"
For answer, Kendrick, in a single ges-
ture leveled the weapon and fired.
Blair's knees bent swkwardly; his head
sank on his breast, and with a half
uttered groan, he slumped heavily TO
the floor. q .Ss bullet through his brain.
Kendrick did not give his victim a SEQ
ond look. His bloodshot crazy little eyes
were roaming about the room in search
of his wife. She had vanished