The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-25

Then when Mrs. Alden answered
In the affirmative. she arose and
with a reckless, bitter smile saunter-
ed down TO her mothers sitting
room.
you paid $4,000 for Fleetwood
Blair I believe. Mr.. Kendrick. Now
what price do you offer for me? You
will have TO bid higher than S12 900
though. tell you that before you
begin"
The millionaire glanced at her
Questioningly. appraising a. he did
so the curl OF the lip, the smoldering
hre in her eye, the defiant swagyer
In her manner.
ITS only the result OF this upset
she's been through" she said to him.
ssn. THAT and maybe this sudden
hot spell we're having. She'll come
around all right, once she's settled
down and knows just where she
stands.
But therein Batson Kcndrick made
the one great mistake OF his life.
Ruth did not come around" She
never az his wife allowed him to for.
get that he had brought her." and
that she expected him to pay the
price. Coldly aloof. contemptuous of
herself as she was OF him, she piled
extravaganza upon extragance until
hi, misery soul fairly stood aghast.
His only method OF revenge, he
learned, lay In forcing her into asso-
citation with Fleetwood Blair. and
this he played to the limit.
The mining engineer on his return
from Alaska. would. for his own
peace OF mind. have gladly avoided
any encounter with his old sweet
heart.
This. however, Kendrick would not
allow. Blair had made more than
made COON on the Alaska trip and had
shown such a high order Of general
capability that Kendrick had install
ed him as his personal advisor and
chief lieutenant. Seeking distraction
| from his domestic troubles, the mil
lionaire had plunged into a gigantic
copper speculation which was, in eff.
feet. an attempt TO corner the mar
ket, and In this he leaned heavily
upon the clear vision and valuable
counsel of the younger man.
Reasoning then that the sight OF
Blair's success and prestige would
be gall and NORWOOD to Ruth, he
had never rested happily until he
had brought them into contact, man.
aging one day by ruse TO have
them meet in his Office.
Both Of them withstood the ordeal
untiinchingly.
After that he made 1t point to
have Blair frequently at the house.
So the situation moved on TO its
inevitable denouement. One evening
when Blair was there for dinner
Kendrick proved so pefsistently
offensive that Ruth in self-defense
finally rose in the middle OF some
remark he was launching at her and
left the room.
Kendrick caught up with her half
across one OF the big reception
rooms on her way to the stairs, and
/ threw himself In front of her to bar
her further progress.
by God you'll understand that
you can't fout me in front Of one Of
my employees" he ordered hoarsely.
you 20 back to the dining room"
/ She faced him with a reckless de-
fance and laughing mockingly at
his commands. tainted him with his
inability to master her.
"You bought me-" she jeered, I'm
yours. "A slave you bid ia on the auc-
I ton block. And yet YOU can't man.
age me. The thousands of dollars
waste for you each year are so much
dead loss. How that must wiring
your soul"
Cant manage you, eh?" he snarl-
cd, his lip drawing back from his
teeth Cant? So that's what you
think, is It? Well. III show you what
Il can do I'll show you"
/ His fist suddenly clcnched, he saw
red, and in a spasm OF blind fury, he
struck at the lovely. haunting face
up-sised to him.
She swerved, but not enough to
avoid the entire force OF the blow.
Il sent her Keeling. staggering to ths
floor.
Kendrick stared a moment at what
he had done; then With q muttered
oath flung himself out into the hall,
and catching up his hat and coat
rushed from the house,
Meanwhile Blair at the table had
waited In vain for the return OF one
or the other OF them.
Finally he pushed back his chair
and started TO take his leave.
As he passed through the hall
however. he was arrested by sound
like a stifed sob from the reception
roor and glancing In through the
: open doorway, was startled to sec
his hostess on her hands and knee:
/ au Tho annr