The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-12-09

had said he would, and he kept up the
process after his return from the
honeymoon. During the next two
years Jim Bennett and his wife made
the money fly. They inhabited the fin
est house in the town. and life was for
them a succession of entertainments
and pleasures. Arthur Royce was now
| getting twenty dollars a week. Ben
nett never saw him and seemed to
have forgotten him. But Millicent
bowed. There is something about a re-
jected lover hat makes a feel
tenderly toward him.
Two years passed and Bennett be-
came a financial leader in the place.
A few who watched knew that his af-
fairs were unstable. Arthur was among
these. And for Millicent's sake he
dreaded the crash that must come. But
Bennett plunged more wildly, until the
banks were lettering upon the verge
of the preciplce, while Bennett juggled
with his millions and refused to look
facts in the face.
He treated his wife badly, too, ev-
eryone knew. There were reports of
his infatuation for several women sue
cessively. Arthur saw Millicent rarely.
but he noticed the progressive look of
u~nhappiness upon her face.
Bennett began to notice Royce again.
He promoted him to twenty-five, chief
ly because another bank, an old, con-
~servative Institution, wanted to get
hold of him. Arthur would gladly have
left, but he had an instinct against
leaving his present bank when it was
in difficulties.
One day the truth came Out. Arthur
had been sent to Benefits house on an
important errand. He found Bennett
out, but as he was about to leave MILL
cent came in.
What did he send you for?' she
cried Historically.
THE manager sent me, Mrs. Ben
nett. 1t was about a private matter"
"a banking matterT
"Yes."
She burst into tears. II thought he
sent you to taunt me-" she cried. "He
has told me 1 ought to have married
you. o, 1 am SO wretched."
She cried on his shoulder. During
that interval the young man learned
many things-of Benefits infidelity,
of his dishonor. He had made her life
a misery from the day they were mar
ried.
Presently she grew calm. 81 should
not have spoken in this way" she said,
but sometimes / think of the old days
do you ever remember them, Ar
thur"
Remember them? When they lay
upon his mind forever?
Somehow he managed to tear him.
self away His last memory of Mill
cent vas of a pale-faced who
watched him at the door pathetically
as if nothing in life was worth living
for.
Faster and faster Benefits banks
careened toward disaster. The com
ing crash was clear to everybody now.
Bennett himself went about with an
anxious face and glum expression. 1t
was at first q matter of months, then
one of weeks-then people just waited
Arthur Royce waited. He was think.
ing all the time of Millicent and Won
dering what she would do.
/ One afternoon Bennett sent for Ar
thur to come to his house. Arthur had
not been there since that last inter
view with Millicent. He did not like
the task; but he went, because it was
part of his duty.
MI. Bennett is in his library, SIR
said the butler. "He said you were to
go right in when you came.
Arthur went in. He saw Bennett
look up, and when Arthur approached
he saw that he was quite dead, with q
bullet hole through his head. Upon
the desk was a letter addressed to
him. Arthur opened 1t.
"Take her. She loves you," was all
that it contained.
Arthur quite remembered the
details of the following hour-his has
ty summons of a doctor, the terrified
servants; lastly Millicent, whom he
had vainly tried to keep out Of the
room, standing before her husbands
body. And she wrung her hands, and
all she could say was:
~ meant to leave him tomorrow"
1t was six months before Arthur
saw Millicent Bennett again. She had
been travelling. When she came back
she went to her old home. She an
nounced that she was going to open a
school. All the heartlessness seemed
to have died when Bennett died.
But Arthur had other plans for her,
"Do you remember, DEAR" he said
to her one day. show 1 used to tell
you you would marry me, and your own
prophecy? Yours has come true. Now
make mine true. 1 am going to take
over the m%anagership of the Fifth Ma
tional next month, and-dearest, l
have loved you so long"
And Arthur thus anne into hip own.
1