The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1916-01-19

should be % unpleasantly overwhelmed
by the fact of her shrewd plan. "A
balcony runs across one end of the
exchange" she went on. Father and
shall be there. You must stand be-
meath, and at the psychological mo-
ment'- A flush of excitement dyed
her cheeks; her eyes shone. Il shall
drop a red rose," she said. And t.
David answered slowly, "shall stake
my all at the falling of that rose"
Paula held her hands out to him. If
you are honest in your wish for the
moon," she smiled, "you must trust
me-"
Trust you l will. Now tell me what
is your tip. Am l to sell short or
long? What is the security to be put
up or down? Is it to be manipulated
by pool or an individual?"
II don't know what you mean by all
this" replied Paula, though l have
heard father talk about pools and
squeezing the shorts and all such I'M
ineligible things. l only know that
l asked him as a favor to me to tell
me where there was a chance to make
some money and how to proceed. He
has told me to sell M. O.. P. What
that is don't know"
II do. Goodby." And he turned
to go.
Impulsively she followed him to the
door, And, remember, If by chance
my signal should fail''-she paused
reathlessly-"well, I'm like my ia.
ther," said Paula. I'm game I'll
marry you to atone"
Marry him. With a contradictory
sense of joy and pain David went
homeward through the night. When
at her hasty summons he stood again
in the pit" the hurrying messengers,
the darling, uncanny figures on the
walls, seemed all part Of a dream.
Paula alone was real, Paula in the
balcony with a crimson rose at her
breast. With fixed intensity he watch
ed her face, forgetting to return her
, smile. A moments cessation in the
babel seemed like the sudden silence
preceding d storm; then swiftly, noise
lessly, a red rose fell at his feet An
instant it lay crushed and fragrant.
David was calling wildly for messen.
ger. Blindly his pencil few across the
paper, and here in the tiny folded
scrap were the tireless savings OF
years.
When he looked up again she was
gone. Like one dazed, he rushed
through the streets. "Old man Rich
ards cannot fall" he repeated, land
row-tomorrow"- When "tomor
row" came he sat before his humble
desk in the great mans Office. Be.
meath David's eyes were the dark cir
cles of a sleepless night. About his
mouth were lines which had not
been there yesterday. Mechanically
he reached for the telephone; then the
blood surged to his face. "Yes," he
answered, with difficulty, 81 recognize
your voice, Miss Richards, but I fear
that the engagement for this evening
must be Cancelled. You are aware, OF
course, that the signal failed, the sig
nal of the rose" And Paula replied
evenly, 81 would like to see you, Da
vid, and shall expect you tonight at s.
There was bright happiness about
the girls greeting which, in face of his
great disappointment, caused David's
heart to contract painfully.
"The signal failed" he said DULY
'Do you suppose that your father sus-
pected your purpose and sought to
Illustrate ft?"
Paula's eyes met his steadily. 81 de-
iberately acted against my fathers
advice" she told him. 81 gave you the
only signal which could be the right
signal, If you wanted me-"
With unexpected passion she threw
out her hands. "Do you think" she
cried, that 1 wanted you to be drunk
with the wine Of triumph, to win and
80 on winning money until you be-
came the hard thing that he has be-
come? Do you think that / want to
live through the life that my mother
found too hard to bear? Do you think
that 1 could be satisfied forever with
mere things purchased for me by a
love which had turned to a love OF
gain?'" Her voice broke TREMENDOUSLY
''The girl who has everything she
wants." she Knocked, "when all my life
have wanted the one thing which
money can't buyv'
paula" David began, his voice
hushed in the presence Of this unbe-
lievable joy, surely it could not be
right for me to accept your great sac
rifice"
From the coils of her hair came tum-
bling flower to rest there at his feet.
Laughing, she raised her eyes to his.
"Oh, don't you see," cried Paula, "it's
your signal, David-a crimson roser'
Then very tenderly and very rever-
emily the man took her into his arms