The Tupelo journal., 1916-10-06

fes in zig apa a8d Csc Qta woulaa
G. % gear tac. white TR
daalned II 4Lae1ale uf begp1ia
tffnk how aN Il 0oa.a he t5she called
sour ladYship.1 Tfi IS a mans BUSH
ness, moi a W0lnan's. is you ard me
for 1T. I'm
John laughed, He couldn't herp It.
Those words, your grand air. were
too much for his gravity. Ths geni-
inc ring. Of his rderriment stayed the
unspoken threat on Ralph Morgan's
lips.
Burton put his hands on his sol
disant rivals shoulders.
STEADY, my boy" he said. "Just
wait q minute. I'm not trying TO steal
your girl. It isn't quite fair either to
her or me that you should say or even
think hard things about US. She's
delightful and Interesting, of course,
and any man would be several sorts
of a fool who didn't wake up when
she's around. But marriage is a seri-
Gus thing, and, if that's your object;
I'm not competing. Now, just sit down
and tell me all about it quietly"
Morgan, Gained and dominated by q
stronger nature, gave in at once. His
hectoring tone changed to one Of en-,
treaty and decentralization. But
there could be no matner of doubt as
to the nature of the plot hafched by
Mrs. Howell. The eyes of a jealous
lover had pierced The armor of her
intent. Every little trick and sub
terfuge she had adopted to throw
Marjorie at the marquis head was
laid bare and dissected mercilessly.
Morgan himself was forbidden the
house, though Marjorie and he had
been playmates since childhood.
AS the story progressed Burton grew
more and more irritated. AT last he
made up his mind how to act. He
outlined scheme which seemed prac-
ticable. and wound up by saying,
"Be sure to have your car outside
the Howell mansion at three o'clock,
sharp, tomorrow. loot your horn
three times quickly, and I'll know thet
matters have gone without a hitch"
Unfortunately John forgot one
thing. His interest in a seemingly
idyltic love story had completely
driven ont of his mind the tragic pos
sibilities attached tt the proposed
%hammering of c. 0. & p. stock. He
spent the evening quietly at home, got
on the phone next morning, and smiled
almost cynically when Mrs. Howell
dubbed over with enthusiasm at the
suggestion that he should come to
lunch.
He Ate q very enjoyable meal. AS
he foresaw, the mother left her daugh-
Ter alone with him at the earliest pos
Eible moment. Quite innocently, Mar
jorie was employing some of her fem
mime arts. when John cut her short.
He handed her a note.
Would you mind taking that to
your room before you open it," he
said. Meanwhile you will oblige me
by asking Mrs. Howell TO come and
have a few minutes conversation
Surprised and fiuttered, the girl
agreed.
Her lover wrote:
John Burton has turned out to be
just the best ever. We have arranged
everything-license, ring and time
and the minister is expecting US. Now,
hurry. darling!"
Mrs. Howell, greatly agitated by the
marquis significant request, came to
him instantly. She expected to be
asked forthwith to sanction him as
her daughters sutton. She was aston
ished and somewhat impatient, there
fore, when he began a detailed ac-
count of his birth and upbringing.
At last John heard three short toots
of a m%otorhorn from the street. fol-
lowed by the hum of a fast-moving
car. Ralph Morgan if slowgoing in
some respects, w;s> a recognized
'scorcher on the highway. John was
puzzling his wits as to the best means
ef %extricating himself from a difficult
situation when Howell entered. The
fnancier was bursting with good hu-
NOR.
Look at that, my boy" he said.
handing Burton a newspaper. "Tou
q get IN now as soon as you Ike"
John glanced at some of the scare
head lines:
SENSATIONAL SLUMP ON STOCK
MARKET.
BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF C. @. G p.
STOCK REACHES uMHEARD-oF
FIGURE OF "a AT CLOSE.
MARGIN TRADERS WIPED OUT.
SMALL INVESTORS RUINED.
Howell was handy unaware of the
scatling contempt in Burton's voice
When the latter inquired:
what price as your stock yester-
day, Mr.. Howell?9
Away up among the gilt-edged
propositioas-10S, This is one Of the
most successful coups ever engineered.