Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1917-01-16
THE BRYAN DAILY EAGLE


terian church, and the wedding was
the event Of the week. There were
columns about 1t In the papers. Ar
thur read them In his hall bedroom.
His grip lay, packed, on the bed. He
had resolved to run away, anywhere,
without notice. but when he had finish
ed reading them he suddenly sat up
and squared his shoulders.
"Tll stay" he said. "And I'll get her.
Somehow-ln heaven II not on earth
Which expression, though far-fetch.
ed, might be pardonable In a young
fellow Of twenty-three.
Jim Bennett had made things hum
when he returned from college, as he
had said he would, and he kept up the
process after his return from the
During the next two
years Jim Bennett and his wife made
the money fly. They inhabited the I'm
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 Miilicent
bowed. There is something about a re-
jected lover that makes a woman feel
tenderly toward him.
Two years passed and Bennett be.
came q financial leader In the place.
A few who watched knew that his af.
fairs were unstable. Arthur was among
these. And for Milllcent's sake he
dreaded the crash that must come. But
Bennett plunged more wildly, until the
banks were tottering upon the verge
Of the precipice. 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 Milllcent rarely,
but he noticed the progressive look Of
unhappiness upon her face.
Bennett began to notice Royce again.
He promoted him to twenty-five. chief.
ly because another bank. an old, con.
sentative institution, wanted to get
hold Of him. Arthur would gladly have
left, but he had an instinct against
leaving his present bank when 1t 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 forT' she
cried Historically.
''The manager sent me, Mrs. Ben.
nett. 1t was about a private matter"
"A banking matterr
"Yes."
She burst into tears, " thought he
sent you to taunt me-" she cried. HE
has told me I ought to have married
you. o, am so wretched."
She cried on his shoulder. During
that interval the young man learned
many things-of Benefits inhdelity.
OF his dishonor. He had made her life
a misery from the day they were mar.
ried.
Presently she grew calm. II should
not have spoken In this way" she said.
"But sometimes think Of the old days
do you ever remember them, Ar
thur"
Remember them1 When they lay
upon his mind foreveri
Somehow he managed to tear him.
self away. His last memory Of Mill.
cent was Of a pale-faced woman who
watched him at the door pathetically.
as II 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. Il
was at first a matter Of months. then
one Of weeks-then people just waited.
Arthur Royce waited. He was think
Ing all the time Of Milllcent 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 Inst inter-
view with Milllcent. He DID not like
the task; but he went, because Il was
part OF his duty.
Mr.. Bennett Is In his library, SIR"
said the butler. "Ie said you were to
go right In when you came.
Arthur went In. He saw Bennett
seated at his desk. Bennett did not
look up. and when Arthur approached
he saw that he was quite dead. with n
bullet hole through his head. Upon
the desk was letter addressed to
him. Arthur opened II.
Take her. She loves you" was oil
that Il contained.
Arthur never quite remembered the
details Of the following hour-hIs has.
~ summons Of doctor. the terrified
servants; lastly Mllliccnt, whom no
had valnly tried to keep out Of tho
room. standing before her husbands
body. And she wrung her hands, and
all she could say was:
II meant TO leave him tomorrow"
II was six months before Arthur
saw Milliccnt Bennett again. She had
been travelling. When she came back
she went to her old hemc. She an.
bounced that she was going to open a
school. All the hcartlcssncss seemed
Il 4 N a 4.