Ellsworth American., 1920-03-17
MYSTIC
THIRTEEN
By GENEvIEvE ULMAR

ing. In the first place he had been
routed out of bed at Z O'Clock and
called TO the telephone, where his
broker informed him that Consolidated
Central had closed the day before on a
steep decline and that they would call
for margins by noon If the market
opened "groggy."
With my marriage with Laura
Pearson announced for only fifteen
days from now, the prospect looks de-
cidedly blue" ruminated Beardslee
drearily "Why did l ever get into
this juggling stock gamer
His eyes blinked and he tried to
battle an annoying superstitious infiu-
ence as his glance swept a calendar
hanging on the wall.
Friday and the thirteenth" he
muttered defantly. "As / don't be-
lieve in signs or omens-the mischief !"
Stepping on truant collar button
Beardslee joggled, his elbow came up
against the mirrored front of his shay
ing cabinet and in dismay he drew
back from shower of glass.
Il won't get ratified" he insisted
doughtily, but he left the house half
an hour later in wretched state of
nervousness. His objective point was
the office of friend who might be in
clined to assist him.
black cat was crossing the road.
"Tll beat the warning stuff" de-
clared Beardslee. "Come on, kitty,
Good for you-squarely in front of me.
Now then, Fate, do your !'
Three squares further on the mock
heroic mood of our mentally disturbed
hero came to climax. A derisive ex-
preston crossed his face. He walked
squarely under ladder set against a
building front, painter aloft.
Hi, there!"
Too late Beardslee caught the warn
ing. The painter aloft had dropped
his brush. Full of paint it landed on
Beardslee's shoulder, made a straight
downward dip and slid down one side
Of him clear to his feet, leaving
smooth, even strip of white the en-
tire length of his body. Beardslee
disdalned the fulsome apologies of the
knight of the paint pot and turned
into little shop bearing the sign,
Cleaning, Repairing & Dyeing Done
Here"
I'm in hurry" he announced to
an old man in charge. How soon can
you put this suit in presentable
shape?"
Half an hour" came the reply,
after some mental calculation.
$50 to it," and Beardslee practical
ly disrobed so far as his outer gar
ments were concerned and wrapped
himself in blanket apportioned him,
and snuggled down in a chair gloomily.
He half dozed, with closed eyes, quick
ly opened, however, as there was a
flash and then the sound of an explo-
sion. The interior of the place was
filled with smoke and flames and its
proprietor, whose operations had
somehow ignited the cleaning mate
rial he had been using was making
for the street. Beardslee sprang up,
rushed thlther himself and in his half
dressed condition darted into the hall
way of an adjoining office building.
The street became crowded as the
fire alarm was sounded. Beardslee
gave up his clothes as lost. He turned
into an office where a young man sat
poring over some writing. He stared
askance at the Indian-like habit of the
intruder.
"What's the address here?" asked
Beardslee of the clerk.
"Elston building"
"What room number?"
Thirteen"
TITS the limit" muttered Boards
lee but he completed the message.
Then he sat down to wait. In the
course of an hour the envoy from his
landlady arrived. Beardslee resumed
his way to his originally conceived
destination, the office of the friend
who might be inclined to help him out
financially.
Left for New York on the Limited
an hour ago." was the depressing in
formation he received.
Beardslee shrugged his shoulders
resignedly. The fates were certainly
against him. He proceeded on his
way, determining what he would do;
order his broker to close up his deals,
stand the loss, call upon Laura, sug-
gest postponement of the wedding
until he got on his feet again, and
leave speculation alone for the future.
AS he neared the office of his broker the
latter ran up against him on the street
"oh, I say; just the man." he spoke
exuberantly. "I'm bound for the ex-
change, but I'll go back with you and
settle up"
"Settle up7" replied Beardslee, rue
fully. "If there's deficit you'll have
to give me day or two to make
good"
"Defcit7 Why, man, we thought 1t
best to close out the deal in the face
of an alluring profit, and there's thir-