The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-12
CHAPTER T.
Across the Threshold.

polu.mout in o sort of moosurod
approval such aa cluuoiHsour
who knew bis art might bostow
upon q canvas On which ho found
no flaw The apartment was quito
in keeping with everything else that
pcr'aiuDd to 'ho ptIOiiu residence
lp that uppor TIuU avenue section
uf New York The Indirect light
irg fen '1n ana mellow upon tho
priceless Oriental uF the massive
desk OF dark, carved wood, tho
wide, inviting lcathorupholstoroi
chairs. tuc heavy porueros that
hllod the window spaces and hung
before lhr doors. the bOnkshclycs
That liurl the walls almost ceiling
high and that were of tho same
dark. polished wood as tho desk
and chairs Thoro was luxury
hero. ana wealth; but it was luxury
without ouontation. and wealtn
that lypidod only good taste and
refinement
ile closed the door behind him.
and began TO pace slowly up and
down the room. And now he
lroNncd n little. IIo had dlned
alone with hls employer MS usual,
tor Mrs. Ellsworth being an invalid
was rarely In evidence. and David
Ellsworth. usually Fo genial an old
gentleman, had not been entirely
himself From the pocket OF hia
dinner Jacket Bllty Kane took out
hts cigarette case, Beloctod a cigar.
cite. and lighted a. Mr. Ellsworth
had fingered I'm the dining room,
ana had said that no would como
presently to the library that there
was "a little matter he wished TO
attend to- There was nothing
strange in that, for they often
worked together here in this room
IN tho evenings, and yet Billy
Kane's puzzled frown doeponed.
There was something certainly
amIss with the old multimllllon-
airo tonight, and that anything
nhould disturb tho old philanthro-
pistB tranquility, except when his
aympRthies had been aroused and
tho mans heart, that was softer
than woman's, had been touched
by some pathetic appeal. was de-
cidodly strange.
Billy Kane continued his pacing
up and down tho room in long.
athletic strides, the great. broad
shoulders squared back as hts
hands we're thrust into tho pockets
o! his Jacket IL was far more than
feeling OF respect or mere liking
that he held for his employer, for
there had come esteem for the old
s:n,!cmsT's sterling qualities, aud
with the esteem a sincere affection,
and ont OF it all. very curiously.
q sort OF fathering. or protecting
interest for this man OF millions.
The fruwn passed away, AMI
Billy Kane smiled n little whimsi-
cally at the somewhat quaint con.
ceit Fatheringl Nevertheless. It
was truol There was scarcely an
hour OF the day that some appeal
for charity, ranging from u few
cents TO many thousands OF dollars,
was not made upon David Ellis.
wurth-tuo many OF them spurlous.
and II was his, Billy Kane's. solf-
appointed task TO stand between
hia employer and these fraudulent
attempts, All the world. at least
all tho world within reach, seemed
to be thoroughly conyersant with
tho old gentlemans askno'qucA.
tons libcrality y-and TO lose no op.
pcrtunity In taking advantage OF
that knowledgel For instance.
though here ho was forced TO the
belief that It was genuinely worthy,
thcro was tho case OF the deformod
beggar one Antonio l.ayorto, who.
during tho last weOk had taken up
his station on the corner a block
away from the house. The beggar
had already secured the old gentle
mans attention, and also dollar
or two every time David Ellsworth
passed; In return for which David
Ellsworth had become possessed OF
very pitiful lile history, and also
possessed Of a desire TO set tho
man squarely on his feet again,
Billy Kane paused abruptly In
his stride, as his eyes rested on
the porlieros that hung before one
OF the two doorways In the lower
end of the room Behind that door,
which was one OF wood matching
the other doors of the room, was Il
door OF solid steel, and behiud the
steel door was one OF the strongest
vaults IN the city OF New York,
and iu the vault, besides the mag,
niHcent collection OF rubies that
nestled iu their plush.llned trays
a collection Nat, while but a hobby,
had yet made their owner even
moro famous and widely known
than had his millions were thou
sands OF dollars the money kept
there for the solo purpose ~ being
given away EyCouulciy2 Well.
perhaps hui 4. so, IL was very
fine cCcuutryity, the ecccntrlciy
OF one OF Gods own uobiem,n.
one Of Gods own noblcmen,
Yes, he had good rensou 70 call
rayld Ellsworth that Bly Kane's
strong face softeued. As boy Is
acquainted Win his fathers COM
paEions, he had boon acquainted
with David Ellsworth for many
years, Il was true; but he had
never known the other for his