Montgomery County sentinel., 1924-01-11
An Anchor to
Windward
By JUSTIN WENTWooD
O0OeOOseosOeoeOOSSSssSeSo .
20, 1898, Western Newspaper Union.)

tS) le2S, western Newspaper Unlon,)
60 IT had come at last Winters
Owas ruined. The wheel of the stock
broken so many others. And he would
have to tell Marian. What would she
do? Would she leave him?
1t occurred to him, as he left his Of
flee, that after eight years of married
life he really did not know Marian at
ALL There had been time, during the
first year, perhaps, when they had
been lovers; but domestic difficulties
had come between them, and they had
gradually grown more estranged.
AT the time of his marriage Winters
had held a position as a clerk in
stock brokers' office at fifty-nve a
month. Not much money to marry
onl But they had chanced 1t, and they
had been happy in their little apart
ment until Winters was bitten by the
gambling mania.
Secretly-for IL II had come to his
employers ears it would have meant
instant dismissal-Wlnters had begun
plunglng in stocks, going to a bucket
shop. He had lost, then won, then
won again, then won daringly.
He remembered the look on old Alt
meyers face when he sent for him.
"Wlnters," he said peremptorlly, "Is
II true or is 1t not that you have been
specializing I'm stock-market sharesW
quite true" said Winters.
"You know the rule of this firm"
"D--n youl" cried Winters In sud
den passion, "Im worth eighty thou
sand dollars !"
And he turned on his heel and left
the place forever
He had crossed the quarter-million
line once, but thereafter he had been
heavily and steadily hit. Then he had
plunged more and more, until he had
been finally wiped out.
And he wondered what Marian
would say.
1t was In part on account Of her ex-
travagance that he had wanted 80
much money. He had figured out II
few weeks before that Marian must
have run through thirty or forty thou
sand dollars within the past four
years. Her desires were Unsuitable
clothes, hats, shoes, jewels. There
was that diamond necklace at fifteen
thousand-well, he hadn't grudged her
that after killing. But, IL he hadn't
INDUCED her so much
And she had never been grateful.
h.. haI T.,
ship. She had never helped him, had
always been against him, worrying
him to stop specializing. Where would
they have been II he had taken her
at her word?
He grew more cheerful as he went
home In the car. After all, he was
quite a young man. 1t would only be
matter Of time before he was en-
abled to recOup himself. He was al
ways sure Of a position.
He broke the news after supper
marian, I'm ruined" He took a
stealthy pleasure in blurting II out
that way.
And she took II with her usual calm
"Well, always knew 1t was bound TO
come" she answered IL only wonder
It didn't come before"
''lf I had had the forty thousand
I've squandered on you" he tainted
her, ~ could have turned the tide and
saved things"
She flushed, but made no answer.
"What are you going 10 dor she
asked him later.
eco to work again. Move back 10
Two Hundredth street"
"And speculate"
II suppose So"
''Llsten Jim Let's make n bargain.
II | never say anothbN word against
your specializing, will you promise,
when you have more money, to squan-
der II on me again.
"Tm sorry said that" he answered,
little sullenly. "Only It's been dis
couraging your not sympathl2lng
'Listen, jim What would you say
to two thousand yenr--a little more
--as n permanent lncOme2 We
wouldn't have 10 move. You could go
to work"
"What d'you meanT
81 mean Jim, that I've saved Just
fifty thousand dollars In the past four
years, which you thought I'd thrown
away ON 'eXtrnvagnncc. And it's Sc
cured In your name under deed Of
trust-the interest ours, the capital
untOuchablc. And that's what meant
by saying, II you speculate again,
please be as extrayagant as you can
with mo"