The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-06-04
HER
NEAR
ELOPEMENT
BY II. IRVING KING
ID. ~. Mcclure Newspaper syndleate.l

Caroline Burbank lOnged for 70
nance. Her engagement to Howard
Bolton vas altogether too prosaic tC
suit her. Elopements were what she
especially delighted in; she thrilled
over every such escapade which the
daily papers exploited. OF course she
intended and wanted, to marry How
ard, but she did wish a way could
be contrived to inject a little high
colored romance into the situation.
But there did not seem to be any
way. He was a prosperous young
banker and broker" and was per-
fectly acceptable to her family. SO
the courtship logged along and the
date for the wedding was fixed
A week before the date set for the
marriage financial storm came
sweeping down through Wall street.
1t was an entirely unexpected dis
turbance, and many responsible firms
were caught without their umbrellas
up. Among these was the firm of
Burbank & Co.-for Carollne's father,
as well as her lover, was lin the
that night in an agitated and desperate
mood. Carrie" said he, 1.-The bottom
dropped out of the market today. I'm
less you help me l am a ruined man.
must have fifty thousand dollars by
the time the market opens tomorrow
or am a goner. You have sixty thou
sand dollars your Aunt SOphronia left
you which came into your possession
a year ago, when you were twenty
one. VIII you lend it to me? 1 think
with that can pull through. 1t is my
only hope"
"Why, certainly, daddy" replied
Caroline take 1t and welcome. Take
1t all If you want 1t. You say there
was a panic in the street? Was How
ard affected?"
81 am afraid that he is gone" re-
piled Burbank. HE was hit hard.
It's too bad, but can't be helped"
"And how much would Howard need
to carry him through?' asked Caro-
line.
about the same amount that 1
need" was the reply.
"And can't you-oh, dear, if I only
had more money! What shall 1 do?'
do? Why, you can do nothing
more than you have done. Your first
duty is to your father-and I must
say you have performed it nobly." He
was a rather cold-blooded proposition,
was Caroline's father.
Carrie passed miserable, miserable
night She was so glad she had been
able TO help her father-but poor
Howard! Meantime Howard sat in
his office figuring and figuring. AS far
as he could see when he had squared
up all he would have left would be
that contract with the Argentine gov
eminent, which had not yet been rati-
fed. There was money in that-big
money-if only a ratification took
place. But the thing had been hang
ing fire for months, and his last ad-
vices from Buenos Aires were that 1t
was extremely doubtful if 1t went
through. And Burbank had gone to
the wall, too, he heard. Well, he and
Carrie would have to start their mar
ried life together in poverty-but he
would win out yet. The morning
came. Burbank pulled through, but |
Howard did not. Howard had sent |
off to Carrie a note the night before |
"a note full Of love and hope. About |
noon he went over to Burbank Co. |
with congratulations for their success
in weathering the storm.
"Sorry I was unable to help you,
Bolton" said the senior member OF
the firm, "but the fact Is l was pretty
hard hit myself"
$50 ) understand, sir" replied How
ard "How is Carrier"
"Oh, she Is we'll. And, by the way,
Bolton. in view of the present circum-
stances, 1t might be as well that you
and Carrie give up your idea Of being
married-that is, for the present at
least"
Howard was a rather auick-tem-
pered young man. I'm short, sir"
flashed he, NOW that 1 am poor you
want to break off the match. I see.
But let me tell you I won't take your
saw about that matter. I will, how
ever, take your daughters. She shall
be the Judge. Good-day, sir"
"What an impulsive young man."
commented Burbank as Howard flung
out of the office. "Well, guess can
Dut the case to Carrie so that she will
see 1t In a sensible light" But when
he got home to his beautiful place
,ut on Long Island, Mr.. Burbank
'ound his daughter strangely obdurate.
She was even undutiful enough to re-
mind her father that 1t was her money
hat had saved him from failure SIM
lar to Towards. That naturally
md justly-made Burbank pretty mad,
md he swore she should not marry
Howard Bolton If he had to lock her 4
ID in her room. Mrs. Burbank took
10 sides in the controversy. She
lever did interfere in family matters.
she had found life would go more
asily by adopting that policy.
Now Howard had seen Carrie first. !
lie had rushed right out there after {
Is Interview with her father. "Give {