Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-08
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READ This FIRST:
Vivian Matthews, shy and unhap-
by because she was a doorstep baby,
is called a flat tire" by the young
er set Of Bender. She marries Kent
worth Hillman Johns III, with the
understanding that in a year she
will get $4,000 and a divorce in
Paris. She loves him secretly, and
marries to help him get the fortune
left by his grandfather. Aurelia
"Dovie" Jansen, who Tilted Kent
to marry the Count Won Pepper in
Paris, returns and lays her plans
to win Kent again. There is a
cyclone. and when both homes are
taken and Vivian'S maid is wound
ed, Vivian flies through the storm
for doctors, and becomes a hero
inc. saving a score Of lives. The
refugees are in the little Matthews
cottage, wHled to Vivian by her old
guardian. Dovie and her mamma
return to Paris to get 'out Of the
mess and to keep out Of work. Kent
receives the Growing blow.
CNOW GO ON WITH THE STORY)
CHAPTER XII
Kent was like a man whose death
sentence had just been pronounced
when he received the wire from his
brokers in New York that spelled
his financial doom.
The wolves Of Wall street had, in
one hour, swept the great Johns for
tune to the four winds. He was
pennies. At first he had almost
laughed. 1t must be a joke. But,
not was real-ghastly real.
Every cent he had realized from
his grandfather had gone into the
sure-fire stock that was to treble
his million. And it was gone. Gone,
like so much snow, melted away in
the sunlight.
He had answered the door bell,
himself, and taken the fatal wire
that in 10 short words told the
story. Vivian coming down the
stairs saw him tsanding in the hall,
white with a sickly whitenesS, and
ran to him.
"Kent, what is it-what has hap
pened-"
Automatically she took the wire
from mis- hand and read 1T. He
stood SO still that she shook him
roughly. He shivered, and he looked
ct her. half crazed. She stood I'M
certainly, holding the wire in cold
hands.
"You-know-what that means"
as everything gomez" she asked,
stunned, looking into his face. You
put everything you had IN the
world into it?"
Everything" He said it mechan-
ically.
He let Vivian lead him into the
living room and sit him down on
the couch, scarcely seeming to no
tice what she was doing. When he
laid his head into her lap she
thought for a moment he was going
to cry-and hoped he would.
She put her hand on his curls.
Poor kid Poor, silly boy. He never
had known what it was to be with
out money-and ne had thought he
was going to be clever to play with
it and make his stack of gold grow
higher and higher. Like a little boy,
piling up his sand pile.
Vivian suddenly felt tender and
maternal. Years and years older
than he was. She lifted his head
and tried to smile.
What does it matter, Kent?
Maybe it is for the best. You are
young and strong-you "a build a
fortune up again If you try. The
insurance will put you up in bust
ness again"
He was listening to her-vacant-
ly. She was almost frightened with
the way he grabbed her by her
arms and looked into her face. He
seemed to speak.
Then-"Oh, my God" he said,
weakly, staring at her madly. 81
owe you sos. 900"
SO he did, Vivian hadn't thought
Of that. Suddenly she wanted to
laugh. But she knew she must not.
1t was ghastly humor. But it struck
her funny. She pulled mis- head to
her breast and held him close to
her.
why, Kent! You don't think