University of South Carolina Libraries
'.vf- ' fa**? * . ICoptbight, Robebt Bo: . ; CHAPTER II. I GATHERING STORM. I 'Any news. Leland?" T DA?,.AnK?wof Klo \jrregurj dcuovuuuxoi auu uio mvuu I Harry Dillingham were greeting one , of the Zingara's passengers, a tall. } fair-haired young man with a delightfully good-humored face, who was en- ( ? thusiastically shaking hands with Dillingham, protesting his pleasure at J seeing him safe returned from his , camping excursionLane Leland shook his head, shrug- j ging his shoulders, and laughed. "There's never any news at this season," he said, lightly. "Everything's 1 dead in the city?crowded out to breathe, you know. Dueced unpleasant on the street. I went down to get a whiff of business and found it asleep. Suffocated! Money too heavy to lift even for the having. By the way, though?" he pasused suddenly with a mysterious face. "There is news, Gregory. though I'll not vouch for the truth. A bad piece of news, too, if ft is true. I'm inclined to doubt it, though, because common sense prompts me to doubt. Nevertheless, I heard"?he spoke in a cautious tone ?"I heard in Wall street to-day that! there's a big failure on the carpet. The last one, too, that' you would 1 Lane Leland shrugged his shoulders j again and "raised his eyebrows. "I hope it isn't true," he said grave-) ly. "I don't believe it is ?I simply' won't believe it until it is proved be-, yond donbt?but 1 heard that Graham's' gone under." "Impossible!" Gregory Bensonhurst fell back a pace or two, pushing hisj cap up from his face blank with amaze-j ment. "Somebody lied to you, Leland. i Graham's sound as a brick; no flaws In that firm! At the head, you know?! worth millions. His wife's diamonds alone are worth a fortune." "Well," again Lane Leland lifted his brows and shrugged his shoulders. "Willi a gesture ui vue uauu, ao uivu^u, he would set aside any responsibility In the matter; '"I can't say, Bensonhurst; It was only a rumor, but. I tell you, it gave me the shakes. If such a house as that goes under, who Till be safe? I, for one, am utterly enable to earn my living, and I'd fight -tooth and nail for what I possess. No poverty for me, thank you! I like *the good things of life' in full morocco, gold edges!" Gregory Bensonhurst scarcely heeded him; he stood as though rooted to the spot, his eyes upon him in > dazed surprise, unable to speak, the consequences of such a failure flashing electric lines through his mind. Graham. theproud, aristocratic, luxuriously generous man?his friend?gone down In a crash! Graham, the bead of one pf the wealthiest firms in the city, with a million at the scratch of a pen. Gra ham, the favorite in society, at the dnb, on Wall Street?everywhere? .Graham?could he realize it??failed! He would not believe it; it was some hoax of Leland's; Leland was always up?to some joke. He shook his head resolutely, and a flash dawned in iris lazy eyes. - "Come, now, Leland," he said, rather Bternly, turning away, "I'll take a good <3eal from you, but I will not believe this. It is out of all probability. Graham is as sound as he was last year, you know. He could not fall. Why, he has millions of dollars, man! Every creditor would be down upon him like tigers, if this were true. It is not so, I am satisfied. I tell you, Dillingham, he has one of the shrewdest business heads on his shoulders of any man In the city!" Leland's eyes flashed wrathfully. 1 "I don't blame you for taking It roughly, Bensonhurst," he said.' "I couldn't believe it, either, at first, but you needn't come down on me for it. I didn't originate the taiK. n it is true, we will know it soon enough; If it Isn't?well," that suggestive lifting of his shoulders and setting-aside movement of the hands, as he also turned from them to the group of chatting ladies at the end of the pier, "all that I can say is that I hope to the deuce It isn't true." "But, whatever you do, Leland," Bensonhurst laid his hand detainingly upon his friend's arm, as he was passing him, "whatever you do, don't tell this to any one else,until we know. Graham and his wife are here, you know, and it would not be pleasant to arouse such a suspicion." Lane Leland's indignant face interrupted whatever else Bensonhurst might have said in his zealous .defense of his friend. Lane Leland's flashing eyes were not particularly good-natured now, as he looked into the opposite lazy eyes of brown. "Whatever I may be, Bensonhurst," he said swiftly, withdrawing his arms' from under the detaining hand with; new hauteur, "I am not a fool! I was: bora with ordinary common sense. I' m \ t * 7 Noxicl. KATE LUDLUM, dU'l SOXF, ISM. J believe. If Graham is never hurt worse than I hurt him. he will live and die pretty free from harm." ' Don't be angry with me.Lane." said Gregory Bensonhurst. quietly. "I would only save them unpleasantness." TIVIl vaii nnml not Into nu* llPflfl f ff n rn, jr uu uwu ..v defending them, auywav.*' retorted Lelaud. soinewuat mollified. He was too good-natured to long remain angry with any one. "It isn't my way to walk meekly into the lion's mouth if I know it. Bensonhurst!" "Leland is one cf the best-hearted of "fellows." said Dillingham, as he and Gregory Bensouhurst walked up to the hotel piazza. "He meant no harm. Tf this Graham is the man you say, It isn't probable that this report is true, although the financial world is shaky just at present. His wife is a remarkably handsome woman!" "But I cannot help thinking," saM Beusonhurst uneasily, "that Graham did look pretty well done up when he came out to-night. I am afraid to believe either way. What a blow his failure would be to his wife; but she lias a fortune in her own right. Graham would sever lose that rof irer. Undoubtedly that is solid, and could carry them over even deeper sloughs than could come to liim with the worst of failures." Considerably cheered by this conclusion, the two passed out upon the ocean side of the piazza. Just then, pretty Miss Bess Catherwood was querying as she leaned beside one of the posts of the pier, her black eyes wicked with the merry heart beneath: "You look so wrathful, Mr. Leiand. What was the matter iu the city, that j-ou came out with such an air:" She was oue of the sailing-party, and was tarrying to watch the sunset effects upon the water, and the flash ing out of the light-house lamps ore she weDt in to dress for dinner. Pretty Miss Catherwood was inclined to be late and never in a hurry; but what could one urge against-this element of character, when she declared that life was altogether too short, anyway. "And you are so cool and charm ing, that I am already rested," said Leland, smiling. She was such a charming woman, and so pretty in her dainty buff-andblue boating dress, with the blue anchor upon her breast and her tiptilted cap atop of the curly black hair. Iier yellow ties witn tueir Diue notions, one white baud twirling the buG.' parasol with its great blue bow of ribbon. round and round just over one spot iu the boards o^ the pier. ' On. dear! Always pretty* words! Why don't you say right out you are as mad as mad can be, Mr. Lelaud? I'll let you.'' He laughed, taking the restless par asol from her hand as tenderly .*s though it were worth its weight in eePl tie was in love with wicked little Boss Catherwood, as that young lady knew quit$ well. She used this knowledgtvto his dire disadvantage, too, very often. "Because." he made reply, "I am nut mad any longer. 1 am happy. Mirs Catherwood." "Well." she eyed him critical!1' not ninching from his eloquent eyes. "1 believe you do look better-natured, Mr. Leland. You came out with Mr. Graham, didn't you? What a handsome man he is! I don't wonder that his wife -dores him. And the lovely, lovely things he lavishes on herthe dresses and diamonds?such drrsses and such hats? I don't see why he didn't fall iD love with me instead of Alecia Field. I'd have been so dreadfully slad to marry him?fcr his money." Leland frowned. If he were happy, as he had just protested, his looks belied it. He possessed considerable of this world's good things, but it would not be possible for him to lavish "such dresses and such hats" upon his wife, when he should marry, as Harold Graham showered upon AlfUlU> 1 Ul Llil'UiilJf; .ui^o V/Uiucim wu was forever declaring she would never. never, never marry without unlimited wealth. "But suppose that you should happeu to marry a man who lost his money-every cent?afterward. .What, then, Miss CatherwoodV" She puckered up her brows and opened wide her eyes bewilderingly. She screwed her pretty red mouth into an emphatic protest. "Oh, but he wouldn't, you know, Mr. Leland! He never could. I'd make him solemnly promise that he would not. Because"?she uttered the words with very pretty deliberation?"if he should, I would hate him. Why, of course I'd hate him. I couldn't help it," she added, as though the enormity of any other conclusion were beyond her power of comprehension. "And in the meantime, as the sunset is gone and it is late, Z^mut,LaBLj? and dress for JJ 1 dinner. I'll get not a morsel if I am ' too late." Lane Leland smiled, in spite of his anger. He was always either very ; happy or very miserable with this i girl. He loitered beside her as they : walked up the pier, still carrying the furled parasol, with its knot of broad ribbon. They were the last of the i,ll A-.. nnnn ni/ir fnr it w-nntpfl tint IU1CIO UJ/VU IUV I'iVI, AV4 IV I a few minutes of the dinner-hour, and the light was revolving in the tower out to westward, and only the tenderness of twilight touched the sand and sea and shy beyond that line of sullen cloud. The world was so peaceful, how could one's heart retain tumult? "After dinner, will you go with me to watch the moonrise upon the sands, , i Miss Catherwood? I have something that I wish to tell you?something that 1 I must say to-night.'' said Lane, as they paused at the foot of the staircase. A slight flush was upon his face. Miss Catherwood knew quite well what it was he would say: and it would be a pleasant story for her to hear?site knew that, too: but wicked Miss Cather.vood could not live without teasing even those whom she loved, and she could not refrain from i tormenting this man. "After dinner?" IIow slow and soft her voice was. and what a charming ; ; pucker came between the level black i eyebrows! "Why, after dinner?let ine I see?I am almost afraid that I have an engagement, Mr. Lelaud; but?I will see and?let you know." He was, manlike, too blind to know that this was her acceptance of his in- j vitation. He was too angry to ask. "You are always unkind to me!" he 1 protested, wratbfully. "Then why don't you leave me ! alone?" demanded Miss Catherwood, j swiftly, her voice struck with a sbarp| ness born of contrite tears. ! And a rustle of skirts, the flash of a buff-and-blue gown, the click of light . j boot heels upon the stairs, and Lane Leland comprehended that he and Miss Cathenvood had once more quarreled. "What is a fellow to do?" he demanded of himself, with great fierceness, as he followed slowly up the stairs to his room. "She puts one always at a disadvantage. If she doesn't want to marry me. let her say so?when I ask her. I hhven't asked her yet!'' He continued exceedingly wrathful during his toilet; and went down to dinner fully determined to have no more to do with such a wicked coquette, but to fall in love directly with Anita Grant! The tables were as lively as usual with bright eyes and wit and laughter, mingled with the clatter of dishes and the distant thunder of the surf across the sand-hills. For who among them could believe that brilliant Alecia Gra- i ham and her handsome husband, live- j liest of thein all, hid a wolf under their ; cloak of pride, and would vanish out of that fray world as a star that falls : with a flash of light into darkness and j oblivion. For not one of them saw the ' j anxiety under light laughter. The ; cry of the ocean should be drowned in gayety; the beat of happy hearts should defy the beat of breakers! Moonlight was over the world: the stars were steadfast; the sea a lake of ; molten silver breaking to glistening ; fragments along the sauds. Time j I enough to be terrified when the storm j | should break! "We will bear our sorrows. Harold," Alecia said, slowly and bravely, as she ! j sat in a low chair by the open win- j j dow of their room, some time later, ; facing the occaD. "Because trouble has come to us, is no reason why we should lay it upon others. Besides?" she turned for a moment from the exquisite world without to smile upon her husband, leaning ba?k in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head and his eyes seeing nothing before ; ; him?"beside, it helps one wonderfully j j to laugh when things go contrary. I ! feel a great deal stronger for to-morrow, aft.r the music and happiness down stairs. . One is ashamed to be gloomy, you know, when every one else is bright, and so one has to polish one's face and voice and manner until the shine is sort of rubbed in. you see:-' Her husband made no reply. She expected none, and turned again <o the window and the shimmering silver sea. the round moon riding royally in the upper ocean: only a solitary sail in "the far distance struck into shadow as it sailed away. She clasped her hands around her knees, her hair let down about her shoulders, and nodded sturdily. Still no reply. Still she expected none. The solitary sail down on the horizon had turned, and the moonlight struck it into gold. Her eyes were upon it. "I shall go with you to the city in the morning, if you will take me. Harold." she said, presently. The sail was out of sight. Before her, beyond the low sand-hills, was only that great vast waste of silver, with a path along it that looked fashioned for a heavenly road. The moonlight was full in her face. "There need be no ex cust to these people. We have fe\ friends here. Business calling yo:? away is all that we will need to ex plain, and I go with you from ehoio What is it to them? Together we can \ \ . V i 1 arrange car actions far better than 1 apart, when we know the worst, and /l begin the new life. You have so many i friends?'* Her husband interrupted lier now. . lit took down his hands from behind ' his head and leaned forward, his el- ' bows upon his knees, his eyes upon her , face, as iie answered slowly, striking one hand lightly with the other to emphasize his words. She turned her face to his, waiting. "Even yet you do not comprehend tills thing, Aleeia! You would soften flip hlfitv fnv mo lint iiictpfltl r\f ilrvino .so, you make it infinitely harder, be- j cause you force me to explain added 1 humiliation. I have many friends? ! yes?to-day. To-morrow there is not ' one will help me. When the thing is 3t< known, and that my liabilities far cii exceed my power to meet them, ever; one will clamor for his due. Not one ti of my creditors will allow me to com- cj, promise or again enter business, t should not, if they would! I could noi ^ endure to feel that what I should gain ^ would be swallowed up ere it were nj mine. I could not endure to meet a\ these men every day. I hale every th one of them; I hate myself more. When to all is over, we will go away, and be- Hi gin life in a new city. I have decided that. California is an open field for p* one who is ambitious. We will go there, '.n a new country I will mak ^ a new name. Never here." aj The slim fingers around liei knees ' aj tightened their hold. The. red lips cr pressed down one upon another for a pi moment. The violet eyes dilated ere | 3ii her emotion was conquered. Then ar she said very softly and sweetly, her | g* voice like music through the room, a | a uote of the sea's deeper undertone ' ?* touching it: J* (To be continued.) I "?" ! W' Insurance Suspended.. I ac | Vicksburg, Miss., Special.?The spe- el ! cial agents of fire insurance com- st panics doing business here met Tues- ^ (lay and later all local fire agents re- CI ported that they had suspended busi- ^ ai ness. It is hoped that a second con- n, ference of the special agents, the flj ! board of trade, cotton exchange and j SI d< bankers may cause a re-consideration , jj? of this action. The trouble grows out wi of the failure of the city to reorganize i sh ! the fire department, which it is T 'claimed, is incompetent. The com- | ^ panics demand a new fire chief and a ' as general reorganization. ! ra | is Strike Averted. ; sa Roanoke. Special.?The differences w between the machinists of the Bluefield (W. Va.) Norfolk and Western | Railway shops and the officials of , af that road have been amicably Settled. I ni It is not known just what concessions | e<3 were made on either side, but it has j ct been given out that there will be no B: strike, the committee which came A: here from Bluefield yesterday to con- ! fer with the Norfolk and Western ] pt officials having reached that conclus- i ni ion. j se I re B North Carolina Wins Debate. i ai Nashville, Tenn., Special.?The last ^ of the series of three inter-collegiate j fa debates between Vanderbilt University ei and the University of North Carolina Bi occurred here Friday night, the visi- si tors from North Carolina gaining the a decision. The question, of which North ! ta Carolina took the negative, was "Re- A solved. That the Federal government th should own and operate the railroads 1 ci in the United States." The following | Ci were the speakers: North Carolina: T. A. Adams and Charles Ross; Van- | <jj derbilt: Frank Seay and W. M. Board, j | sb A Sunday Shut Down in Boston. ]0 Boston. Special.?Never before has St Boston seen such a vigorous enforce- Ti ment of any law on the statute books I ^ as that given the Sunday laws Sunday. Drug store, fruit, dealers, hankers and r laundries were the objects of the police ai attack. From one end of the city to the Si other soda fountains were silent, candy H counters covered and idle, and fruit tv stores closed. Liquor could be sold at j dt hotels by patrons ordering something j to eat, and they did a rushing busi- ! T! ness. ' I cr i ? Newsy Notes. A Havana dispatch says: "The Au- j dencia Court accepted the bond of ^ (l/Wl flfTororl htf Q fiHolUu nnmnQnv ! !a fiw,w\ V VUVIVU K/J a uugui/ VV/UIJ/?uj ui for the appearance of Ester G. Rath- j t bone. The court requires, however, that this bond be drawn before a no- ' at tary." A Roanoke, Va., dispatch says: "C. j fl 0. Parker was appointed general sup- j erintendent of the Virginia & South- ai western Railway, with headquarters at wi Bristol, Tenn. He was formerly gen- sa eral superintedent of mines for the m Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company. , be a Wheeling, W. Va., dispatch says: m "As predicted, a compromise has been 01 effected in the Amalgamated Associa- B; tion regarding the lodges which failed to pay recent strike assessments. The committee upholds the constitutionality of assessments and the action of the executive officers in making them is endorsed/' Plans are on foot for the consolida- lo tion of the Southern cotton mills into at a big company with $60,000,000 capital. W1 Harvey Bruce, at Hudson, N. Y., doscribed in detail the alleged murder of T] Peter Hallenbach by the Van Wormer boys.- 1 at -I i , STEAMER BURNED vful Scenes On Board a Fated River Boat XTV PEOPLE REPORTED MISSING Passengers Awoke to Find Themselves Surrounded By Smoke and Flames. Cairo, 111., Special.?The side-wheel ;amer City of Pittsburg, from Cinanati to Memphis, was burned to the iter's edge early Sunday morning, at irner's Landing, 24 miles from this ty. The early reports stated that GS ;es were lest and that many were idly burned and otherwise injured. it the list of casualties is not yet defitely determined. Two boats and all 'ailable craft from this city want to ie scene for relief. Efforts were made i catch the New South, of the same ae at Paducah, and have her steam ick for relief, but the steamer had issed Paducah, upward bound, before e telegram was received. Most of the issengers were still in bed when Secid Clerk Oliver Phillips gave the 4 arm. The engineers at once started 1 the pumping engines, while tho ew had broughtt all the hose into ay. Amid the streams of water on ail ries, the flames from the lower deck id dense clouds of smoke, the passenirs rushed from their state rooms and frightful panic ensued. The appeals the officers and crew could not ap:ase the terror-stricken crowds that terfered with those throwing water t the flames as well as with those orking with the life boats. Few could ljust life preservers or do anything se for themselves. The smoke was ifTIing. Great clouds floated through ie blazing steamer, choking the pas ngers and adding to their terror, lildren cried pitifully, begging that ey be saved. Life boats were manned id every effort was made to save the isscngers from the floating furnace of tmes. From the river banks the >arks from the burning craft and the :nse clouds of smoke, tinged with imes. made a most impressive and eird spectacle. Boats were sent from iOre to help in the work of rescue, he steamer was quickly headed to tho . ? 1- W..4 nnenAnorAKfl WOrO fAf^O/1 id the coal operators of the State tve been unsuccessful, will make a lal effort to secure the latter's attendee at a meeting called for the present eek in this city. If no recognition or tisfaction shall be obtained at thi3 eeting, it is said a general itrike will t the result among the thousands of ine workers along the Chesapeake &. lio and Norfolk & Western and the iltimore & Ohio Railroads. British Consols in Demand. London, By Cable.?There was a treendous rush to subscribe to the new an of ?32,000.000 ($160,000,000) Wed;sday. At the Bank of England it is estimated in the evening the loan id b^en ten times over-subscribed, le subscription lists will close probdy Thursday. A I LI ft., UUl ptUOCugcio nviv 4v* vv?* mp from the stern and tried to swim ihore through the swift current and any were drowned. Many also perhed in the flames. Only one yawl was. iVed, without oars, and about 20 or ?0 omen were taken off in the yawl. The 'St were picked up out of the water, elp, except from people living near i>y d not arrive until 2:30 o'clock this ternoon, and passengers with only ght clothes and without food sufferI terribly. Among the missing are a lild of Pilot Al. Pritchard, and Clay reeze, his wife and son, and a son of rchie M. Allen, of Pittsburg. Captain Philipps says 20 or 25 of the issengers are missing and the same imber of the crew. Two women pas ngers were severely burned, but will cover. They are Mrs. S. R. Leach, of ridgeport, 0., burned about the hands, id Miss Ellen Fenmore, of Arbuckle, r. Va., severely burned about the ce. Mrs. Fannie McCullum, of Leavlworth, Ind., lost three children. Pat urt. of Owensboro, Ky., his wife and x children, were all lost The body of child dressed in night clothes, was .ken from the river at Mound City, mong the first bodies recovered were lose of Captain Wesley Doss, of Cinnnati, and Miss Marie Tissim. of inelton. Ind. Miss Marie Lisler, of Carrollton. 0., * * _v. ed after being brougni on snort-, flvester Doss died after getting to tore. The following is a partial list of those st: Mr. Adams, of Ohio, bound for ;. Louis; Mr. Downs, of Memphis; om Smith, steerman, of Memphis; atrick Burrafe, of Owensboro, Ky.; je Ridding and Lud Jones, strikers' lgineers, of Cincinnati; Wm. B. Stu t, of Cincinnati; a little, girl named (veeney, of Owensburg, Ky.; L. L. unter, of Litinti, Pa.; two cooks and ro chambermaids and most of the K?k hands. The fire was discovered at 4:05 a. m. here were 60 passengers and 70 in the ew. General Strike In Prospect. Huntington, W. Va., Special.?Th| nited Mine Workers of West Virgin, whose repeated efforts to bring ?out a conference between themselves