Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Mr Bennlngton had heard of the ?Idar Jeffries' trouble with his scape grace .on. and he eyed, with some In tereet. thla young man who had made auch a flaero of hin career. "Ob. 1 know Bennlngton," exclaimed Howard Jovially "I bought an ele? phant * tusk at hla place In the days whea I waa eomebody." With mock eadaeea be added. "I'm nobody now ?wouldn't even buy a collar button " "Woa't you tit down and stay awhile?" aald Underwood sarcastic? ally "If you don't mind. I'll bare a drink4 trat." replied Howard, making his way to the desk and taking up the whisky decanter. TJaderwood did not conceal bis an aoyaoce. but hla angry glances were entirely loot on hla new visitor, who waa rapidly getting into a maudlin condition Addreaalng Bennlngton with familiarity, Howard went on: "flay, da you remember that won derful set of Ivory chessmen my old ?an bought* Benalngtea smiled and nodded. "Tea. air; I do. Indeed. Ah, your father Is a fine art critic! ' Howard burst Into boisterous laugh tor "Art critic?' ha exclaimed. "I should say be waa. He'a a born exitlc. He can criticise any old thing ?overy old thing. I doa't care what It la. be can criticise It TYhen <n doubt ?criticise,' la nailed on father's es- I cutcheon " Bowing with mock cour- ! teay to each ha raided the glass to hit Hps and aald: "Here'a bow!" Bennlngton laughed good humored ry, and turned to go. "Well, good night. Mr Jeffries Good night. Mr. Underwood." Underwood followed the manager to the door. "Oood night!" ha said gloomily. CHAPTER VI. The door slammed, and Unlerwood returned to the sitting room. Taking bo notice of Howard, he walked over to the deak, slowly selected a cigar and lighted It Howard looked up at ?las foolishly, not knowing what to aay His frequent llbatlona bad so befuddled blm that he bad almoat for? gotten the object of hla visit "Mxcuae my butting In. old chap." be stammered, but?" Underwood made no anjwer. How? ard stared at him In comic surprise Ho was not so drunk as not to bo 1 able to notice that something waa wrong "Hay. old fellow," he gurgled; "you're a regular Jim Dumps. Why ao chopfallen. so?? My! what a long face? Is that the way you greet a classmate, a fellow frat? Walt till you hear my hard-luck story. Thut'll cheer you up. Who was It suld: There s nothing cheers ua up so much aa other people's money? " Reaching for the whisky bottle, he went on: "first 1 11 pour out another drink. You tOO, I ml courage, old man. I've got a favor to ask. I wnnt ttswfl aaooey. I not only want It?I need It." ' I erwood la.ighed, a hol'ow. mock Ing laugh of detlslon. His old class male had awl . ...... n >ou time to come and ask alia tor money. How? ard gstoto< k mi. ii pq t> for good humor 1 said I'd cheer you up." he went on "I don't want to r.-mlim you Ol thst Uttle matt< r of two hundred aad dfty kejOtsl vhki yo t borrowed Trom me two year?; 113. ? I suppose you've forgotten It. but?" A look of annoyance came over Un? der mood HWi ii. vtorl of Hf" he ayjgppsjd. Howa.d took gaOtltf diink before kt com nued T vou1 ?n't r? mind you of the loan, old eh?-* (.if I'm u?> again t Ir Wien the fan 0 log the flnevf kI'I d. my father c ut me off v hh i | i Jni: ;iilow aoce wbb h I rr> 1 I all t? p" H church plrifr I |g|d hll I preferred Independ- rw.- U. U. ba w ?-nt on with serlo-eomlc gravpy. I got my In? dependence, but I'm ?I'm dead broke. You mlr.hf as well understand the situ? ation plainly. I can't lind nny bsjal ?ess that I'm fitted for. rind Ann e thr?a'*-nH t*t ao i irk to work. NOW, you know I HbVI r I anything like that. I'm too m ch of a man to be supported bv m\ OSBOJI " He looked toward Underwood in a atupld kind of v h if looking tor some si^n of gOprOTtl, but h" ^ :idtl ap|M)lnted t I I rwood s fare w ;i t study of supre'.i ? In ? iferenee lb' did not c?en at pear t? ? nlng Some? what disconcerted. Howard again raised the gins to his lips, arid thus r??freshed, VJOgri on 'Then I thoi.nht of you, old ch:?p. You've made a rousing aucoeas of b got a big name as mi I ?!!? I (Ol n, h I. lost of money ;?nd all that?" Underwood Impatiently Interrupted htm "It's Impossible. Jeffries Things are a little hard wbb no Yon II fem It wj.lt for th.it t Howard grinned. "Taint the $260, Old man. I didn't want rh if I want a couple of thou sand Uodwrwood could nor h Ip laughing Mr l>. W. Alderman passed through "A Couple 67 thousand? Why not make It a million?" Howard's demand struck him as be? ing so humorous that he sat down con? vulsed with laughter. Looking at him stupidly, Howard helped himself to another drink. "It seems I'm a hit," he said with a grin. Underwood by thla time had recov? ered his composure. "So you've done nothing since you left ccliege?" he said. "No," answered Howard. ' I don't seem to get down to anything. My I Sank Sleepily Back Among the Soft Divan Pillows. i ideas won't stay in one place. 1 got a Job as time-keeper, but I didn't keep | It down a week. I kept the time ail right, but It wasn't the right time." Again raising the glass to his Hps, he added: "They're so beastly particu? lar." I "You keep pretty good time with that," laughed Underwood, pointing to the whisky. Howard grinned In drunken fashion. 1 "It's the one thing I do punctually." he hiccoughed. "I can row, swim. play tennis, football, golf and polo a> well aa anybody, but I'll be damned If I ean do anything quite as well as I can do this." "What do you want $2,000 for?" do manded Underwood. "I've got an opportunity to go Into business. I want $2,000 and' I want It deuced quick." Underwood shrugged his shoulders. "Why don't you go home and ask your father?" he demanded. His visitor seemed offended at tlu suggestion. What!" he exclaimed, with comic surprise, "after being turned out like a dog with a young wife on my hands! Not much?do. I've Injured their pride. You know father married a second time, loaded me down with a stepmother. She's all right, but she's so confoundedly aristocratic You know her. Say, didn't you and she? wasn't there some sort of an engage? ment once? Seems to me I?" Underwood rose to his feet and ab? ruptly turned his back. "I'd rather you wouldn't get person? al," he said curtly. Sitting down at a desk, ha b- gal to rummage with son.' paper* uul. turning Impatbn ly to Howard, he said: "Say, old man. I'm very busy now. You'll have to tgCUM nie." If Howard had b? i u sober, he would have BBdontOOd that this was a prot ry strong hint for him to be gone, but in tola boaottod ooodltlon, ha did not OTP BOO! to be disposed of so easily. Turning to underwood, be burst out with an air of offended dignity: Underwood, you wouldn't go back on gM now. I'm an outcast, a pariah, a der? I lot on the ocean of lifo, as one of my highly roapeotnble unoloi wrote mo, iii gmndfathor was an iron pud' r." With. I drunken laugh he went, on. "Dooaol it make you sick? I'm no g i ti ! ecause I married the girl, if I had ruined hjSjf Hi? Id still be u do i nt i embor of society." He bt.di.ed blmaell to another drink, his hand shaking mi that he could baldly bold the decanter. Hfl Was fa.-t approa eiiig th<- state of complete Intoxication, Underwood made no at Iflflnpt to IStorfflfO. Why should P. ear* If the young fotl mad - a sot of himself? The flooaof bo drank bin eii Ineoneiblfl ?he qulckei he would got rid of him. "No, Howard." hfl said: you'd nflYflf make a d? c< nt membor of society.' I'raps rot," hiccoughed Howard. "How doe.; Annie tokfl her social ootrnclainT' Inquired Underwood. MLlhfl a brick. She's a thorough bred, all right. Sie s all to the good " "All Ihfl same, im > orry I ? v. r in trod need you to her." replied Undor wood. "I never thought you'd make such a fool of yourself as to marry?" Howard flhooh his head In a maud iiu manner, as he replied! "I don't know Whflthor I made a fool Of myaoU or not. but ?he'l all right She's got in her Hie making! of a gnat woman?very nude, but still the makings The only thing I object to is. she insist-, on goll ^ ba< k to work. Ju.it as If I'd hermit It* h a thing Iki you know what I sai.i 00 out w< ddlni day! M j i Hon ard Jeff? the ffty WfldSWdny on bis way to ries, you are entering one of the old? est families in America. Nature has fitted you for social leadership. You'll be a petted, pampered member of that select few called the "400,'' ' and now, damn it all. bow can I ask her to go back to work? Hut if you'll let me have that $2,000?" By this time Howard was beginning to get drowsy Lying back on tbe sofa, he proceeded to make niinseli comfortabh. "Two thousand dollars!" laughed Underwood. "Why, man, I'm In debt up to my eyes." As far as his condition enabled him. Howard gave a start of surprise. "Hard up!" he exclaimed. Pointing around the room, he said: "What's" all this?a b! uff?" Underwood nodded. "A bluff, that's it. Not a picture, not a vase, not a stick belongs to me. You'll have to go to your fa? ther." "Never," said Howard despondently. The suggestion was evidently too much lor him, because he stretched out his hand for his whisky glass. "Fa? ther's done with me," he said dole? fully. "He'll relent," suggested Under? wood. Howard shook his head drowsily. Touching his brow, he said: "Too much brains, too much up here." Placing his hand on his heart, he went on: "Too little down here, j Once he gets an idea, he never lets it go, he holds on. Obstinate. One j idea?stick to it. Gee, but I've made | a mess of things, haven't I?" Underwood looked at him with con? tempt. "You've made a mess of your life," j he said bitterly, "yet you've had some measure of happiness. You, at least, married the woman you love. Drunk? en beast as you are, I envy you. The WOBUUl I wanted married some one also, damn her!" Howard was so drowsy from the effects' of the whisky that he was al- I most asleep. As he lay back on the | sofa, he gurgled: i "Say. old man; I didn't come here j to listen to boM-luci stories. I came j to tell one." In maudlin fashion he began to sir ig "Oh, listen to my tale of woe," wbl! 1 Underwood sat glaring at him. won- j dering how he could put him out. As he reached the last verte '.. J head began to nod. The words carae 1 thickly from his lips and h^ i; sleepily back among the soft diva i i pillows. Just at thRt moment the to1, pheno | bell rang. U: derwood quickly picked up the receiv ?r. "Who's tha, ?" he asked As he heard the answer Iiis face Hf ?r s? 1 ! he replied eagerly: "??!rs T fTrl * yes. I'll come down. No, tell her to . come up." Hanging up tne receiver, he hastily went over to the divan and shook Howard. "Howard, wake up! confound you! You've got to get out?there's some? body coming." He shook him roughly, but his old classmate made no attempt to move. "Quick, do ycu hear!" exclaimed Underwood impatiently. "Wake up? some one's coming." Howard sleepily half opened his eyes. He had forgotten entirely where he was and believed be was" on the train, for he answered: "Sure, I'm sleepy. Say?poit. r. make up my bed." His potlenCi exhausted. Underwood was about to pull him from the lOffi oy force, when there was a riug at the front door. Pending quickly over his compan? ion. Underwook saw that he was last asleep. There was no time to awaken him and g< I him out Of the way, so, quickly, he took a big screen and r.i ranged it around the divan so thai Howard could not be seen. Then h-.? hurried to tbe front door and op. ned it. Alb:lg enter, d. CHAPTER VII. For a few moments Underwood wni loo much overcome by emotion to RpCOk, Alicia bri Bh< d by In haughty :. ace, not deigning to look at blm. All he heard was the 8oft rv.stle of h. r clinging silk gown as it s wept ; g the Boor. She was InCOUBt d "..ill him, Ol COUrae, but sin- had i ime, Thai was all he asked. She , com< In time to save him. Ha would talk to her and explain every? thing and sin, would understand. She would help hitn in this crisis as Bhe bad In tin- past. Their long friendship, all these yean of intimacy. COUld not end like this. There was ? li hope for him. Tin- situation was r.oi as desperate as he feared. He hi yet avert the shameful end of tlx suicide. Advancing toward her. Ik said in a hoarse whisper: "Ob, this is good of you, you've .. ? ?tins is tin* answer to my let ? ? ?'. Alicia ignored his extended haul . I look a st at. Then, turning on Ulm she exclaimed Indignantly: "The answer should be a horae? hip, How dare you s< ml me such ? age?-' Drawing from her bag |< tter receiv (1 from him that j i . ?nil ",. she demanded! "What do you expect to gain by j this threat?" "Don't be angry, Alicia." Underwood spoke soothingly, trying to conciliate her Well he l.m-w the seductive power of bis voice. Often he had liaed it and not in vain, but to-nlght it fell on cold. Indifferent ears. "Ikm'l call me by that n ime," she snapped. Underwood made no answer. He turned illgbtly paler and. folding hia arms. j>nt looked at i ? i , in alienee, There was an aWH R ai d pause. At last sh?' said: "I hope you understand that every I Col MM hi I thing's over between us. Our ac- J qualntance is at an end.'' "My feelings toward you can never change." replied Underwood earnest? ly. "I love you?I shall always love you." Alicia gave a little shrug of her shoulders, expressive of niter Indiffer- j once. "Love!" she exclaimed mockingly. "You love no one but yourself." Underwood advanced nearer to her and there was a tremor in his voice as he said: "You have no right to say that You remember what we once w< re. Whose fault is it that i am where I am to? day? When you broke ur engage? ment and married old .1 Tri m to grati? fy your social ambition, you ? uined my 11.e. You didn't destroy my love?you COUldn'1 kill that. You may forbid me everything?to see you?to speak to you?even to think of you, but I can never forget that you are the only woman I ever cared for. If you had married me, I might have been a dif? ferent man. And now, just when I | want you most, you deny me even your friendship. What have I done to de? serve such treatment? Is it fair? Is it just?" strain Which the man was under. !r. j the excitement he had forgotten about Howard's presence on the divan be? hind the screen. A listener might have detected the heavy breathing of the sleeper, but eveu Alicia herself was too preoccupied to notice it. Under? wood extended his arms pleadingly: j "Alicia?ior the sake of auld lang syne!" "Auld lang syne," she retorted. "I want to forget the past. The old mem? ories are distasteful. My only object | in coming here to-night was to make ; the situation plain to you and to ask you to promise me not to?carry out your threat to kill yourself. Why should you kill yourself? Only cowards ! do that. Because you are in trouble? That is the coward's way out. Leave New York. Go where you are not known. You are still young. Begin life over again, somewhere else." Ad? vancing toward him, she went on: "If you will do this I will help you. I never want to see you again, but I'll try not to think of you unKindly. But you must promise me solemnly not to make any attempt against your life." . "I promise nothing," muttered Un? derwood doggedly. "But you must," she Insisted. "It would be a terrible crime, not only against yourself, but against others. You must give me your word." Underwood shook his head. "I promise nothing." "But you must." persisted Alicia. "I won't stir from here until I have your promise." He looked at her curiously. "If my life has no interest for you, why should you care?" he asked. There was a note of scorn in his voice which aroused his visitor's wrath. Crumpling up his letter in her hand, she confronted him angrily. "Shall I tell you why I care?" she cried. "Because you accuse me in thir letter of being the cause of your death ?I, who have been vour friend in spite of your dishonesty. Oh! It's des? picable, contemptible! Above all, it's a lie?" Underwood shrugged his shoulders. C'ynicaily he replied: "So i* wasn't so much concern for l ie as tor yourself that brought you here." Alicia's eyes flashed as she an? swered: "Yes, 1 wished to spare myself this indignity, the shame of being asso? ciated in any way with a suicide. I was afraid you meant what >ou said." "Afrpid," interrupted Unde wood bitterly, "that some of the scandal might reach as far as the aristocratic Mrs. Howard Jeffries, Sr.!" Her face flushed with anger, Alicia paced up and down the room. Tl man's taunts stung her to the quick in a way, she felt that he was right. She ought to have guessed his charac? ter long ago and had nothing to do with him. He seemed desperat enough to do anything yet she doubt? ed 1< he had the courage to kill him se.f. she thought she would try more conciliate > methods, so, stopping . hm t, sh3 i aid more gently: "You know my husband has suffered through the wretched marriage of his only son. You know how deeply we both feel this disgrace, and yet you would add?" Undenwood laughed mockingly. I "Why should I consider your hue h nd's feelings?" be cried. "He didn't consider mine when he married you." Buddenly bending forward. every ' m-rve tense, be continued hoarsely: j "Alicia, I tell you I'm desperate. I'm j hemmed in on all sides by creditors. Yoti know whal your friendship?your patronage neans? If you drop me now, youi friends will foilcw?they're a lot ol -h ? c led by yt?u?and wa*n ' my credl * rs In ar of mm- they'll b< lot n on : e ill- ? a flock of wolves, im nor ible to pake a ttlemeni. rtson Btai es me In the face." ; Qlanclnc around at the handsonn furnishlrg . Micla replied carelessly: "I'm nol ?? ? onsible for your wrong doing, i v Mit to protect my Mends. f they ate i lot ol sheep, as von siy, . that Is pr< < i !y why I should warn ? ? hem, T'n y have In pllcil confide! c j !n u-.e. Yon have borrowed th Ir a on ey, cheated them nt cards, stolen from them. Your acquaintance with me ha ? Iven tbem the opportunity. Hut n ?> I've found you out. I rel ise any long ? i to sacrifice my friends, my self-re pect, my seme oi decency." Angrily he continued: "You thought you could bluff me You've adopted this cow? ard's, way of rorclng me to receive von igatm I my w ill Well, you'v ? ilb d i will nol Banction your rob dug my fi!. nd . I will no* tllow j o\i o seil p . m .in- more at >o ir high? riced rabbit h, or permit you to cheat Miss Alderman, who has been Visit them at cards.*' Underwood listened in Bllence. H< -tood motionless, watching her flmhod ce as she heaped repro?.cli ??? on him m1P wns practically pronouncing hi" . dentente, yet ho could cot help j ' ' ' '' hon uret.ty she looked. When -ho had Pul h id he said nothing, bat, going to hi- desk, he opened a ?muH drawer an< eok out b revolver. Alicia 11 c: lied, frightened. "What an you going to uo?" she cried. Underwood b? lied bitterly. "Oh rtcn't be af raid. I wouldn't do !? rbUt you are here. In spite of all ycu've Bald to me. I still think U o ? .,?'. i,. y< u tor that." Replacing the I latol in the drawer, he added: "Alicia, if you desert me now, you'll be soiry to the day ol your death." His rlsitor looked at him in silence. Thou, contemptuously, she said: "I don't believe you intend to carry out your threat. I should have known rom the first that your object was to I tighten me. The pistol display was highly theatrical, but it was only % i bluff. You've no more idea of taking your life than I have of taking mine. I was foolish to come here. 1 might nave spared myself the humiliation of this clandestine interview. Good? night!" She went toward the door. Under* wcod made no attempt to follow her. I !n r. hard, strange voice, which he BCarcely recogijzed as his own, ho merely said: 'is that all you have to say?" "Vps," replied Alicia, as she turned at the door. "Let it be thoroughly un? derwood that your presence at my house is not desired. If you force yourself upon me in any way, you must take the consequences." Underwood bowed, and was silent She did not see the deathly pallor of his face. Opening the door of ths ' apartment which led to the hall, shu again turned. "Tell me, before i go?you didn't, mean what you said in your letter, did you?" "I'll tell you nothing." replied Un? derwood doggedly. She tossed her head scornfully. "I don't believe that a man who is coward enough to write a letter like this has the courage to carry out his threat." Stuffing the letter back into her bag, she added: "I should have thrown it in the waste-paper basket, but on second thoughts, I think I'll keep it. Good-night." "Good-night." echoed Underwood mechanically. He watched her go down the Ions hallway and disappear in the elevator. Then, shutting the door, he came slowly back into the room and sat down at his desk. For ten minutes he sat there motionless, his head bent forward, every limb relaxed. There was deep silence, broken only by How? ard's regular breathing and the loud ticking of the clock. "It's all up," he muttered to himself. "It's no use battling against the tide. The strongest swimmer must go under . ov.io time. I've played my last card and I've lost. Death is better than tuning to jail. What good Is life any way without money? Just a moment's n< rve and it will all be over." Opening the drawer in the desk, he took out the revolver again. He turned it over in his hand and regarded fear* fully the polished surface of thi n Btrumenl that bridged life and d*:;h. He bad completely forgotten Howard's pi sence in the room. On tb 4 thresh* old of b terrible deed, his thought! were leagues away Like a man who is drowning, and close to d ath, ho caw with surprising distinctness a ka!cidoscof)l? *irw of his past life. He ra*.\ him sell .n innocent, Impulslvs Bcbool boy, the pride of a devoted mother, the happy home where he ppenl his ch'ldhood. Then came the ic elation with bad companions, the Brst step in wrongdoing, stealing out fit a com 1 Jo's pocket in school, the ?th of his mother, leaving homo? w i b downward progress until he grad llj drl ted into his present dlshon 1 ^ 1 way of livh ;r What was the good o! rcgr ?s? He could not recall his 1 c1 c M ? could n< ver rehab i'5t; ? among decent men and woe 1 ! world had suddenly be* con ? ' ? a1! for him. II 1 must go, am? piti . ! . Fingering the pistol nervously, he sn1 befon the mirror and placed it r gainst !i!s temple. The told st-ei gave hi ! a Budden shock. He won? der* d i it v im! 1 hurt, and If there I would be in. tanl oblivion. The glare or the elecftic light In the room dls? , concerted him. it occurred to hlra that it would be easier in the dark. 1 Reaching out his arm, he turned the electric button, and the room sraB im? mediately plunged into darkness, ex? .? i lor the moonlight which entered through tl windows, Imparting 1 jnostly aspect to the scene. On the < !? ? pido ??; the room, behind the rn, n red :rV-* from the open Rre ..n tht keplug form of Howard '???? l\. ? ' m ilely, rnd? n\oo<* pI ...\ \\tV ' 'o Tum t. ?lpTe and iired. CHAPTER VIII. ? lello! W! ;it's t'...<t ?" 1' '! out nf his Gargantuan tuber I v it.'' revolver's loud report, ???ward sat up with a Jump tnd hbed bis eyea On the oth< r .^i< o the sere n, concealed from hie ob? ?rvntiou, there was a hea : ??!?:>.*?.. of body failing with a v l air ti.n ail \ as qul< t Scared, nol knowing wher h< was, '?w aid Jurai ed to hi^ feet. I 'or a omenl he stood still, trying i<< rol? ' et hlfl Bensea it was too dark 0 i cern :? 13 hl ig | lalnl}, hut ho .? \d 1 ly mak 1 m outlines of a> I thi nittirc and bib; <ds. Ah. be a* ? 1 ere L no-- ! 11 ? w as In Under* iog in the City f??r several days, ha.s f r>?*i ;,: R *'rrer.t. !?b! p !?'-? eye . 110 tried to -,? . r.lt ; ? ???.> i-^-i e-cwiy ? be * ;? < ' ? n* '? I ? '? ' on R ;?';:'?!?? !T:t.tc-r? ?now lh< money. ' ' : i ct'y '.veil. Alicia had listened with growing im patience. It wus only with difficult, that ehe contained herself. Now she interrupted him hotly: "I broke my engagement with you r beende I found that you were deceiv? ing me?just as you deceived others." Tt's a lie!" broke in Underwood. "I may have trifled with others, but I never deceived you." Allda rose and, cro-sing the room, carelessly Inspected one of the pic? tures on the wall, a study of the nude 1 y I'ouguereau. "We need not go into that." she said haughtily. "That is all over now. I came to ask you what this letter?this threat?means. What do you expect -o gain by taking your life unless I continue to be your friend? How can I be a friend to a man like you? You know what your friendship for a worn in means. It means that you would drag her down to your own level and disgrace her as well as yourself. Thank God, my eyes are now opened ro your true character. No self re? specting woman couM afford to allow ? hor name to be associated with yours. I You are as incapable of disinterested ri^ndship as you are of common hou ?sty." Coldly the added: "I hope you lite understand that henceforth my 1 ouse is closed to you. If we happen o meet in public, it must be as stran iers." Underwood did not ipeuk. Words^| ?med to fp.il him. His face was set ind white. A nervous twite hing about !.. mouth > bowed the terriole mental Theu he and Underwood got drinking and talking, and he had fallen asleep. He thought he had heard a woman's voice?a voice he knew. Perhaps that * was only a dream. He must have been asleep some time, because the lights were out and, seemingly, every? body had gon? to bed. He wondered what the noise which started him could have been. Suddenly he heard a groan. He listened intently, but all was still. The silence was. uncanny.^ Now thoroughly frightci.ed, How-^ ard cautiously groped iiis way about, trying to find the electric button. He had no idea what time it was. It must be very late. What an ass he was to drink so much! He wondered what Annie would say when he-didn't? return. He was a hound to let her|| sit up and worry like that. Well, this would be a lesson to him?:t was the last time he'd ever touch a drop. Of course, he had promised her the same thing a hundred times before, but this time he meant it. His drinking was always getting him into some fool scrape or other. _< He was gradually working his way* along the room, when suddenly he stumbled over something on the floor. It was a man lying prostrate. Stoop I ing, he recognized the figure. "Why?it's Uuaerwood!" he ex? claimed. At first he believed his classmate was asleep, yet considered it strange that he should have selected so un i Ths Persistence of H s Stare Made Howard Squirm. comfortable a place. Then it occurred to him that he might be ill. Shaking him by the shoulder, he cried: "iky. Underwood, what's the mat - ter?" No response came from the pros? trate figure. Howard stooped lower, to see l etter, ami accidentally touch? ing Underwood's face, tonne, it clam? my and wet. He held his hand up in the moonlight and saw that it was covered with blood. Horror-stricken. be 1 i i, d : "My God! He's bleeding?he's hint!'* What had happened? An accident ?oi- worse? Qi Ickly he felt the man's pulse, it had conned to beat. Under? wood was dead. ?. moment Howard was tocP much overcome by his discovery to know what to think or do. What dreadful tragedy could have hap? pen d? Carefully groping along the mantelpiece, he at last found the elec? tric button ami turned on the light. Th< re, stretched out on the floor, iay^ Underwood, with a bullet hole in hier leu t. mple, from which blood had fio< 1 ? freely down on his full dress ?hir( It was a ghastly sight. The man's white, set face, covered with a ci m u stream, made a repulsive spectacle. On the floor near the body was highly polished revolver, still Howard's first supposition was that burglars had entered the place and that Underwood bad be. n killed while defending his property. lb' renieni Ix red nov that in bis drunken sleep be h id hi ard voices in angry alten a tion Ye( whj hadn't he called U r% assistance? Perhaps he had and he had* '; heard him. returned to her home ;it Alcolu.