The Durham recorder. [volume], January 20, 1910, Image 7

About The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??

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THE DURHAM RECORDER, i
'A wooden capstan J;i tn center did!
duty for a round table, a ad n It, In
addition to an electric reading lamp,
an untidy litter of pu;ers and mags
lines, aome writing i(W. erirwopes.
pena and ink, were a huj-'e tin bos of
tobacco and a rack containing pipes of
wood and meerschaum of all slaes.
abapea aud color. Remarkable among
tbe few cnalin of nut.in or rush was
one, a larpe nw kln cbalr, partially
constructed f two small nnchora, the
fluke fonuluif tle r" kei-H. In a cor
ner over a coiuforjaui lounge waa a
canopy mnde of a plif of anil can
raa supports! by south tea island
apeara and .decorated wltb leather
ablclda. wnrctubs, lioomeranga and
other native wfuponn,. together with
necklace nnd various ornaments of
aharka' teeili Cori-rlng tbe walla
were stuffed 4 flalic nf weird shape.
Over the entrnm dir was a ship's
wheel and on ttit ronntel a model of
an old time trmllng m booner wltb all
aalls set A in-mil' other object on tbe
mantel also wits, a faded daguerreo
type sbowliif ';tptal:i WWms as a
young man; In uniform. Ou each side
of tbe canstun was a drty rnspldor.
Tbe carpet abut waii dirty and spotted,
, and duat bad settled thickly every
where. In this queer abode Wtlllams
lived alone, sore for J'ato, a Japanese
ralet. who had nerved him for many
.years.-' ' V-,..' . -" .
Tbe mawilve form of the: captain
himself, minus lil coat, might have
been descried in tbe Ilgbt of tbe lamp
through the i-lud of tobioco smoke
that enveloped hlw as be sat reading
a magatlne wm time after bis de
parture from tbe home of Mr. and
Mrs. Brooks. He was rather annoyed
wbeq the telephone bell rang and had
be not been expecting Smith would
ot nave troubled to answer If- Aa It
was. be swore a little and roae lazily
to rsapond.
Hello! Tea, this la Captain WU
Kama," be saU In bis uiaal stentorian
voice. -What, Brooks? 1 won't talk
wltb you over tbe pbone no what!
Mrs. Brookst What,' here? Well,
welll -Yes, I'm' at borne-yea. Eight
away, you sal? Yea, I'll wait".
Williams could hardly believe what
be bad beard. He turned It over In bla
mind for fully three minutes figuring
out Just what It could mean.
"Going to tend his wife here! What
sknnk be la.m be grunted. -
He ambled to tbe telephone again
and instructed tbe hotel clenjf that if
any visitors called to see ttlnt tbey
were to be shown tight an. From
there be went to tbe door of an ad
Joining room and roared for bla valet
"Any beer on ice" be demanded
when tbe Japanese, who evidently bad
been asleep, presented himself.
"Tea, war." ,
"Got limes and rum the kind I
brought tp from tbe West indies 7"
, "Yea, ear." -. - -- ' ''
1 Tlenty leer ,
"Yea, saar." : -
"Tnafs ail" , - -
Be could not get ' over tbe wonder
Brooks telephone communication bad
caused him. ' . " 1
"Told ber be'd got raise of pay. eh?
What a skunk be is! And what a line
girl abe Isr
He gated abstractedly at tbe model
' of tbe schooner on tbe mantel opposite
to him and became burled In thought
so deep that be actually stopped smok
ing and let his pipe go out Preseotly
be roosed hlmaetf. Ashed a sheet of
writing ptper from among tbe reading
matter on tbe capstan table and wrote
something upon it, after which be
folded tbe paper carefully and bid It
between tbe leaves of a magaslne.
Tbea be snouted again for his valet
"Sato," be ordered, "bring tay slip
pers add smoking Jacket There's s
lady coming to see me."
Tbe man grinned knowingly.
Ton might as well take a walk,
Sato."
; "Tea, saar."
"And jro needn't com back tight
way." - .i . .
No, sear."
Here's a couple of dollars for you.
Take 'em and get to biases out of ber.
Saber
Yea, aaar."
And stay out" be recommended
tbe Japanese prrfwred to obey.
When the vslet bad vanished the
captain took surrey of bla domain
rather aoikmaty.
-It's little dlrty-a little dirty-
but Ittl hare to do," be muttered.
.. There was knock at tbe door. WD
llama wreathed bla phyitoinwray In tbe
tnoat amiable smile of which it waa
capable, felt bla tie to a mo re himself
that It had not slipped round toward
bla left ear. as it bsd a bad bahit of
doing when not banted taut and clamp
ed in place, and went to let bla vis
itor In. "
Tbe caller, bowever, waa only Smith.
"Come In, but make your business
abort" was Williams' blunt greeting
' "I'm eipectlng aa Important visitor."
"AH tight captain." responded
Smith tranquilly, entering and helping
blrosclf to cbslr.
nave piper Invited the boat
puablng tbe tobacco tin toward him.
"Too hot" waa tbe laconic declination
Well, bow did you leave the Brooks
family r
"She knows."
You tell berr
NojJoedld."
Didn't think be bad the bene."
He bsan't."
"How's tbatr
It waa because be kt It tbat hi
told ber. Busted right out tbe moment
tbe door waa closed on you."
"Did they have a ror
"Don't know. Sbe took tt like
major and Baked me to leave 'em
lone.'
"Thura natural."
"Hare you got tbe emt (Iguresr
"What flg-ttrrar
' "Of how nun b be took."
"I guess so-to tbe penny." aald WU-
llama, reaching for memorandum
book and consulting It, "It waa Jttst
IIO.STiO tbren days ago."
"Any more uow?" .
"Not tbat I know of. Guess that
covers It." -
Smith shook his head moodily.,
"That's too bnd-too bad," he mnr
mured. -"..'" A . -
"That's 'right' It Is too bad," agreed
the cuptaln." "'?; '
Smith thought for a minute, looked
strniKht at the captain, who waa re
gnrdlng blm curiously and said firmly
and more quickly than bis employer
had 'ever heard him speak before;
"Williams. I don't thluk ItU take
three minutes for you and me to come
to an understanding about Brooks."
-."What about hlur v ,
"I want lo square this thing for
him."" ..;'-'.'.!' - '
, "Where do you come In, Smith r
-' In plain words, Williams, tbafs my
business. But I want to square It"
"How do yon think you can aquare
It Smith r J -
Aa Jlmsy prepared to anawer the
question be fell back into bla old fa
miliar dranL - 1
"Well. Williams." be aald. "you ain't
got any callous on your fingers from
handing out coin to the folks who've
worked for you. but I've always been
treated about right" t.
"Tou were alwaya worth treating
rlpbt. Smith." , ;
"Thanks."
"Always found you a fair man do
ing things yon said you'd do in fair
way." -
"I ain't never been mncb of spend
thrift, Williams. I've saved and been
a little lucky In Investing the little I've
bad. 1 can raise about $14,000 by noon
tomorrow, and I'll give you my note
for tbe rest, with security 1 mean col
lateral." f; "So It ain't none of my business why
yott Aotbisr
Exactly."
"Smith, 1 don't think yea can square
this little matter for Brooka."
"Don't think my note's good, en?"
"Tain't that You couldn't square
this, Smith. If you bad million right
In your clotbea this minute."
"Why notr
"To tell the truth, I'm going to open
negotiations with another party." C
"That aor
Mrs. Brooka."
"Ilowr ,
"She's coming up here to see me
soon. Maybe abe and ma cap com to
some mutually pleaaant arrangement
tbat will keep Brooka out of Jail."
"Wbeo Is she comlngr
The captain puffed at bla pip and
scrutinised Smith's face closely aa be
replied:
"Expect ber any moment"
"How do yon knowr
"Telephoned."
If Williams expected to see sny sign
In bis visitor of tbe after amazement
tbe profound consternstlon, the impart
ing of this Information caused, be was
doomed to disappointment 8m!th re
mained as unreadable aa the sphinx.
But It waa sixty seconds before be
spots.
"I suppose thsfs a bint for me to be
on my wayr be Interrogated.
"That's about tb meaning I meant
to convey." admitted the captain, with
out circumlocution. - s
Jlmsy rose slowly, took bis bat and
went towsrd tbe door. Before be
reached It be turned.
"Williams." be aald. "you know Tve
known Emma-Mrs. Brooksever sine
ah waa in short clothes and used to
come down to tbe (Bee to go borne
with ber drddy."
"So i'v beard."
"She's alwsys been soft to look Into
my fic wltb them big blue eyea and
amlle. Some tlmome day If 1 get
back- Tm going to make It my busi
ness to see ber."
All lirht."
And if ahe shouldn't happen to look
op Into my face and amlle I'm going
to find you. Williams, and I'm coming
heeled." .
Tb captain puffed but pip placidly.
What style beels might you be
wearing now. Smltbr be inquired.
with (rest deliberation.
Well." answered tbe alwaya delib
erate Jlmsy. "if you should consult
tbe particular aboe maker wbo fur
nishes them, be'd describe that beei at
Of 43 caliber."
"Good night Smith," aald tbe cap
tain dryly.
, Smith did not reply.
Williams gsxed In the direction of
tbe door after bis superintendent bad
closed It There was an enigmatical
mil on his face. It i'iwly did
way, and his pugnacious ooUerjaw
protruded ominously. Reaching round
to his hip pocket be brought out a re
volver. It was a formidable looking
weapon, with long barrel. II broke
the breach examined the cartridges
nd replaced It la bis pocket.
"Darned If be wouldn't do It, too."
be muttered.
CHAPTER XIIL
T7vEM0llSB may be the least ac
I Lv tlve of all tb moral senses.
l Still, there Is no heart abeo
lately without It No sooner
bad bla wife pasned from bla view that
It became active In Brooks, having
been fired by the flicker of sham tbat
the full realisation of bis villainy bad
provoked as be took down tbe receiver
of the telephone to call Captain Wll
llama. In forcing Emma to deliver herself
Into tb bands of his employer be bod
not actually believed tbat It would be
neccary for ber to mak the supreme
sacrifice. "You oao handle blm all
right" be bad told her. "Ton know
bow far yon ran let a man go-all wo
men know that" But be bad been
witling to tak tb chance tbat thla
sacrifice would be exacted, and, know
ing only too well tb brutal sensuous
nee of WHUsma, hlanotorloua d-
"ZfCd detcribt that heel atol iS eaUber."
pravlry and that be bad cast what he
bad taken to be longing eyes on Emma,
be now bad no doubt whatever tbat It
would be. The captain waa not tbe
man to give anything for nothing, to
part wltb money without receiving full
value. Wltb bla great physical strength
and bla will tbat overbore and wore
down alt opposition, bow would tbe
gentle, submissive nature of Emma be
able to bold out against blm? Se
duced to belplessnesa by bis all domi
nating power, with the alternative of
compliance or their ruin held out to
ber, abe would have to aubmit -
Brooka pictured the scene aa though
it were being enacted before him; and
be went hot and cold, and a sweat of
agony broke out all over blm.
".No, no, no."
He uttered aloud the protest wrung
from bla writhing soul by bis bslf re
suscitated manhood. He clutched his
throat struck himself in tbe mouth
with such violence that bla teeth cut
bis underlip and the blood dyed bla
chin, seized bis bat and dashed wildly
for tbe door. Fear met blm there and
held up restraining finger. Down
stairs were tb three central office de
tectives. On tbe morrow, in a few
hours, at tbe office where be bad
worked for five years, these men, at the
bebest vof bis employer, would place
their bands on his arms, and be would
be nnder arrest He saw himself be
ing led out, handcuffed, under the
mocking eyes of bla fellow clerka and
tb customers. . ' .
He closed tbe door again and turned
from It cowardice at bis beels, whis
pering sophistic prudence, counseling
tb poltroon's discretion, throwing spe
cious sops to bis conscience. Some
thing bad to be done. No other course
than tbat he bad taken bad been pos
sible under the circumstances. Be
tween blm and state prison stood
Emma. Sb a Ion on earth could save
blm. If salvation were possible. Pun
ishment and Immunity at tbat moment
perhapa beld tbe balance even. The
giving or withholding of a kiss would
turn the scales either wsy. Tb giving
of It would brand blm wltb tbat par
ticular stamp of infamy which when
recognised by men caused them to
draw away wltb rising gorge and
spurn the bearer. But none would
know of tb sacrifice no on sav the
victim, Williams snd himself. Other
women bad don aa much in pressing
emergencies to sav then: hnsbaode
from public dishonor. Bom bad bar
gained their favors to Insure offlc of
sdvsncement for husbands or sons.
som for dress and Jewels their bus
bands could not give them. He him
self would never seek to know Just
what bad passed between bis wife and
tb captain. He waa free to aaaume
tbat b bad worried unnecessarily;
tbat nothing of what be felt certain
waa happening bad occurred, to but-
mis that it bad not been necesssry
for Emma to resort to complete sur
render. What be did not know could
not trouble bins. Anyhow, it waa too
late now. Tb die bad been cast Tbs
c'alef thing nay, tb on thing-be bad
to fear was that ber mission might
b unsuccessful; that sb could not
purchase bis freedom at any price
whatsoever.
Tb possibility of this twisted bis
sel fun heart wltb anguish again. On,
why bad h got himself into this troo
ble? When goaded to desperation and
recklessness be bad taken tb first
110 from tb money he bad collected
be bsd no idea of not returning It
somehow. It bsd brought good deal
of pleasure to Emma and himself,
lightened their bard penury with
gleam of brightness. But flO then
bad been a lot of money. It bad not
been possible to replace it at one.
It waa far easier to fix his accounts
so that the sum would not be missed
II bad yielded to the temptation and
bad so fixed them.
Jenkins, his fellow employe in tbe
office, waa a follower of horse racing
In his small way. Now and then be
risked a dollar or two in a nearby
pool room, and sometimes be won. A
few days after Brooks bad falsified
tn books to cover tp bla deficit of
$10 Jcnkms bsd confided to bis office
cronies tbat b bad a tip of which be
felt so sure tbat be waa prepared to
pawn bla last shoestring to back it
Many others bad decided to tak
chance, and, having no money ot bis
own. Brooks bsd taken aa advance
on bis salary out of bis collections and
followed tbelf xampl. Tb, odds
tby bad obtained" were 8 to 1, and
the horse bad won. Out of bis win
nings Brooks bad replaced tbe money
be bad helped himself to.
The pool room and tbe availability ot
the company's money bad offered tc
him a great opportunity to win what
he could not earn, and, encouraged bv
bla first success, be had taken advan
tage of It He bad begun by making a
study ot racing and risking small sums
Luck had been with blm, and he bad
won time and time again. He bad
wanted but wife to share bis good for
tune, but bad not dared to tell bet
bow be bad obtained tbe money, ao hi
had Invented the story of outside work
His run of luck had continued, how
ever, until It had become phenomenal
and thla It was tbat bad caused bit
extravagant optimism. lie bad wager
ed larger and larger sums until bit
winnings bad . represented a aecre'
bank account of S3.000. It was on
day when be bad "plunged" and won
thousand dollars that he bad con
ceived the fiction of his promotion wltb
reward of back pay.
Soon after their installation In tbeit
more expensive quarters, however, a
series of reverses had com. His luck
bad deserted blm. First his bank ac
count went; then be bad drawn on the
collections in bis efforts to retrieve hlf
losses. He bad plunged and lost
plunged and won, plunged again and
lost. It had not been long before bii
"borrowings" bad reached such a ter
rlfylng amount that be had realized
tbat discovery waa inevitable unless
be could replace tis money within
brief delay. He bad clung to the de
apalring hope tbat by wagering beavl
ly be could win enough during. Wll
llama' absence to bide bla pilfering
and postpone examination. While tbit
.could be deferred then waa hope
'Now be knew that his cunning, re
lentless employer had been watching
bla gradually tottering progress on th
tight rope of dishonesty and, prepar
Ing a trap to catch him in, bad chosei
bis own time to spring It
At the thought of this Brooks worked
himself Into a perfect frenzy of fury.
He raged up and down the room, curs
ing Williams, and burled a cushion to
tbe floor and ground It with bis foot aa
though it were his enemy's bated face.
"You have cheated me out of a liv
ing, you fiend V he almost howled.
"And now yon bav taken my wife!"
Tbe sound of bis own voice startled
and calmed blm, and be peeped ont in
the corridor apprehensively, for fear
any one might by chance have been
nigh and beard him. He was exhaust
ed by the violence of bis paroxysm.
His breath cam quickly tn gasps,
and be stood wltb staring eyes and
heaving bosom until the nervous reac
tion set in., Then he staggered to the
sofa, threw himself upon it and burst
into tears.
The lachrymose effusion was of brief
duration, and it was succeeded by
deep dejection. He sat up and glanced
at bla watch. It was 11 o'clock. One
after another he got all the papers
and magazines there were, only to
throw tbem impatiently to the floor.
It waa impossible for blm to read
tbem.
Emma bad been gone a long time.
What waa detaining ber what ex
cept
His face began to twitch. He rose,
Ut a cigarette, took two puffs at it and
put it down.
After all the chief thing was that
sb should b successful.
He filled a giasa with water that a
bellboy had brought up iced for bis
mother-in-law and drained It at a
draft Then be picked up tbe news
paper nearest to blm and tried to read
again, but it waa useless. He threw
it down.
What If Williams bad refused to be
persuaded?
The suspens was becoming unen
durable. A look of determination
cam Into bla face, and be went to tbe
telephone, bnt aa bla band touched it
be changed hie mind, walked back tc
tb table and lit another cigarette.
Then be went to tb window and
stared out at tb opposite bouses wltb
unseeing eyes. Presently bis band
sought his watch pocket Tb time
plec It drew ont marked ten minutes
psst It He beld it to bis ear. It wsi
ticking steadily.
Only tea minutes sine he bad looked
at It before! Impossible! Fully an
hour bad elapsed. Tb watch must
bav stopped in tb interim. Imps
tlent be went to the telephone and
asked for th right time. Tb bo
te! clerk replied tbat it waa Just ten
minutes psst it On his way to thi
table to get another cigarette he hap
pened to catch sight of himself Is
tb mirror over tb mantelpiece. Th
thin, bargard. aaben visage be saw
there frightened blm. Ht laughed nerv
ously.
Aa be did so th door behind bin;
opened. Butting so violently tbat b
let fall tb box of cigarettes, be turned
Mrs. Harris, in high dudgeon, walked
In, followed by Beth.
CUAPTEE XIV.
TT A FHEN Mrs. Brooks founl
VtVf herself alon in th street
J Vi she walked along mechan
ically, stnnncd by whal
bad Just occurred. Her heart seemed
to be pressed down by a weight and
ber breath cam painfully through ber
contracted throat Sb could not be
lters tbat what ah bad gon throngs
was real, tb thing was so mon
strous, bo utterly Inconceivable. Uer
husband, Joe, for love of whom she
bad given up life of ease, for whom
abe bad born cheerfully th trials ot
poverty, la whom sb bad placed ber
entire faith, thla man, to whom she
bad yielded herself trustingly, in
whom, up to tbat hour, sb bad be
lieved tb soul of honor, bad stood
exposed as a thief and aUar.
tio a oorrannro.)
tlbe Delp in tbe ffamtls
That never tires,
That never complains, '
. That is ever ready to serve and save is
ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT.
Relieves The Mistress,
Pleases The Master.
SEE
DURHAM TRACTION CO. S
Phone 271. 220
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IRecorber
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THE RECORDER,
Durham, N. C
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