The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 21, 1906, Page 2

bod With this issue of The Sw Zz #% dmy Call the eizhth and last {n- ,% b Henry 3 % “Phe Presideat,” & b4 1 amd with the mext zi 3 bemins b raldine story of Western ife, the Al rightx wred exelusively 1L ¥t is a tmle § Caiifornia amd § the bonanza o, sppeat | # famows t whi in ring wmd will stro 4 4 ¥ 1o the Western reader, who will * g £ keexly appreciate the pictur- 2 $ esqueness nud stirring action $¢ wo cleveply portrayed by Miss 22 ¥ Bonner. The story will be con- 4 n five weeks now exists your perished for ber me rst call taken a half- on the we have already merg u won't mind,” said Richard aif- der make an amended propo- . . e r t," returned Mr. Bay- ard, mw 1 quite sure I ek efe sosal to my own.” = sald Richdrd, r g you an informal in- g with Miss Har- Not ¢ substituted a himself and that way se the mask of between ch little commissions old haoits too Tory of patron— laughed urope seized upon 14 over asures of his He de- ustifi- st an t him. mos “a splendid But ‘o that you from 2 sample.” and made a others—trom Miss Hariey, Richard braced himself Tic .respond, He had been educated by f visionaries, rusty crea- heorics and alcoves; he had as morbid as the atmosphere reared in on that subject of his gold. It would coirupt whomsoever ap- proached him. He, Richard, woulé know love or friendship—nothing than a wo greed would w. Announce millione, and he have mo existence, no Identity, no name; all would be merged in those millions. 1 never be given a purchase it. He never be given a woman's -love; st buy her love! = was I demon-haunted of my own said Richard “It secmed to € 1 between me and all my heart went hungry for. That was my feeling: 1 was galled of money. I determined to hide my wealth; I would discover what friendship 1 might inspire, what loves I 1 attract, with only the meager capi- my merit.” Well,” eaid Mr. Bayard dr very man at some period must play the fool. s well that ends well: I shall follow your wishes concerning MMess Harley, Hanway, Val and San attend your wedding, extend congratulations, and salute the bride.” Mrs. Hanwgy-Harley, Mr. Harley and Senator Hanway were duly informed of ose crange blossoms meditated by Dor- othy for Jume. Bess, who still .retained her place as managing angel, pointed out the propriety of such information. Bess said that Richard ought to break the news to the Harleys and to Senator Iian- way. But Richard's heart was weak; he confessed his cowardice squarely. In his own defense he pleaded the memory of ormer interview with Mrs. Hanway- 1 y was yet heay pon him, and he could summon no courage T thy became t} form Mrs. Hanway-F her own young lips. This she did, bear- ing herself the while with firmness, since Richard—quaking inward- but concealing his craven condition oughout from Doroth Mrs upported her -Harley surprised with the moderate spirit e received the word. True, r could net have been called boiste joyful, and indeed she made no pre- of the kind. She kissed Dorothy; have kissed Richard had not eman plainly. lacked the forti- red for so embarrassing a cere- Having pressed her maternal lips to Dorothy's forehead, Mrs. Hanway remarked that it was good of the young lovers to bring their plans to her. She realized, however, that it was no more than a polite formality, for the affair long before had been taken out of her hends. Her consent to their wedding would sound hollow, even ludicrous, nder the circumstances; still, such as was, she freely granted it. Her ob- jection had been the poverty of Mr. Storms; and that objection was disre- garded. Mrs. Hanway-Harley could do no more; they would wed, and in later years. while being ground In the mills of a dollarless experience, they T t justify the wisdom of ‘her objection. 1In. this gracious . fash- fon aid Mrs. Hanway-Harley ction the union of her only daughter Dorothy with Richard Storms, after ch she folded her matronly hands resignation, bearing meanwhile the er of ane who will face the worst vely and hopes that others are pre- pared to do the same. Dorothy was quite affected and ing round the neck of Mrs. Hanway- arley, shedding copious tears. Rich- ard, who felt decidedly foolish and could not shake off the impression that Mrs. Hanway-Harley was somehow the victim of his happiness—such was e serious effect of that lady’s act- g—confessed himself delighted when interview was over. When Dor- nd he were by themselves Rich- deep Dreath and confided Dorothj hat Mrs. Hanway-Harley was a load off his mind, whatever that h ities above recorded hav- sen disposed of, Dorothy, hobly ed by Bess and extravagantly en- ged by Mr. Harley, plunged into business of her trousseau with the st fury. She became the center a bevy of dressmakers and milli- nd these artists got vastly In of Richard hen he called. being exclude put in hours armless society of Mr. Fop- looked -upon Richard, now ding day was fixed, in fearful on, and sald that some day pposed he must come to it him- Mr. Fopl spcke of marriage though it were a desperate crea- ture of citadels and mines and scaling ladders and smoke-filled breaches, to face which would call for the soul of As Dorothy's gown-buying and hat- trimming expanded Into a riot of rib- bons and flounces and all decorative things, Mrs. Hanway-Harley, attracted 2 bustle dear to the feminine heart, was drawn more and more from out her shell of martyrdom until finally she stood In the fore front of the me- lee, giving directions. She mnever omitted, however, to maintain a mel- ancholy, and comported herself at all times as should a mother who only bows to the dread inevitable and but dresses her child for the sacrifice. rri about this time was exces- sively and secretly the busy man. He went often to New York and held con- ferences with Steamboat Dan. The latter, at Storrl's suggestion, began picking up his people; all were crim- all aquatic, anhd two were capa- respectively of discharging the duties of a salling master and an en- gineer. Whenever Storri visited New York Inspector Val was never far to find; now and then he sent for Steamboat I to hear how the plans of Storr! moved. Steamboat Dan falled not to for he was stricken of a wholesome fear of Inspector Val, And well he might be, There was that prison cell in Joliet all vacant for his ning and he must protest ~ the peace of the Alblon House ar James Slip. Altogether there was no help for it; Steamboat Dan must yleld to his destiny of stool pigeon or pay the in stripes. Wherefore he ap- faithfully when called, and told Inspeetor Val of Storri’s preparations. The Zulu Queen, rich in stores, her bunk- e hoked with coal, walted only to be fired up; those men who were to safl her had been.secured; her papers and her captain’s papeps as well as those of her engineer were ready. The one thing now was Btorri's signal; and with that all hands would ‘go aboard, get up steam, and point the sable cutwater of the Zulu Queen for Washington. Steamboat Dan informed Inspector Val of nothing which the - thief-taker's sa- gacity or vigilgnce bad not antigipated. HE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. But Inspector Val clung to the safe theory that, whether for Ins facts cn deductions, he eould not have too much confirmatory proof; wherefore he was prone to- put Steamboat Dan to frequent question. One day, however, the: stool pigeon- gave Inspector Val a surprising pjece of in- formation. It related to a ta.k which he had had with Storri.the evening before. “It was at the heel of the hunt ltke,” explained Steamboat Dan, *“an’ just as he’s about to go, he ups an’ maxes it known that he's goln’' to need a benziner— need a firebug.” “And of course you promised to find one,” said Inspector Val. “I had him ready; cne of the gang is Benzing Bob, an’ you knows as well as 1 do that when it comes to touchin’ a match to a erib, an' then collectin’ the Insurance, there’s nobody nearer _bein’ the goods than Benzine Bob.” “Yes, I regard Bob as a most gifted in- cendiar; said Inspector Val. ‘“‘Sure; he could teach it. But what do you figger this Russian/s goin’ to burn?” “We'll learn {n good time. You must have Bob agree to everything this party asks.” “No trouble on that score; settin’ fire to things is Benzine Bob's religlon. He says his prayers to an olled rag, and a box of matches is his Bible." Storri, taking dark and stormy nights for visits, twice splashed up the drain to gee how London Bill came on. Storri was heedful to give the signals agreed upon by rapping on the walls of the drain. He had no desire to be killed in the dark by London Bill upon a theory that he, Storri, was the enemy, and so rapped out the signals handsomely, with a little hammer he had by him for the purpose, while stlll ten rods from the scene of operations. London Bill was slowly, yet surely, boring forward with his tunnel. The clay as it was dug must be dragged to the mouth of the tunnel in the willow basket, and cast into tue stream; that was a pro- cess to require time. However, time there was and plenty; London Bill would have his work In perfect trim against the ¥Friday evening for which the fimal and decisive attack on the gold was scheduled. The tunnel, as Londonr Bill had sald it must be, was about four feet high and three in width, and Storr{ found that he went in and out very readily by traveling on hands and knees. Storri would have come oftener to observe how London Bill fared with his work, but the cracksman discoun- tenaced the thought. “There's no =sense in comin',” ex- plained London Bill. “You can’t do any good, an’ you get in the way. Be- sides, there's the chance of being piped off; some party might see you and catch on.” One day Inspector Val brought Rich- ard a contrivance made of thin rubber. 1t was circular and eighteen inches in diameter. If the rubber contrivance resembled anything, it was one . of those hot-water bags common in the trade of hospitals, It was hollow, and had a metal mouth shaped like the mouth of a bottle; instead of water, however, the bag was intended to hold air. Pumped full of alr, the rubber bag, or rather cushion, exhibited ‘a thickness of about six inches. It looked a little like a life preserver; the more since there was & hole in the center, albeit the hole was not wider than an inch across. The rubber bag or cushion was extremely light, the ma- terial being twice the weight of that employed in the -making of toy bal- loons. Inflated and considered as a raft, the rubber cushion would support a weight of twenty pounds, and draw no more than three inches of water In so doing, : “Storri bought four thousand of these from the Goodyear Company,” vouch- safed Inspector Val; “had them made after patterns of his own. A mighty tidy invention, take my word for it!” and the eye of Inspector Val glanced approval of the circulan rubber raft. Then he showed Richard how the cush- jon could be inflated in a few seconds with an air-pump; and how, being in- flated, an automatic valve closed* and kept the air prisoner. “A tidy arrange- ment, take my word, and does that Russian party credit!” “What will he do with it?” Richard. “Put the question later,” responded Inspector Val, who was a slave to the dramatic and never turned loose his climaxes prematurely. The San Réve was of a nature too easily the prey of somber suspicions to ever find perfect happiness. Besides she had been saddened, if not soured, by the rougher, harder visitations of life. As nearly as she might be, howsver, these days the San Reve was happy. And peace came to her more and more as spring deepened into May. BStorri was every day to see her; and the most patient in- vestigation only served to make it sure that he had ended his relations with the Harleys. Btorrl went no more to the Harley house, and if there had existed a least of chance that he would wed Miss Harley, the peril was passed by. The San Reve began to doubt if such a plan had ever been in Storri's mind; she was inclined to think herself a jealous fool for entertaining the bellef. e had wronged her Storrl; it was as he told her from the first; his relations, those of business, had been solely with Mr. Har- ley. At this view, so flattering to th loyal truth of Storri, the Ban Reve's bosom welléd with a great love for that nobleman. The gray-green eyes became quletly serene; the’strong beauty of her face gathered effulgence in the sunshine of love's confidence renewed. It was an evening in the nuhr!;;ddlgl of May. Btorrl saying that he had been commanded, g:mlh the Russian Embas- sy, to report to “his Czar”; he must be in St. Petersburg June 15. The San Reve had begun to belleve in the Czar as a close intimate of her Storrl. “Yes, he has called me home, my San Reve,” cried Storrl. “There is much that he would know about these pig Americans, and who can tell him better than his Storrl? When I go, which will bé about June 1, you shall go with me.” The S8an Reve's heavy face was in a glow. Russia? yes; and she would see France again! Storrl read the pleasure in her glance. Observing that it made the San Reve more beautiful,© he was . taken of a natural wish to add to it. “Yes, you shall accompany me; I would not, no not even for my Czar, be sepa- rated from you, my San Reve.” ‘ Storri was as fond of fletion as Mr. Harley, and of & far livelier imagination. Once started on an untruth, he would pursue it hither and you as a greyhound courses a hare. Like every artist of the mendaclous, he was quick for those little asked .with the man whom she eadored! Storr! (would dispatch the message at once. residepl = deeds that would give his lies a look of righteous integrity. Thus it befell on the occasion in hand. “Behold now,” cried Storrl, as though the idea had just occurred to him, “I will, while the thought {s fresh with me, tele- graph 2 friend in New York to select our staterooms for the, mext ship after June 1" P Storrl wrote his messai the San Reve watching him, her heart a-brim with love and the happiness of returning home. She would see France, see Paris—ses them to return and have the omission sup- plied. The San Reve took the message with the purpose of writing in “New York.” 8hle ran her gray-green eye over it. The message read: Daniel Loughlin, Albion House, James Slip. Get the men together at your place; I will jneet them Friday. They must go aboard at once, and take the yacht to Fortress Monroe. We shall then be sure of having it in Washington when we want it. \ B. The San Reve read and reread until she whirred the telegraph call that was fixed in the hall; presently & gray-coat lad ap- had every word by heart. Then remem- peared and bore away the message. Then 'bering the boy, she wrote In “New York,” Storrl beamed affably upon the San Reve, and sent him on his way. Boy gone, the Who took his hand and put it to her grate- San Reve, doubts revived and all her ful lips. jealous suspicions restored to sharpest Storri beamed because he was in a right 1ife, gave herself to groping out the royal humor. The episode had been un. Meaning of that message by the light of premeditated, and-yet it dovetailed to those lles wherewith Storri had solemn- the advantage of his designs, The ma- ized its production. neuver, he could see, had extinguished PTER the final sparks of the San Reve's CHA kg Jealous suspicions; extinguished them at a b time, too, when it was of consequence - to lull the. San Reve into fullest assur- ance of his faith. And at that he had not thrown away his wire. Storri had remembered that he must send a word to Steamboat Dan in the morning. He decided to forestall the morning; he How the Gold Came Down. Richard, over modest and in this in- stance something timid, was for having the wedding celebrated in Senator Han- way's study. He sought to give the pref- erence an atmosphere of sentiment by love for Dorothy with his eyes. Bess proe tested against the study and insisted upon St. John’s Church. Richard was not to wed the most beautiful girl in the world and then run away with her, making the affalf a secret, as though he had stolen a sheep. What! did Richard imagine that Dorothy had been wecks over a trousseau to have it extinguished in the narrow Belng one of those who suck joy from deceit, it gave Storri a thrill of su- premest satisfaction to - transact the duplicity of which she was to be one of the victims, in the runsuspecting presence of the San Reve. The Storri vanity opened an appetite- for two- faced triumphs of that feather. Storri had gdeparted; and. the Reve was thinking on her love for him, marriage must be in St. John's, where ail and how they would return together mankind, or rather womankind, might to the France she was sick to see. The 'witncsa and criticize. Bess -would be bell rang: it was the messenger lad in bridesmaid, sustained thereunto by feur need of light. The message did not .damsels. Mr. Fopling should haye his specify the city; the lad had been told part as best man; it would be good prac- faying it was there he first declared his San ‘compass of Senator Hanway’s study? The - 4 [P i v e et tice for Mr. Fopling and serve to prepars him for his own wedding, an event which Bess, under the exhilarating influence of Dorothy’s approaching nuptials, had de- termined upon for October. Mrs. Hanway-Harléy jolned with Bess for the church. Mrs.. Hanway-Harley cast her vots delicately, saying she would have it understood that she only gave it as a view. Bhe hoped no one would feel in any sense bound there- by; she had not been, speaking strictly, a party. to this marriage, nothing In truth but a looker-on, and therefors 1t did not come her to assume an attitude of au- thority. Mrs. Hanway-Harley would only say that churches were the conventional thing and studies were not. Richard cepltulated; indeed, he gave way Instantly and at the earliest sugges- tion oi *“church.” His surrender, mads with the utmost humility, did not pre- .vent both Bess and Mrs. Hanway-Harley from demonstrating their position in full. “When all is said,” declared Richard, “the main thing is the wedding." Mrs. Hanway-Harley would liks to know what plans had been laid for the honeymoon. To what reglons would the happy palir migrate, and for what space? Mrs, Hanway-Harley wore a look of red served sadness as though she asked what cemetery had been selected as the des- tination of the funeral cortege, following services of final sorrow at the house. Richard explained that, guided by Dor- othy, Italy and its mountains had been pitched upen. They would go from Italy to France; then to England. The length of their stay was to be always In the hands of Dorothy, who would bring them home to America whenever she chose. Mrs.. Hanway-Harley sighed econom- feally, and suggested that Richard's happiness ought not to bind hil to the subject of expense. It would cost a pot of money to make the journey intimated. In a sudden gush of hardi- hood Richard kissed Mrs, Hanway- Harley, and assured her that in all his life, a life remarkable for an utter carelessness of momey, he had never felt less ltke reckoning & cost. From beginning to end he meant.to close his eyes to that subjeet of - expense. There the business ended; for Mrs. H; way-Harley was too much ove by the kiss to proceed. Richard “went home and, being full of that honeymoon the possible pense of which had alarmed the ecom omics of Mrs. Hanway-Harley, sum- moned Mr. Gwynn. That austere man assumed his place on the rug in frizid walting. “Mr. Gwynn, you will go ta Lo and from there to Parls, and to Naples, and at each place pr for our reception. You will meet Naples somewhere from the mid the last of June. I say last of for before we reach Naples i idle away a fortnight in the ) ranean. MHave evetytning “in order.” “Very good, sir,” sald Mr. Gw Richard made a slght dis sive motion with his hand, as show Gwynn that he might rethr Gwynn ecreaked apologeticall stood his ground. What Is 1t” sald Richard. “If you please, sir,” observad Gwynn, a gleam in the piscator “if _you please, sir, befors I Europe have I your permission ke out my first papers and & e tention to become a en . country?™ “May I ask what has moved to proposs this compliment for the | ited States?” g “Why, sir, should you be so z-00d as to sanction it. I have a litthe pl. " & “Indeed; and what may bcp wkich results so mueh t 5 ‘-““ ] of this country?* e e ‘I Rave a plan, sir,” said Mr Gwynn, Wwith a hesitating creak, “alvays of