The Argosy for May — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

200 you wouldn't care to let him know THE ARGOSY. which he had formerly indulged, but where you get all the money you blow .which of late he had laid away, surged so free, and you're not his son, either.” Rock was silenced. “Well,” he said less virtuously, “ you defended Corning ; and what then?”’ “Oh, I staved matters off for a while; but to-day the old man came home all up in the air. He said that he had convinced himself that Corning was a worthless, idle spendthrift, and, worse than that, was not only an asso- ciate of some of the shadiest characters in the financial district, but was also himself engaged in various concerns which would not bear investigation. ‘In short.’ he said, ‘Mr. Arthur Cor- ning, so far as I can find out, is in a very fair way to land inside State’s prison within a short time.’ ‘So, then, of course,’ George pro- ceeded, ‘“‘dad called Anita in and put her wise to what he hag discovered, and she insisted that Arthur be sent for, and given an opportunity to answer the charges. He was game, all right, and he attempted to put up a’terrible bluff when she first explained what was want- ed of him; but the old man held the deadwood on him in the way of proof, and in the end he had to come off his perch and admit that about everything they said was true. ‘Then he pleaded desperately for another chance, promised to reform, and went through all sorts of stunts; but it ' didn’t touch Anita any more than if she had been a marble statue. She told him that for some time past she had felt that she had been mistaken in accepting him, ‘and that her regard for him was less deep than she had thought; but that, in any event, she could not dream of marry- ing a man whom her father failed to approve or whom she herself could not respect. And with that, she handed him his ring and walked out of the room.” . “So the engagement is broken?” de- manded Harry excitedly. _ ‘Of course: off for good and all. I know Sis, and when she takes a stand of that sort, she’s just like the old man. An army of ten thousand men could not force her to budge a hairbreadth.” Harry’s first feeling was one of dis- tinct elation. The roseate dreams in up strong and fresh in his heart again. Anita was free! Free to be won by a man who could command her respect ; and perhaps he had a chance! He had to turn away his face from his companion to hide what was show- ing too plainly in his eyes; but, even as he did so, a sickening recollection came over him as to the state of his bank- account. He had consulted the ledger that morning, and had found but forty dollars to his credit. How could he enter the lists when it would take him at least five years to save enough from his present salary to be in a position to propose? And how could he explain to her father what had become of the growing “ nest-egg” which the latter had helped him to gather ? Oh, fool! fool! He had thrown away his chance to win Anita Ramsey through a round of silly extravagances! ee eee ee CHAPTER IV. ON DANGEROUS GROUND. For a long time after George Ramsey left him, Harry remained alone in his room, moodily gazing at the carpet. He had an engagement for dinner that evening, but it entirely slipped his mind. Somehow, he did not care to eat. Yet, scourge himself with bitter names as he would, and rack his brains until they fairly burst; he could hit upon no plan which offered any sort of solution to his problem. Without enough to provide for her, he would be nothing less than a cur to attempt to gain any woman’s love; and, even though Anita should be will- ing to overlook that and grant her con- sent, what could he say to her father when he asked for his? Would he not have to confess to Dan- iel G. that he had been no less of an “idle, worthless spendthrift” than Ar- thur Corning? In his desperation, his almost fren- zied search for some way of escape out of the coil in. which he found himself caught, he even got down his old bank- books, and laboriously added up. each (E00) 0)(0)(6) ANG S (C@