Show I II I I I I I I I. I 6 SYNOPSIS Howard Jeffries bankers banker's son under the evil ll Influence of or Robert Underwood ax a elK w at Yale leads a 11 life fo of dissipation marries the daughter of a gambler who died In prison and Is disowned disowned disowned dis dis- owned by his father He tries to get work and falls fails A former college chum makes a business proposition to Howard which requires 2000 cash and Howard Is broke Robert Und Underwood who had been re repulsed repulsed repulsed re- re pulsed by Howards Howard's wife Annie In his college days and had once been engaged to Alicia Howards Howard's stepmother has apartments at the he and Is 18 apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap In i circumstances Howard toward recalls a loan to Underwood that remains unpaid and decides to ask him ilm for the 2000 he needs Underwood taking advantage of his Intimacy with Mrs Jeffries Sr becomes a sort of ot social highwayman Discovering his true ch character character char char- r- r acter she denies him tho the house Underwood's Underwood's Underwood's Under Under- woods wood's absence from a function causes comment among Mrs Jeffries' Jeffries guests CHAPTER IV IV Continued In a word laughed the Judge you ou mean that any anyone one trained to read my mind can tell just what's passing In my brain 1 Precisely replied the doctor with witha a smile the lithe psychologist can tell with almost mathematical accuracy Just how low your mental mechanism is work work- ing I admit it sounds uncanny but it can be prove proved In fact it has been proved time and time again Alicia came up and took the doctors doctor's doctors doctor's doctors doctor's doc doc- tors tor's arm Oh Dr Bernstein she protested I I cant can't allow the Judge to monopolize you In this way Come with me I want to Introduce you to a most charming woman who is dying to meet you She Is perfectly crazy on psychology Dont Introduce me to her laughed the Judge I see enough crazy people In the law courts Dr Bernstein smiled and followed his hoste hostess s. s Judge Brews Brewster er turned t to chat with the banker From the distant distant distant dis dis- tant music room came the sound of at ofa ata a piano plana and a n beautiful b soprano voice The rooms were now crowded and newcomers were arriving each min min- ute Servants passed In and out lienIng serving serving lien lien- ing Iced delicacies and champagne Suddenly the butler entered the salon and quietly approaching Alicia handed her a lUer l In a low tone he tie he said I This letter has Just come mm The messenger said it was very important important important im im- and I should deliver it at nt once Alicia turned pale She instantly recognized the handwriting It was from Robert Underwood Was Vas not her last message enough How dare he heAddress headdress address her again and at such a timo time Retiring etring to an inner room she she tore open the envelope and read as follows Dear Mrs Jeffries This is the last last time lime I shall ever bore you with my let let- You Tou have forbidden me to see you again Practically you have sentenced me to a living death but as I prefer death shall not be partial but full and complete oblivion I take this means of letting you know that unless you revoke your cruel sentence of banishment I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall make an end of It all I shall be found dead Monday morning and you will know who Is responsible Yours devotedly i ROBERT UNDERWOOD An angry exclamation escaped Alicia's lips and crushing the note up In her hand she bit her lips till un the blood came It wa watt Just as she feared The man was deep rate ate He was not notto notto notto to be got rid of so easily How dare he how he-how how dare he The coward coward to to think that she could be frightened by u such a threat What did she care l if he killed himself It would be good riddance Yet suppose he was in earnest suppose he did carry out his threat There would be a terrible scandal an Investigation people veople would talk her name would be men men- No that No-no-that no- no that must be prevented prevented prevented pre pre- vented at all costs coats Distracted not knowing what course to pursue she paced the floor of at the room Through the closed door she could hear the music anti an the chatter of at her guests She mt st go to see seo Underwood at once that was certain and her visit must be a secret one There was already enough talk If her enemies f. f could hear bear of at her visIting visiting vis vie lUng him alone In his apartments that would be bo the end Yes I Yes I must see him at nt once Tomorrow Tomorrow Tomorrow To To- morrow Is Sunday Hes He's sure to be home bome In tn tho the evening He mentions I morning There will will still sUll be time Ill I'll go and tee see co him to tomorrow to morrow Alicia Alicia The door opened and Mr Jeffries put his head In What are aro you doing here my dear he asked I was looking everywhere for you Judge Brewster wishes to say goodnight good I was fixing my hair that's all all all' replied Alicia with perfect compos compos- ure CHAPTER V. V Among the many huge caravansaries t fiat t of at recent years ears have sprung up I in to New NeVI York to provider provide luxurious quarters regardless of cost tor those Aho can cnn afford to pay fox fot the best I I v. v cOIl rival the tho in size I 1 r r. p ce Occupying an en en- I a ra r i t r ti be he very ery heart of at the I l s J Z t ljJ f jJ tY J THIRD V- V ARLES KLEIN KLEINAN Y w AN AND ID ARTHUR HORNBLOW Y ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAY RAY WALTER 1909 Bt e GW oVo COMPANY I residential district it took precedence over all the other apartment hotels of I the metropolis as the biggest and most splendidly appointed hostelry of at its kind In the world It was indeed a n small city In itself It was not necessary necessary necessary essary for Its fortunate tenants to leave it unless they were so minded Everything for their comfort and pleasure was to be had without taking the trouble to go out of at doors On the ground floor were shops of at all kinds which catered only to the patrons There were also on the premises a bank a brokers broker's office a hairdresser and a postal posta telegraph telegraph telegraph tele- tele graph office A special feature was the garden court containing over 30 square feet of open space and tastefully laid out with palms and flowers Here fountains splashed and an orchestra played while the patrons lounged on comfortable rattan chairs or gossiped with their friends Up on the sixteenth flo floor r was the cool roof root garden an exquisite bower of palms and roses artificially painted by a famous French artist with its r rich rich- ch- ch restaurant Its its and Its superb view of at all Manhattan Island The was was was' the last word In Inexpensive Inexpensive inexpensive expensive apartment hotel building Architects declared that it was as far faras faras faras as mod modern rn lav lavishness and extravagance extravagance extravagance gance could go Its interior arrangements arrangements arrangements arrange arrange- ments were In keeping with Its external external ex- ex ex external splendor Its a apartments were of at noble dimensions richly decorated and equipped with every device new and old that modern science and builders builders' Ingenuity could suggest That the rents were on a scale with the grandeur of tho es establishment goes without saying Only long purses could stand the strain It was a favorite favorite favorite fa fa- fa- fa headquarters for Westerners who had struck it rich wealthy bachelors and successful actors and opera singers who loved the limelight on and oft off the stage Sunday evening was usually exceedingly exceedingly exceed exceed- quiet at the Most of the tenants were out of town over the week end and as the restaurant ana anti roof garden gurden were only slimly patronIzed patronized patronized patron patron- the elevators ran less frequently making less chatter and bustle In corridors corridors corridors cor cor- and stairways Stillness reigned everywhere as Jf tf the sobering Influence influence ence of at the Sabbath had bad Invaded even this exclusive domain of at the unholy ly rich The uniformed attendants havIng having hav hav- having ing nothing to do yawned lazily In Inthe Inthe inthe the deserted halls Some even Indulged In indulged In surreptitious naps in corners corners corners cor cor- ners confident that they would not be disturbed Callers were so rare that when some one did enter from the street ho was looked upon with suspicion It was shortly after seven o'clock the day following Mrs Jeffries reception reception re re- when a man came camo In by the main entrance from Broadway and approaching one of oC the hall ball boys Inquired In I for Mr Robert Underwood I The boy gave his Interlocutor an Impudent stare There was something about the callers caller's dress and manner which told him Instinctively that he lie was not dealing with a visitor whom he lie oust mst treat respectfully No one I divines s a mans man's or womans woman's social I stows SUI LUS quicker or more unerringly I HoJ a servant The Tho attendant saw at once that the man did not belong I to the tho class dass which paid social visits to tenants in the He was rather seedy looking his collar was not immaculate his boots were thick and clumsy his clothes cheap and ill ill- fitting Is Mr Underwood In 1 he de de- de- de Not home replied the attendant insolently after a pause Like most hall boys he took a savage pleasure In saying that the tenants were out The caller r looked annoyed He must be in he said with a frown I have an appointment with him This was not strictly true but the bluff blutt had the desired effect Got an appointment Why didn't you say so at once Reaching lazily over the telephone switchboard and without rising from his seat he asked the name Mr Bennington The Tho boy took the transmitter and spoke Into it A party called d' d to see Mr Under Under- wood There was a brief pause as if It the person upstairs was in doubt whether to admit that he was home or not Then came the answer The rhe boy looked up He says you should go up Apartment Apartment Apartment Apart Apart- ment Take the elevators elevator r s In his luxurious appointed rooms on the fourteenth floor Robert Underwood Underwood Under Under- wood sat before the fire puffing nervously nervously nervously ner ner- at a strong cigar All AlI around aroundhim aroundhim aroundhim him was a litter of at dart d'art such as would have filled the heart of ot any c. c o I ill 1 It I L q It 1 t. t Y Yes e I I I. Must Se See Seo HI Him m at Once connoisseur with Joy OH OU paintings In heavy gilt frames of at every period and school Corots Carats Henners some on easels some resting on the floor handsome French bronzes dainty china on Japanese teakwood tables antique furniture gold embroidered embroidered embroidered em em- broidered clerical vestments hand- hand painted screens costly oriental rugs rare ceramics ceramics all all were confusedly jumbled together On a grand piano plana in a corner of the room stood two tall vases of almost inestimable value On a desk close by were piled miniatures and rare ivories The walls were covered with tapestries armor and trophies of arms More like a museum than a sitting silting room it was the home of at a aman man who made a business of at art or made of art a busi busl ness ness Underwood Underwood stared moodily at the glowing logs In the open chimney chimney- place His face was pale and de de- After Arter coming In from the restaurant he lie had changed his tuxedo tuxedo tuxedo tux tux- edo for the more comfortable house coat Nothing called him away that particular Sunday evening and no noone noone noone one was likely to disturb him Ferris his man servant had taken his usual Sunday off oat and would not return until midnight The apartment was still as the grave It was so high above the street that not a sound reached up from the noisy Broadway below Underwood Underwood Underwood Un Un- derwood liked the quiet so that he could think and he was thinking hard ha-d. On the Sat flat desk at his elbow stood a dainty tasse demi-tasse of at black coffee coffee un un- un tasted There were glasses and decanters decanters decanters de de- canters of at whisky and cordial but the stimulants did not tempt him He wondered If It Alicia would Ignore his ils letter or If It she would come to him Surely she could not be so heartless heartless heart heart- less n as to throw him over Qt at t such a n moment Crushed in his left hand W was s ri d a copy of at the New York I Herald containing an elaborate account of at the brilliant reception and musicale given r the previous evening at her home With an exclamation of at impatience I he rose from his seat threw the the thep p paper per from him and began to pace the floor Was this the end of at everything Had he reached the end of at his rope He jf st t pay the reckoning If not toda to to- day day- da to tomorrow As his eyes wandered wondered won wan dered dared aroun around the room and he took mental inventory of each costly object object ob ob- ob he experienced a sudden n shock as he recalled the things that were missing How could he explain their absence The art dealers were were already already al al- ready suspicious They were not to tobe tobe tobe be p put t oft off any longer with excuses Any moment they might insist either on the Immediate return of at their property property property prop prop- erty or on payment in full Ha lIe was in the position to do neither The articles had been sold and the money lost gambling Curse the luck Everything Every Every- thing had gone against him of late The dealers would begin criminal I proceedings proceedings proceedings pro pro- disgrace and prison stripes would follow There was no way sway out of at it He had no one one to whom he could turn In this crisis And now even Alicia had bad deserted him This was the thelast last straw While he was still sun able to boast of ot the friendship and p patronage of at the aristocratic aristocratic aris- aris Mrs Howard Jeffries he could still sun h hold ld his head high in the world No one would dare question his integrity but now she had abandoned abandoned abandoned aban aban- him to his fate people would begin begin be be- gin to talk There was no use keepIng keep- keep keepIng Ing lag up a hopeless fight suicide suicide was the only way out He stopped in front of at a mirror startled at what he saw there thore I Iwas It was the face of a man not yet 30 but apparently much older The features were vere drawn and haggard and his dark hair was plentifully streaked with gray He looked like Uke a man who had hac lives in his lived two one night To-night face frightened him His eyes had a fixed stare like those of at a man man- he ha had once seen In a madhouse He Ha wondered if It men looked like that when they were about to be executed Was not his own hour close at hand Ha Hs wondered why the clock lock was so noisy it seemed to him that the ticks were louder than usual He started sudI suddenly sud sud suddenly I denly and looked around fearfully He thought he had heard a sound outside He shuddered as he glared toward the little drawer on the right-hand right side o ohis of of his desk in which he knew there waa wa was wasa a loaded revolver If It Alicia would only relent escape might yet be possible If he did no not hear from her it must be for to night One slight little pressure on the trigger trig ger and all would be over Suddenly the tho bell ben of at the t telephone connecting the apartment with the tha main hall haU downstairs rang violently Interrupted thus abruptly In the midst of at his reflections Underwood Jumped forward startled His nerves nerve were so unstrung that he was ever eve apprehensive of danger With a tremulous tremulous tremulous trem trem- ulous hand he be took hold of at the receiver receiver re re- re- re |