"For saying it at your age, yes. You have but just begun to try life
and have no right to condemn it."
"I didn't condemn it without a hearing. Isn't there something wrong
when the poor are wretched and the rich are miserable?"
"Nonsense," said Witherspoon.
"Oh, but that's no argument."
"Isn't it? Well, then there shall be none."
"I must be getting back," said Brooks.
"Won't you stay to breakfast?" Witherspoon asked. "It will be ready in
a few minutes. Hum"--looking at his watch--"ought to have been ready
long ago. Everything goes wrong. Can't even get anything to eat. I'll
swear I never saw the like."
"I'm much obliged, but I can't stay," Brooks answered.
"Well, I suppose I shall be down to the store some time to-day. If
anybody calls to see me, just say that I am at home, standing round
begging for something to eat. Good morning."
Henry laughed, and the merchant gave him a strained look. For a moment
the millionaire bore a striking likeness to old Andrew, at the time
when he declared that the devil had gone wrong. The young man sought
to soothe him when Brooks was gone; he apologized for laughing; he
said that he keenly felt that there was cause for worry, but that the
picture of a Chicago merchant standing about at home begging for his
breakfast, while important business awaited him at the store, was
enough to crack the thickest crust of solemnity. The merchant's
dignity was soon brought back; never was it far beyond his reach. At
breakfast he was severe with silence.
Over and over again during the day Henry repeated Richmond's words,
"Whom does it benefit" and these words went to bed with him, and as
though restless, they turned and tossed themselves upon his mind
throughout the night, and like children, they clamored to be taken up
at early morning, to be dressed in the many colors of supposition.
CHAPTER XXI.
A HELPLESS OLD WOMAN.
In Kansas City was arrested a suspicious-looking man, who, upon being
taken to jail, confessed that his name was Dare Kittymunks and owned
that he had killed old man Colton. Thus was ended the search for the
murderer, the newspapers said, and the vigilance of the Kansas City
police was praised. But it soon transpired that the prisoner had been
a street preacher in Topeka at the time when the murder was committed,
that he had on that day created a sensation by announcing himself John
the Baptist and swearing that all other Johns the Baptist were base
impostors. The fellow was taken to an asylum for the insane, and the
search for Dave Kittymunks was resumed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account