Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / July 28, 1911, edition 1 / Page 3
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What Wat the Good of Regretsf POTTOOmiITOM ELDFB TMIDD DEGREE KLCIN? ▼ ARTHUR O HOPNBLOW V ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAY WALTERS CCPYWCXT, I*o9, me G.W DILL INCH AM COWANY » ' I SYNOPSIS. Howard JelTrlea. banker"# son, under the evil Influence of Robert Underwood. • fellow-atudent at Yale, leads a life of dissipation. marries the daughter of a gambler who died In prison, and la dis owned by his father. He tries to jet work •nd falla. A forfner «'oll«»e chum make* • business propoalllon to Howard which requires $2,000 caah. and Howard la broke. Robert Underwood, who had been re pulsed by Howard's wife, Annie, in nls college days, and had ones been engaged to Alicia. Howard'a stepmother, has *pnrtments at the Aatrurla. and Is ap parently In prosperous circumstances. Howard recalls a «50 loan to Underwood, that remains unpaid, and decides to aak him for (he 12.000 he needs. Underwood taking advantage of hla Intimacy with Mrx Jeffries, Sr.. becomes a sort of social highwayman. Discovering his true char- Mrter she denies him the hous®. Alicia recclvM A note from Underwood, tnrtit* enln* suicide She decide® to fo and IN him He Is In desperate financial straits. Art dealers for whom he has bien acting commissioner, demand in accounting. He cannot make good. Howard Jeffries calls In an Intoxicated condition He asks Underwood for 12.000 and la told by the latter that he Is In debt up to his eyea. Howard drink# hlmaelf Into a maudlin condition, and goea to aleep on a divan. A caller Is announced and Underwood draws a screen arpund .the drunken sleeper. Alicia ent*fa She demanda a jiromlse frum him that he will not take his life. Minting to the disgrace that would attach to herself. Underwood re fuses to promise unless she will renew her patronage. CHAPTER Vll.—Continued. ~T don't believe you Intend to carry out your threat. I should hare known from the first that your object was to frighten me. The pistol display was highly theatrical, but It was only a blufr. You're no more Idea of taking your life than I have of taking mine. I was foolish to come here. I might have spared myself the humiliation of this clandestine interview. Oood algbt!" She went toward the door. Under wood made no attempt to follow her. In a hard, strange voice, which he scarcely recognized as his own, he merely said: "Is that all you have to say?" "Yes," replied Alicia, as she turned at the door. "Let It be thoroughly un derstood that your presence at my house is not desired. If you force yourself upon me In any war. you must take the consequences." Underwood bowed, and was silent. She did not see the deathly pallor of his face. Opening the door of the apartment which led to the hall, she again turned. "Tell me, before I so —you didn't mean what you said In your letter, did rouT" "111 tell you nothing." replied Un derwood doggedly. She tossed her head acornfully. "I don't believe that a man who Is coward enough to write a letter like this has the courage to carry out his threat." Stalling the letter back Into her bag. she added: "I should have thrown It In the waste-pa per basket, but on second thoughts. I think I'll keep It. Good-night." 'Goodnight." echoed Underwood mechanically. He watched her go down the long hallway and disappear In the elevator. Then, shutting the door, he came slowly back Into the room and sat down at hla desk. For ten minutes he sat there motionless, his head bent , forward, every limb relaxed. There was deep silence, broken only by How ard's regular breathing; and the load ticking of the clock. -It's all up," he mattered to himself. "It's no use battling against the tide. The strongest swimmer must go under some time. I've played my lait card and I've lost. Death is better than going to Jail. What good Is life any way without money? Just a moment's nerve and It will all be over." Opening the drawer in the desk, he took out the revolver again. He turned it over In hia hand and regarded fear fully the polished surface of the in strument that bridged life and death. He had completely forgotten Howard's presence In the room. On the thresh old a terrible deed, his thoughts were loigues awajr. Like a man who is drowning, and close to death, he saw with surprising distinctness a kaleidoscopic vi-sw of his past life. He saw himself an innocent. Impulsive school boy. the prld* of a devoted mother, the happy homo wkwe he spent his childhood. Then came the association with companions, zhi first step in wrongdoing, Mealing out of a comrade's poe'eet In school, the death of his mother, leaving home with downward progress until he grad ually drifted his present dishon est way of living. What was the good of regrets? He could not recall bis mother to life. He could never rehab ilitate himself among decent men and women. The "world had suddenly be como too small for him. He must go. and quickly. Fingering the pistol nervously, he sat before the mirror and placed it against his temple. The cold steel gave him a sudden shock. He won dered if It would hurt, and if there would be instant oblivion. The glare of the electric light In the room dts concerted him. It occurred to him that it would be easier In the dark. Reaching out his arm, he turned the electric button, and the room was im mediately plunged into darkness, ex cept for the moonlight which entered through the windows, Imparting a [ghostly aspect to the scene. On the other side of the room, behind tho screen, a red glow from the open fire fell on the sleeping form of Howard Jeffries. Slowly, deliberately, Underwood raised the pistol to his temple and tired. CHAPTER VIII. "Hello! What's that?" Btartled out of his Gargantuan slumber by the revolver's loud report, Howard aat up with a Jump and rubbed hla eyea. On the other side of the screen, concealed from his ob-. serration, there was a heavy crash of a body falling with a chair—then all was quiet. Scared, not knowing where he was. Howard Jumped to bis feet Ftor a moment he stood still, trying to col lect hla senses. It waa too dark to discern anything plainly, but he could dimly make out outlines of aesthetic furniture and bibelots. Ah, he re membered now! He was in Under wood's apartment. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to recall how be came there, and slowly his be fuddled brain began to work. He re membered that he needed 2,000. and that be had called on Robert Under wood to try and borrow the money. ►Yes, he recalled that perfectly well. Then he and Underwood got drinking and talking, and be bad fallen aalaep. Bt« thought ha had heard a woman's i voles—a voles hs kasw. Psrbaps that was only a dream. Hs must bavs been aslssp some time. because ths i lights wars out and. seemingly, evsry body had gons to bsd. Hs wondsrsd • what ths nolss which started him i could havs been. .Suddenly ha heard i • groan. He Ustansd Intently, but all i was still. The sllsnce was uncanny, i .Now thoroughly frlghtsned. How ard cautiously groped his way about, trying to find the electric button. He had no Ides what time It was. It must be very lata. What an ass hs waa to drink so much! He wondered what Annie would say when he didn't return. He was a bound to let her sit up and worry like that. Well, this would be a lesson to him—tt was the last time he'd ever touch a drop. Of course, he had promised her the same thing a hundred times before, but this time he meant it His drinking waa always getting him Into some fool scrape or other. He was gradually working his way along the room, when suddenly he stumbled over something on the floor. It was a man lying prostrate. Stoop ing, he recognised the figure. "Why—it's Underwood!" he ex claimed. At first he believed his classmate was asleep, yet conaldered it strange he should have selected so un comfortable a place. Then it occurred to him that he might be 111. Shaking him by the shoulder, he cried: "Hey, Underwood, what's the mat ter?" I No response came from the pros- I' trate figure. Howard stooped lower, to see better, and accidentally touch ing Underwood's face, found It clam my and wet. He held his hand up In the moonlight and saw that It was revered with blood." Horror-stricken, he cried: "My God! He's bleeding—he's hurt!" ' What had happened? An accident, —or worse? Quickly he felt the man's pulse. It had ceased to beat. Under wood was dead. , Ifor a moment Howard was too much overcome by his discovery to know what to think or do. What dreadful tragedy co.ild have hap pened? Carefully groping along the mantelpiece, he at last found the elec tric button and turned on the light- There, stretched out on the floor, lay Underwood, with a bullet hole In his left temple,, from which blood had flowed freely down on his full-dress shirt. It was a ghastly sight. The ' man's white, set face, covered with s crimson stream, made a repulsive spectacle. On the floor near the body was a highly polhihed revolver, still smoking. Howard's first supposition was that burglars bad entered the place and that Underwood had been killed while defending his property. He remem bered now that in his drunken sleep he had heard voices In angry alterca tion. Yet why hadn't he called for assistance? Perhaps he had and he hadn't heard him. He looked at tho clock, and was surprised to find It was not yet mid night. He believed iL~was at least five o'clock In the morning. It was evident that Underwood had never gone to bed. The shooting had oc curred either while the angry dispute was going on or after the unknown visitor had departed. The barrel of the revolver was still warjn, showing that it could only have been dis charged a few moments beforo. Sud denly It flashed upon him that Under wood might have committed suicide But it was useless to stand there theorizing. Something must be done' He must alarm the hotel people or call the police. He felt himself turn hot and cold by turn as he realized the serious predicament In which he himself was placed. If he aroused the hotel people they would find hlni here alone with a dead man, Suspl clon would at once be directed at him, and it might be for him to establish his Innocence. Who would believe that he could have fallen asleep In a bed while a man killed himself In the same room? It sounded preposterous. The wisest course for him would be to get away before any body came'. Quickly he picked up his hat and made for the door. Just as he was about to lay hand on the handle then' was the click of a latchkey. Thus beaded off, and not knowing what to d», be baited In painful suspense. The door opened and a man entered He looked as surprised to see How ard as tho latter was to see him. He was clean-shaven and neatly dressed, yet dlcHnot look the gentleman. His appearance was rather that of a serv ant. All these details flashed before Howard's mind before be blurted out: "Who the devil are you?" " The man looked astonished at the question and eyed bis interlocutor closely, as if In doubt as to his identi ty. In a cockney accent he said loftily: "I am Ferris, Mr. Underwood's man, sir." Suspiciously, be added: "Are you a friend of Mr. Underwood's, sir?" He mlgbt well ask the question, for Howard's disheveled appearance and ghastly face, still distorted by terror, was anything but reassuring. Taken by surprise, Howard did not know what to say, and like most people questioned at a disadvantage, he an swered foolishly: "Matter? No. What makes you think anything Is tbe matter?" Brushing past the man. he added: "it's late. I'm going" "Stop a minute!" cried the man servant. There was something In Howard's manner that he did not Hke. Passing quickly Into the sitting room, be called out: "Stop a minute!" But Howard did not stop. Terror gava him wings and, without whiting for iba elevator. h« was already half way •own Um first siaircaav wua a* "Murderl Stop thief I Btop that man I stop that man!" k Thara via a ruah of fset and bum of voices, which made Howard run all tha faatar. Ha laapad down |our ■taps at a tlrna In hla anxiety to gat •way. But It waa no easy matter de scending so many flight* of stairs. It took him several mlnutea to reach the main floor. By thla time the whole hotel waa •roused. Telephone c&lla had quick ly warned tha attendanta. who had promptly aeut for tho police. By the time Howard reached the main en trance he waa Intercepted by a mob too numerous to resist. Things certainly looked black for blm. As he aat, white and trembling, under guard In a corner of the en trance hall, waiting for the arrival of the police, the valet breathlesaly gave the sensational particulars to the rap- Idly growing crowd of curious on lookers. He had taken his usual Sun day out and on returning home at midnight, a 8 was hla custom, he had let himself in with hla latchkey. To bis astonishment he hnd found this man, tho prisoner, about to leave tha premises. His manner and remarks were so peculiar that/they at once aroused his hurried Into the apartment and found his master lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood. In his hurry the assassin had dropped his revolver, which was lying near tho corpse. As far as he could •ee, nothing had been taken from tho apartment. Evidently the man Was disturbed at his work and, when sud denly surprised, had made the bluff that ho was calling on Mr. Under wood. They had got the right man, that was certain. He waß caught red handed. and in procr of what he said, the valet pointed to Howard's right hand, which was still covered with blood.' How terrible!" exclaimed a woman bystander, averting her face. "So young, too!" "It's all a mistake, I tell you. It's all a mistake," cried Howard, almost panic stricken. "I'm a friend of Mr. Underwood's." . "Nice friend!" sneered an onlooker. "Tell that to the police," laughed another. "Or to the marines!" cried a third. "It's the chair for hls'n!" opined a fourth. By this time, tha main entrance hall was crowded with people, tenants 1 and passersby attracted by the un -1 wonted commotion. A scandal In high life Is always caviare to the sensa | t?on seeker. Everybody excitedly in quired of his neighbor: , "What Is It? What's the matter?" Presently the rattle of wheels was hpard and a heavy vehicle driven furi ously, drew up at the sidewalk with a jerk. It was the police patrol wagon, and In it were the captain of the precinct and a half dozen police men and detectives. The crowd pushed forward to get a better view of the burly representatives of ths law as, full of authority, they elbowed their way unceremoniously through the throng. Pointing to the leader, a big man In plain clothes, with a square, determined Jaw and a bulldog face, they whispered one to another: "That's Capt. Clinton, chief of the precinct. He's a terror. It'll go hard with any prisoner he gets In hla clutches!" Followed by his uniformed myr midons. the police official pushed hla way to the corner where sat Howard, dazed and trembling, and still guard ed by the valet and elevator boys. "What's the matter here?" demand ed the captain gruffly, and looking from Ferris to How-, ard. The valet eafeerly told his story: "I camo home at midnight, sir, and found my master, Mr. Robert Under wood, lying dead in the apartment, shot through the head." Pointing to Howard, he added: "This man was In the apartment trying to get away. You see his hand Is still covered with blood." Capt. Clinton chuckled, and expand ing his mighty cheat to Its fullest, licked his chops with satisfaction This was the opportunity he had been looking for—a sensational murder la a big apartment hotel, right In th» very heart of his precinct! Nothlni could be more to his liking It was « rich man's murder, tho best kind to attract attention to himself. Ths sensational newspapers would bo full of the case. They would print col umns of stuff every day, together with his portrait. That was Just the kind of publicity he needed now that h« was wire-pulling for an 4 Inspectorship. They had ctught the msn "with the goods" —that was very clesr. H« promised himself to attend to tb« rest. Conviction was what he wa* after. He'd see that no tricky lawyer got the best 'of him. Concealing, as well as he could, his satisfaction, he drew himself up and. with blustering show of authority, Immediately took command of the situation. Turning to a police sergeant at his side, h« said: . •'Maloney, this fellow may have hat. an accomplice. Take four officers snd watch every exit from the hotel. Ar rest anybody attempting to leave tbs building. Put two officers to watch tbs fire escapes. Send one man oa tbs roof. Go!" "Ts*. * lr >" replied the sergeant, as he turned away to execute the ordjr. Capt. Clinton gave two strMes for ward, and catching Howard by the col lar, Jerked him to his feet. "Now, young feller, you come with me! We'll go upstairs and havs s look at the dead man." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Thrust Upon THsm. Boms men srs born rich, som« achieve riches and some enter the pa iftical arena.—Harvard Laupoca. ORDER REDUCTIONS 111 FREIGHT RATES RAILROAD IS CALLED DOWN BY INTERSTATE COMMERCE - COMMISSION. DECISION IS OF IMPORTANCE . .. The Commercial Conditions and Not tho Will of the Traffic Managers to Govern the Rates Charged—Decision Affects All Freight Rates. ■ » - Washington.—ln what are known as the Spokarfe-Reno-Paclfic coast cases, the Interstate Commerce Commission ordered material reductions in freight rates from the East to points between Denver and the western terminals ol' tho grent transcontinental railroads. For many years the railroads have exacted from shippers to intermediate points, such as Spokane and lteno, higher raees on Kaßtern freights than were charged lor the much longer hauls to Seattle, San Francisco and other Pacific coast points. The theory has been that tho railroads must meet water competition to the Pacific coast. Tho higher rates to intermedi ate points, arbitrarily fixed, have been defended by a comparison with the const rates, plus a theoretical back-haul from the coast to tho in land stations along the line. Tho commission recognizes tho right of a railroad to moet water com petition to Pacific coast points, but practically wipes out the back-haul ratesi to Inter-Rocky mountain terri tory. It lays down what It considers would be fair and just rates to var ious freight zones In the West and gives the railroads until October 15 to adjust their tariffs accordingly. The commission also lays down the important princlplo that hereafter railroads will not be permitted to fix arbitrarily marked limits and that hereafter commercial «#ndlt|ons rath er than the will of railway traffic managers shall control rates on trans continental transportation. The decisions announced aro of far reaching Importance. They affect directly all freight rates between the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific coast. Particularly they affect the rates in the territory lying between Denver and Pacific coast points. May Tell Who Killed Wife of Deattie. Richmond, Va. —'The most impor tant development in tho Beattie mur der case was an indication on the part of Keulah Binford, the woman with whom Henry O. Beattie was In fatuated, that she has decided to turn against her erstwhile admirer. MIBS Binford, who ,1s In jaiL as a witness In default of }I,GOO bond, sent for Detec tive Scherer. A conference followed between the Binford girl, the detectjve and the Commonwealth's attorney, Mr. Wendenberg, and it is understood that she made admissions which strength en tho theory of the Commonwealth's representatives that Beattio alone sent his wife to her death cn the lonely Midlothian turnpike. Bloodhounds Aid Detectives. New York. —Bloodhounds are aid ing detectives searching lor the high waymen who attempted to wreck a Long Island railroad train near Val ley Stream, L .1. A 15-car passenger train pleasure-seekers Was speeding toward tho city when Engineer Whltford saw an obstruc tion on the track. He threw on his brakes and brought the train to a stop within 15 feet ol the obstruction. A tie had been planted in a hole dug out between the rails, the end tilted toward tho approaching locomotive. Antis Still Lead in Texas. Dallas, Texas. Texas defeated state wide prohibition according to the admission of the "dry" campaign. After 36 hours of ballot counting tho "wets" maintain a slender lead of barely more than 5,000 In unofficial returns. Unless tho voto yet to come is different in tenor from that up to the present time, the remaining few thousands of ballots can not swing the election to the "dryß." Castro Looking For a Friendly Port- Washington. Ciprlano Castro, In the opinion of a diplomatic ofllcer who has given some study to the problem of locating the Venezuelan, is now a sort of a "dying Dutchman" making a desperate eftort to reach a friendly port In his native country. Apparent ly just as he near* his goal, he Is turned back, not by storms, but by watchful guardians of the Venezuelan coast or warshl'is of other nations which seek to prevent him from re newing his activity in hia own country. Interest in Outcome of Fake Battle. Washington.—The Navy Department will soon announce which fleet won the "battle" of Narragansett Bay. Ad miral Otterhaus, who cammanded one fleet and Commander Eberle, who di rected the other, each claims to have gained theoretically possession of Long Island Sound. Each claims he "annihilated" his "enemy." From tho official reports of the umpires, soon to reach him, Secretary Meyer will decide which fleet won. Interest~ltt theoretical battles has teen very keen. The Sum and Substance of being a subscriber to this paper is that ycu and your family become attached to it The paper becomes a member of the family and its coming each week will be as welcome as the ar rival of anyone thaf s dear. It will keep you informed on the doings of the community and the bargain! of the merchant* regularly advertised will enable you to save many times the coat of the subscription. We're Opposed J Mail Order Concerns Because— They never contributed II a cent to furthering the interest* of our town — Every cent received by them from this community is a direct loss to our merchant* — In almost every case their prices can be met right here, without delay in receiving goods In and the possibility of mistakes flj ■ in filling orders. But — The natural human trait is to buy whrre goods are cheapest. Local pride is usually second ary in tha game of Lie as played today. Therefore . Mr. Merchant and Business Man, meet your competitors with their own wenpoos H advertising. Advertise! ' The local field ta youts. All you need do is to avail your self of the opporlunitiea ottered. An advertisement in this paper will carry your message into hundreds of home* in thi* com munity. It is the surest medium of killing your greatctt com petitor. A apace thi* *ize I won't cost much. Coma in H and *ce us about it. PROCURED AND OCFCNDCD. **nil mode', ■ drAWliitf orpbat/i.torMpMi i peaiclnuid free report. ■ igftEr °^ UUn * , * u ' nu ' '"***»» ■ Business dir+ t n itk Washington saves time, B money and ojten the fiatent. Pittnt >nd Infringement Practice £>-'ualyaly. 9 Writo or oome to us mt •SS Hlikk Itrwt, opp. United BUUa htaot OflU«. I WASHINGTON, D. C. _ B KlLLthe COUCH *»» CURE THE LUWCS w,th Dr. King's New Discovery for C§^ 8 JSBnt. KD ALL THROAT AND LtINC TROUBLES. OUAHANTICED SATHiFACTOBY OB MONIT ErPUNDEB. FOR THE ' —eaftrH DO YOU know of anyone who is old enough to read, who has not seen that sign at a railroad crossing? If everyone haa aeen it at aom* time or other, then why doean't the railroad let the sign rot away ? Why does the railroad company continue to keep I those signs at every crossing t Maybe you think, Mr. Merchant, "Most everybody knowa my atore, I don't have to advertise." Your atore and your goods need more advertising than the rail roads need do to warn peopla to "Look Out for the Cars." Nothing ia ever completed in th* advertising world. The Department Stores an A very good example —they are continually advertising—and they are continually doing 4k good business. If it pays to run a few ads 'round about Christmas time, It cer tainly will pay you to run ad vertisements about all the time. 1 jLI It's Just business, that's ill. tm CSI ADVERTISE in PAPER
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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July 28, 1911, edition 1
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