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FROM DEATH TO LIFE
S Y N O P S IS
O P P R E C E D IN G
CH APTERS.
EJwmrd T y l -r. a >min* teller In lit*
National Hank, is toM >.y tho cashier. Robinson
to Ro to the r S ' k track an.l bet on- ttUMHRM
ilollars on a horse name»! Sellnt Bay. RlvlitR him
the money with which to bet. Selim Bay
Tyler. Roing to his loctRlngs a fter banklna hoar»,
learns that his accounts have been
thousand short, while Robinson has
to
the president. Mr. Ellis, that T yler had Rone
away under plea of sickness, and later had been
known to have lost the n.lssin* sum at the race
track.
Tyler, feeling that circumstances are
overwhelmingly against him, determines to take
his own life. He goes to a hotel In a » “ Durban
village, writes snmo letters, then starts for tna
river. On the way a stranger Joins him and
forces his acquaintance. He has seen and rec
ognized the young teller at the track and divined
his Intention, supposing, of course, that ne is
foolish and guilty. The stranger confesses him
self Charles Brewster, a man o f wealth, who has
become engaged to a lady of bis own social
set and. later, under an assumed name, to a poor
salesgirl, who has won his heart. Rather than
face the odium of exposure, he chooses death
and makes the fantastic proposal that they die
together.
T y ler agrees, and together. In the
moonlight, they walk to the river.
In rftwrn
for Brewster’ s confidences. T y le r rarrates the
circumstances o f which he is the victim. A t the
very brink o f death Brewster. after
T yler swear to the truth o f his tale, forbids the
act o f death, and they return to the hotel. Here
Brewster writes a letter to the president of the
bark. Inclosing a check for a thousand dollars,
which he Intimates was overpaid him by mistake.
This will relieve T yler from the charge of cm-
bexxlement and bring him back from death to
life. Brewster, however, persists In his own de
termination to die.
T y ler strives desperately
with him. seeking to save the life of the man
who has saved his own
He persuades Brewster
to take brandy to steady his nerves and succeeds
In rendering him intoxicated. In this condition
BrewBter Is forced to go to bed. while retaining
fu ll control o f his mental faculties and persist
ing In his determination to act as soon as the
effects of the Intoxicant have gone.
feel that you are a criminal, deserving and
doomed to death?”
"I certainly do."
“ Very well. Last night I was to all
intents a dead man. A benefactor ap
peared and brought me back to life. Now,
if I permit him to die I am a criminal,
deserving death. If I deserve that death
I will receive iny desert. You proposed
going in my company. I will go in yours
if you persist in going. I have said it.”
Brewster looked at his companion in
silence for a brief period. Then he spoke
quietly.
“ You are a fool," he ¿aid.
“ Even so.”
“ Do you really mean to persist in such
folly?"
“ If such you term it."
“ And render valueless the sacrifice I
made in consenting literally to die a sec
ond time in order to save, not only your
life, but your honor?”
“ My honor is saved.
You will not
undo what you have done. My life has
been spared thus far that I may make one
supreme effort to save you.
When I
have made that effort, whether successful
or not, the worth of yo.tr sacrifice lias
been proved. Last night you insisted on
bearing me company through the white
moonlight to the river. When all was
ready you proposed half an hour's wait.
I assented.
Then you proposed still
further delay. Now I propose that next
Saturday night we again walk to the
river at midnight. The moon will be
shining them.”
"But it might be raining! U gh !"
“ Then we will go far away and await
another night such as last. But if in that
time I can lay before you proofs—you to
be the judge—that you can happily and
honorably live, you will not refuse to do
HE gray light o f morning had
come, the ncwsdalear had- ar
rived with his bulky Sunday
papers, the village was astir with
the life, drowsy and slow, which betokens
the morning o f the day o f rest. Tyler so?"
moved to and fro upon the sidewalk in
“ O f course I would not. But what
ceaseless vigil. At last he went up to you mention is absurdly impossible.”
Brewster’s room and knocked at the door.
“ Nevertheless, it is my only chance for
Brewster, half feverish, half stupid life. I ask you, in view o f that fact, to
from the effects o f his recent intoxica agree to next Saturday night."
tion, opened the door. He had not un
“ What do you intend to d o?"
dressed when going to the room.
“ I hardly know. But I will do nothing
“ What do you want?" he asked, irri which is not honorable, place von in no
false light, tell no lies. With these con
tably.
"I want." Tyler firmly replied, “ my ditions I ask liberty ”
hreakfast and you in my company. V on
“ W clL" said Brewster, “ you have won
are ill. and for a few hours you are in again. Yon are a foot, but a game and
my charge. Whatever you do, you must chivalrous fool. Saturday night let it be.”
restore your, strength of mind. A quick,
The meal was finished almost with
cold bath while f wait outside, then cheerfulness.
Then. Brewster agreeing
coffee and food and you will be yourself to remain at the hotel, Tyler returned to
and know what to do.”
his lodgings where he was promptly
Brewster hesitated, then closed the door placed under arrest cn a warrant sworn
with an abrupt promise to appear soon.
by Robinson, charging him with the theft
He came out a few minutes later, hag of a thousand dollars. But, as he knew,
gard. with bloodshot eyes, but calm and bail was already provided, Brewster
rational, though his features were set and having telegraphed a friend for that pur
stern.
pose.
“ I think," he said, in quiet tones, “ that
Next morning he unflinchingly present
you are very impertinent in your inter ed himself at the bank. There was much
ference with my affairs."
staring and whispering, and then Mr.
“ Quite as much as you were when you Robin-on. red-faced and awful, appeared
interfered with mine,” Tyler answered
“ I am astonished, young man.” he
quite as calmly. “ Let us go to the dining
room. My interference will not go far. said, “ that you dare to show yourself
I have done what I believed was right. after what has happened f
“ You mean after losing the thousand
The coffee will clear our minds and we
dollars you gave me to bet on Selim
will know what to do.”
Bay?"
Tyler responded, coldly, but in
The two men went to the table, and for
a while they ate little, gulping down tones which could be beard by all near.
quantities o f coffee and nibbling at the
"W hat do you mean by such inso
buttered toast.
lence?" Robinson blustered.
“ Do you
Then first Brewster and then Tyler be think in that way to account for the
gan in real earnest to eat.
thousand dollars you were short?"
“ I have heard that criminals, on the
“ I think that is a very good way."
morning o f execution, usually eat well,”
“ D o you mean------ "
Brewster grimly remarked, cutting at his
“ I mean that it is your word against
steak.
mine. Yon know as well as I who is the
“ So I believe.
And usually, I have liar and thief."
heard, they take ham and eggs," Tyler
Robinson stammered in his anger, and
responded.
while he was hunting for words to express
“ I think you arc right. Waiter, bring his wrath a clerk came to ask both o f them
me an order o f ham and eggs.”
to appear before Mr. Ellis.
“ And me. also," Tyler said.
“ So you were at the racetrack Satur
“ Don't trouble to accommodate yourself day?” the president asked.
to my taste.” Brewster said. “ I am only
“ For Mr. Robinson.”
trying to carry the fashion ”
“ And bet a thousand dollars on Selim
“ And I also,” Tyler replied. " I f the Bay?”
"F or Mr. Robinson "
comparison applies to you. it does to me
as well. W e can speak plainly. You still “ You know that my invariable rule is
T
the discharge o f any employee who bets
at the tracks?”
“ I do. It is a good rule.”
“ And yet you broke it?”
“ For Mr. Robinson."
“ And you now expect
charged?”
“ I certainly do."
“ And you acknowledge the discharge
just?"
“ I do.”
“ And what have you to say o f the
thousand dollars in which your cash was
short ?”
j
“ By advice of my lawyer I say nothing.
I believe a criminal charge lies against
me.”
“ Mr. Robinson,” said the president,
turning sharply upon the cashier, “ did you
give this young man a thousand dollars
to bet at the track?”
"I did not.
I hope you don’t be
lieve------”
"D o you think he had a thousand of his
own to bet?”
“ I am sure he had not. You know that
he came here just from college penniless,
and that he has had only his salary since.”
“ Yes I know. But where did he get
the money he took to the track."
‘ Well, of course, you know that the cash
was a thousand short."
“ Yes, Mr. Robinson, but that was by
your act.” said the president, sharply.
“ Look at that letter.”
He handed over Brewster’ s letter, which
had come in the morning's mail.
“ Well. I—I------’’ stammered the cashier
in bewilderment.
*
“ And here is a letter for you in the
mail," Mr. Ellis continued, handing over
Brewster's letter addressed to Mr. Robin
son, and watching the latter closely as he
read it.
"Well. I—of course. I’ m sorry," he said,
very pale and trembling, “ but under the
circumstances I will acknowledge iny mis
take and will offer my resignation."
“ Which is accepted," said the presi
dent, curtly. “ And you will go to court
at once and withdraw your charge against
this young man.
Mr. Tyler, f helieve
that you have told the truth. Whether
you have or not. you have broken a rule,
for which the penalty is loss of your po
sition. I will give you recommendation
as far as possible, and if I can assist you
in any way I will do it. But I positively
never will have in this bank any employee
who ever places a bet on horseracing.”
“ I appreciate your justice and thank you
for your kindness," said the young man,
and. bowing, made his departure.
Outside the bank he stood for a moment
with a kind of mistiness before his eyes
as he realized that he was breaking irre
vocably with the associations o f his past
business career. Then he went unhesi
tatingly to the railroad station and after
an hour alighted at the village to which
Brewster's letter to Miss Catherine Ball
had been addressed.
An inquiry of the first passer-by and ten
minutes' walk and he stood before an old
mansion in the m.<Lt of beautiful ground-.
“ I must see Miss Ball." he insisted, in
reply to all the servant's inquiries, and at
last a handsome woman o f about thirty
years, with a refined, intellectual face and
somewhat sad expression, came to the
door.
“ I desire a conference with you," he
said “ It is a matter, pardon me, o f life
and death. On your decision rests the
matter o f two lives."
“ Come into the library.” she said, lead
ing the way. “ Now what have you to
say?”
"I have a letter for you,” Tyler began.
“ A letter from a friend who contemplated
suicide, but has been prevented for a time
from aprrying his plans into execution. He
believes that his letter has gone by mail
I come to you in the de-perate hope of
assistance in overcoming his disposition
for another attempt."
“Gnre me the letter ”
He handed it to her. She read, then
laid the letter in her lap an l rested her
cheek in her hand.
“ It Is what I expected," she said.
“ Pardon me, Miss Ball. I do not know
what the letter contains, but I know the
history upon which it is based. The case
seems nearly hopeless, but I must do what
I can. 1 would spare you. but I would
save my friend.”
“ Tell me frankly what you know.”
“ I know that he has long been engaged
to you.”
“ Yes, and what else?"
“ That he has—has----- ”
“ Has engaged himself to another
woman?”
“ Yes.”
“ I knew that he did not love me." she
said, still dreamily looking out of the win
dow, “but I did not think this of him."
“ It is an infatuation, a blindness,” said
Tyler, with all the sage wisdom of his
twenty-five years, “ to which men have
been subject from the beginning of the
world.”
“ Why do yon speak so? What do you
know o f the young lady?"
“ I know nothing, save that she is a
salesgirl in a department store."
“ And does that prove to you that she is
unworthy ?"
“ God forbid!” said Tyler, flushing
hotly. “ My own mother, now among the
saints o f heaven, was once thus employed.
I said that was all I knew. I believe her
worthy.
I used the word infatuation,
partly because I could not understand—
pardon me. I speak sincerely—this is no
time for mere compliment—because I
could not understand, after seeing you,
why he should care for another. Partly. I
believe because I wished to use soothing
words, knowing how you were hurt."
“ I atn not hurt," she said, in her soft,
quiet way. “ I am I, she is she. Charles
Brewster loved her for some qualities I
d o not possess.
All women cannot be
alike. He is entitled to his preference.
But he should have told me long ago.”
“ That is true. But it was his desire not
to hurt you which held him back."
"W ell, there is no reason why he should
not marry the girl he loves. You can tell
him so. I have never loved him any
more than he loved me. But f liked him
and i believed him an honorable man. I
had, perhaps, a natural human desire to
marry. But I see now that I was wrong
to eugnge myself without love, and I am
glad it is all over."
The man was by this time so fascinated
by the noble and beautiful woman that he
could not resist the desire still to preserve
the engagement between her and Brewster.
“ But, Miss Ball,” lie said, “ suppose that
I prove that Miss Latighlin is not really
in love with Mr. Brewster, as he sup
poses ?”
“ That would have no interest for me.”
“ Would you not marry him if he should
return penitent and ask your love?”
“ N ever!"
He was silent, for he felt that her word
was irrevocable.
“ Now tell me.” she said, “ how he was
resented from suicide after writing this
e tlcr“
fe
Tyler sat
s
in embarrassed silence.
I n this letter.” she said, “ he says that
he is going down to the river in company
with a hank thief.”
Tyler flushed so painfully that Miss Ball
instantly divined a part of the story.
“ And yon exchanged confidences," she
said, sarcastically. "F ar nohile fratrum.”
Tyler’ s flush departed, leaving his face
deadly pale.
“ I lieg o f you. Miss Ball," he said, “ to
hear mv story to the end I am not a
thief, though f contemplated and still
c m ; err plate suicide.”
Something in his manner checked her
rising scorn. She felt that she was indeed
in the presence o f trigedy.
1 hen in a few words he told her o f hi*
misfortune at the hank, o f his rash deter
mination, of Brewster's action In saving him.
( CtntmutJvn ftgt I t . )