ancient tragedy of Belshazzar he "had drank wine and praised the gods
of gold and of silver" which he had so long worshipped, and which had
secured to him all that so dilated his soul with exultation, that he
saw the handwriting, not of shadowy fingers "upon the wall," but of
his partner, sent, as agreed, by a special messenger. With revulsion
and chill of fear he tore open the envelope and read:

"Pox has done his worst. We are out for a million--All will be in the
morning papers."

Even his florid, wine-inflamed cheeks grew pale, and he raised his
hand tremblingly to his head, and slowly lifted his eyes like a man
who dreads seeing something, but is impelled to look. The first object
they rested on was the sardonic, mocking face of Mr. Fox, who, ever on
the alert, had seen the messenger enter, and guessed his errand. The
moment Mr. Allen saw this hated visage, a sudden fury took possession
of him. He crushed the missive in his clenched fist, and took a hasty
stride of wrath toward his tormentor, stopped, put his hand again to
his head, a film came over his eyes, he reeled a second, and then fell
like a stone to the floor. The heavy thud of the fall, the clash of
the chandelier overhead, could be heard throughout the rooms above the
music and hum of voices, and all were startled. Edith in the very act
of leading off in the dance stood a second like an exquisite statue of
awed expectancy, and then Zell's shriek of fear and agony, "Father!"
brought her to the spot, and with wild, frightened eyes, and blanched
faces, the two girls knelt above the unconscious man, while the
startled guests gathered round in helpless curiosity.

The usual paralysis following sudden accident was brief on this
occasion, for there were two skilful physicians present, one of them