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Show j By DAVID GRAHAM PHUURS, Author of "THFCQSZMr M CHAPTER XXV. Continued. "It you will save rao," I continued, H "I will transfer to you, In a block, H alt my Coal holding. Thoy will bo worth double my total liabilities with-In with-In tlireo months as soon as tho re-organization re-organization is announced. I lcavo It J entirely to your senso of justlco H whether I shall havo my part of them I back when this storm blows over." H "Why didn't you go to Roebuck?" Ho asked without looking up. "Rccnuso it Is ho thnt stuck tho hnlfo Into mo." "Why?" fl "I don't know'. I suspect tho Man nsqualo properties, which I brought Into tho combine, have somo value, which no ono but Roebuck, and per-haps per-haps Lnngdon, knows about and that fl I In soma way was dnugerous to ilium H through thnt fact. Thoy haven't glv-en glv-en mo time to look Into it." H A grim smllo flitted over tho race. J ur "You'vo been too busy getting mnr- 'w rlcd, eh?" H "Exactly," said I. 'It's another case H of unbuckling for tho wcddlng-ronst H and getting assassinated (is a pen- H nlty. Do you wish mo to explain any- H thing on thnt list do you wnnt any H dotnlls of tho combine of tho Coal H stocks tlioro?" H "Not necessary," ho ropllcd. As I H had thought, with that onormous ma- chlno of his for drawing In Informa- J tlon, and with that enormous mom- J ory of his for det'alls, ho probably J know more nbout tho combine nnd Its properties than I did. "You havo heard of the lockout?" H I Inquired for I wished him to know H I bad no intention of deceiving him H . tta to tho present market vnluo or H thoso BtockB. HI "Roobuck lias been commanded by HJ, his God," ho said, "to eject tho froo HB Amorlcan labor from tho coal regions HM nnd to substitute Importations of HB coollo Huns and Hohomlnns. Thus, HH tho wicked American laborers will bo HBj chastened for trying to get hlghor HH wages and cut down a pious man's HH dividends; and tho downtrodden cool- HH les will bo brought whero thoy can enjoy tho blessings of liberty and of Bfl M the preaching of Iloobuck's mission- HJ HH I laughed, though ho had not smiled, HH but had spoken as If stating color- HH less facts. "And righteousness and HI Roobuck will provall," said I. Hi Ho frowned slightly, n sardonic grin HHI breaking tho straight, thin, cruel line HHj of his lips. Ho oponed his tablo's ono HHji shallow drawer, and took out a pad HHJ nnd u poncll. Ho wroto a few''' words HHJ on tho lowest part of thn top shoot, HHJ foldod it, toro off the part ho had HHJ scribbled pn, returned tho pad nnd HHJ pencil to tho drawer, handed tho scrap HHJ' of paper to mo. "I will do II." ho said. HHJ "Glvo this to Mr. Farquhar, second HHr door to tho loft. Good morning," HH And In thnt atmosphoro of vast affairs HH speedily dispatched his consent with- HH out argument scorned, and was, tho H matter-of-course. HH I bowed. Though ho had not saved HH mo as a favor to me, but because HH It fitted In with his plans, whntovcr HH they wore, my eyes dimmed. "I HH shan't forget this," said I, my volco HH not qulto steady. HH "I know it," said ho curtly. "1 HHj Vnow you." HH I saw that his mind had already HH w turned mo nut. I said no more, nnd HH J wlthdrow. When I loft tho room It HH was precisely as It had been when 1 HH entorcd It except tho bit of paper HHI torn from tho pad. Hut what n dir- HHJ forenco to mo, to the thousands, the HHI hundreds of thousands directly and HHI Indirectly Interested In tho Coal com- I blno nnd Its strlko nnd Its products, Hi was represented by those few, uIiihmI HJ llleglblo scrnwllngs on thnt scrap or HI paper. HHJj Not until I had gone ovor tho situ- HHJ ntion with Fnrquhnr, and wo had HHJ slgnod nnd exchanged tho necessary HHJ papors, did I begin to relax from tho HJ Etrnln how great that strain was I HHJ realized a fow weeks later, when tho HJ gray appeared thick at my tomplea HHJ and thero was In my crown what was, HHJ for such a shock as mine, a thin spot. HJ "I am saved!" said I to mysoir, von- HJ turlng a long breath, as I stood on tho HJ j stops or Galloway's establishment, HJ whero hourly was transacted business HJ vitally affecting tho weirnro of scores HJ of millions of liuinnn beings, with HJ Jamos Gullowny's personal Interest tin HJ tho solo guiding principle. "Saved!" HJ I ropeated, and not until then did It HJ Hash before me, "I must liavo paiu a HJ frightful price. Ho would nover havo HHI consontod to Intorforo with Roobuck HI as toon as I asked him to do it, un- HJ toss thpro had boon some powerful HE motlvo. If I had had my wltB nbout HE nio, I could havo mado fur hotter HJ terms." Why hadn't I my wits nbout J mo? "Anltn" wiu my Instant answer HJ to my own queBtl-in. "Anltn again. I HJ .had a bad attack of family man'B HJ '.ionic." And thus It camo about that J I wont back to my oirico, fooling as ir HHJI I hnd Buffered a Bovoro defeat, in- Hr toad of Jubilant ovor my narrow es- HH capo. Joo followed me Into my don. jj -What luck?" asked ho, In the tono hVJi HB'I of a mother waylaying tho doctor as ho Issues from tho sick-room. '"Luck?" said I, gazing blankly at him. "You'vo seen tho latest quotation, havon't you?" In his nervousness his temper wns on a fine edge. "No," replied I Indirforcntly. I sat down at my desk nnd began to busy myself. Then I added: "Wo'ro out of tho Coal combine, l'vo transferred .our holdings. Look after these things, please." And I gnvo him tho checks, notes and memoranda of agreement. "Galloway!" ho exclaimed Amd then his eye fell on tho totals of the stosk I had been carrying. "Good God, Matt!" ho gasped. "Ruined!" And ho Bat down, nnd burled his faco nnd cried like a child It was then that I measured tho full depth of the chasm I had escaped. I mado no such exhibition of myself, but when I tried to relight my cigar my hand trembled so thnt tho llamo scorched my Hps . "Ruined?" I said to Joe, easily onough. "Not nt all. Wo'ro bnclc in tho road, going smoothly ahead only, at a bit less stiff n paco. Think Joe, of all thoso poor dovlls down In tho mining districts. Thoy'ro out clear out and thousands of 'em don't know whero tholr families will get bread. And though they havon't found It out yot, they've got to leave tho plnco whero they've lived all tholr lives, and their fathers beroro thorn havo got to go wandering nboilt in a world that's as strange to thorn na tho Biirtuj of tho moon, and as bare, for thorn an tho Sahara desert." "That's so." sold Joo. "It's hard luck." Hut I saw ho was thinking only of hlmsolf and his nnrrow escape from having to glvo up his big houso nnd all tho rest of It; that, soft-.hearted soft-.hearted and genorous though ho was, to thoso poor chapa nnd their wives and children ho wasn't giving n thought. "You'vo dono n grand two hours' work," said Joo. "Grnndor than you think," replied I. "l'vo sot tho tiger on to light tho bull." "Galloway and Roobuck?" "Just thnt," Biild I, And I laughed, started up, sat down again. "No, I'll put oft tho ploasuro," said I. "ni jot Roobuck find out. whon tho claws catch In that tough old hldo of his." XXVI. .A CONSPIRACY AGAINST ANITA.. On about tho hottest afternoon or that sunimor I had tho.yncht taku mo down the Sound to a ioliit on tho Connecticut Con-necticut shore within sight of Dawn HHI, but soven miles farther from Now York. I landed nt tho prlvato pier of Hownrd Forrester, tin only brother of Anita's mother. As 1 stopped upon tho plor I saw a llne-looklng llne-looklng old man In tho pavilion overhanging over-hanging tho water. Ho ws dressed all In white- except ky-l,mo tie that harmonized with the color of his eyes. Ho was neither fat nor lean, and his smooth skin waB protestlug ruddlly ngalnst tho ago proclaimed by his wool-white hair. Ho roso as I camo toward him, nnd, whllo I was still sovornl yards away, showed unmistakably unmistak-ably that ho know who I was and that ho was anything but glad to soo mo. "Mr. Forrester?" I asked. Ho grow purple to tho lino ot his thick whlto hair. "It 1b, Mr. Dlack-lock," Dlack-lock," said ho. "I havo tho honor to wish you good day, sir." And with that ho turned his back on mo and gazed out toward Long Island. "I havo como to nsk a favor of you, sir," said I, as polite to that hostllo back as If I hnd been addressing a cordial face. And I waited. Ho wheeled round, looked at mo from head to foot. I withstood tho Inspection calmly; when It was ended I noted that in spite ot hlmsolf ho was Bomowhat relaxed from tho opinion opin-ion of mo ho had formed upon what ho had heard and rend. Rut ho said: "I do not know you, Blr, and 1 do not wish to know you." "You hnvo made me painfully nwnro ot that," replied 1. "Hut 1 havo learned not to take snap judgments too seriously. I never go to a man unloas I hnvo something to say to him, nnd I nover leave until I havo said It." "I perceive, sir," retorted he, "you havo tho thick skin necessary to living liv-ing up to that rule." And the twinkle In his eyes betrayed the man who do-lights do-lights to exorclso a real or Imaginary talent for caustic wit. Such met arc like nettles dangerous only to tho llm.ld touch. "On tho contrnry," replied I, easy In mind now, though I did not anger him by showing It, "I am most sen-sltlvo sen-sltlvo to Insults Insults to mysoir. Rut you nro not Insulting me. You nro Insulting n purely Imaginary, hearsay person who Is, I venture to "TUItNKD I1IB BACK ON MB AND GAZED OUT TOWARD LONG ISLAND." assuro you, utterly unllko mo, and who doubtless desorves to bo in-Bulled." in-Bulled." HIb purplo had now faded. In u far different tono ho said: "If your business In any way relates to tho rnmlly Into which you havo married, I do not wlBh to henr It. Spnro my ! putlonco and your time, sir." I "It does not," was my answor. "It relates to my own family to my wire nnd mysoir. As you may hnvo hoard, I she Is no longer n member or tho lCllorsley family. And I havo como to you chiefly because I happened to know your sentiment toward tho Ullorsloys." "I havo no sentiment toward them, sir!" ho oxclaimod. "Thoy nro nonexistent, non-existent, sir lionoxlstentl Your wifo's mother ceased to be n Forrestor whon Bho married thnt scoundrel. Your wife is still Iobb a Forrester." "True," said I. "Shu Is n Illnck-lock." Illnck-lock." Ho winced, and It reminded mo of tho night or my mnrrlago and Anita's expression whon tho preacher called hor by her now name. Rut I hold his gaze, nnd wo looked euch nt tho othor flxodly for, It must hnvo been, full half a mlnuto. Thou ho said courteously: cour-teously: "What do you wish?" I wont straight to tho point. My color may havo been high, but my volco did not hoBltnto as I explained: "I wish to make my wife llnnnclnlly Independent. I wish to scttlo on hor an Incomo thnt will onnblo hor, to llvo as slio hns been accustomed. I know Bho would not tnko It from mo. Ho, I hnvo como to nsk you to pretend to give It to her I, of course, giving It to jou to give." Agnln wo looked Full and llxedly each at tho other. "Como to tho house, lllacklock," he said nt last In n tone that wns tho subtlest of compliments. com-pliments. And ho linked his arm In mine, llnlfwpv to the rambling stone house, severe In Its lines, yet fine and homelike, quaintly resembling Its own or, as a man's house always should ho paused. "I owe you an npology,' said he. "After all my experience ol this world of envy nnd malice, 1 should havo recognized tho man ovot In his caricatures of his enemies. Ami you brought tho best possible cro dontlals you nro well hnted. To be woll hated by tho human rnco nnd bj tho creatures mounted on Its back Is a distinction, sir. It Is tho crown ot tho truo kings ot this world." Wo seated ourselves on tho mo vorandn; ho had champagne and water wa-ter brought, nnd cigars; nnd wo proceeded pro-ceeded to get acquainted nothing promotes pro-motes cordiality and sympathy llko an Initial misunderstanding. It was n good hour beforo this kind-hearted, hard-soft, typical old-fashioned Now lCnglander reverted to tho subject of my vIbU. Said ho: "And now young man, mny I venturo to nsk somo extremely ex-tremely personal questions?" "In tho circumstances," replied I, '"you havo tho right to know everything. every-thing. I did not como to you without first making sure what manner of man I was to find." At this ho blushed, pleased as a girl at her II rat beau's first compliment. "And you, Mr. Forrester, can not bo expected to embark In tho llttlo ndventuro I pro-poso, pro-poso, until you havo satisfied your- BOlf." "First, tho why of your plan." "I am In nctlvo business," replied I, "nnd I shall ho still moro active. Thnt means financial uncortnlnty." Ills suspicion ot mo started up from Its dozo nnd rubbed Its eyes. "Alt' You wish to Insuro yourself." "Yes," wns my answer, "but not in tho way you hint. It takes nwny a man's courage Just when ho needs It most, to feel thnt his family Is involved in-volved in his venturo." "Why do you not mako tho settlement settle-ment direct?" ho naked, partly reassured. reas-sured. "Ilecauso I wish her to feel that it Is her own, thnt I havo no right over It whatever." Ho thought about this. Ills' eyes woro keen as ho said," "Is that your real reason?" I saw I must bo unreserved with him. "Part of It." 1 replied. "Tno rest Ib she would not tako It from me." Tho old man smiled cynically. "Hnvo you tried?" ho Inquired. "It I had tried and failed, sho would havo been on tho alort for an Indlroct uttmpt" "Try her, young man," said ho, laughing "In this dny thero aro fow people anywhere who'd rcfuso my sum lrom anybody for anything. And a woman and a t'iflw York woman nnd a Now York fash-lonablo fash-lonablo woman and a daughter of old Ellorsly sho'll tako It as a baby 'nkos tho breast." 'Sho would not tako it," said I. My tono, though I strove to keep angry protest out of it, bocauso I needed him, caused him to draw back Instantly. "I bog your pardon, said ho. "I forgot for tho moment that I was talking to a man young enough still to haVo' youth's delusions nbout womon. You'll learn that thoy'ro human, hu-man, that it's from them wo men inherit in-herit our weaknesses. However, lot's nssumo that sho won't tnko it. Why won't Bho tnko your monoy? What Ib tlioro nbout It that repels Kllorsly's daughter, brought up In tho sowers of fnshionablo Now York tho sowors, sir!" "Sho does not lovo mo," I answored. "I havo hurt you," he said quickly, In great distress nt having compelled mo to expose my secret wound. "Tho wound does not ncho tho worso," said I, "for my Bhowlng It to you." Ar.J thnt was tho truth. I looked ovor toward Dawn Hill whoso towers could Jimt bo seen. "Wo llvo thoro." I pointed. "Sho is llko a guest In my houso." Whon I glanced nt him again, his faco betrayed a feeling ot Which I doubt If any ono hnd thought him capable ca-pable In many n year. "I boo that you love her," ho said, gently as a mother "Yes," 1 ropllcd. And presently 1 wont on: "Tho Iden of any ono lovo being dependent on mo In n sordid way Is most dlstastoful to mo. And slnco she does not love mo, docs not oven llko mo, It Is doubly necessary neces-sary thnt she bo Independent." "I confess I do not qulto follow you," said ho. '"How can sho nccopt anything from mo? If she should finally bo compelled com-pelled by necessity to do It, what hopo could I hnvo of her ovor feollng toward to-ward mo as a wlfo Bhould feol toward to-ward her husband?" At this explanation of mlno his oyos sparkled with anger and I could not but suspect thnt ho had at ono tlmo In his llfo been fuced with n problem Ilka mlno, and hnd Bottled It tho other oth-er way. My suspicion wus not weakened weak-ened when ho wont on to sny: "lloylsh motives again! Thoy show you d.i not know womon. Don't bo deceived by their delicate oxtorlor, by tholr protonBos of supor-roflnomont. Thoy nfTect to bo what passion deludes de-ludes us Into thinking thorn. Hut thoy'ro clay, sir, Jtmt clay, and far less HoiiBltlyu than wo mon. Don't you soo, young man, thnt by mnklhg hor Independent you'ro throwing nwny your best chanco of winning hor? Women aro llko dogs llko dogs, ulrl Thoy lick tho hand that feeds 'em llok it, nnd llko It." rro hk continued.) |