0
S JfCan
WITH SOME INCIDENTAL
RELATION TO THE WOMAN
By Cyrus
Townsend
Brady
Illustrations bg
Dearborn Melvill
fttDvrUM. WW. by M"flt. Tra Co.
CHAPTER V.
Mr. Haldane Is Greatly Surprised.
Mr. Haldane waa In something of
quandary. For certain reasons and for
some time h had been contemplating
an Interview with Oorinly. Not only
did he greatly desire the Interview
"1 Want to Do Something for You,
Miss Haldane,"
which was Indeed necessary, almost
vital In fact, to the furtherance of cer
tain matters in which he was deeply
concerned, but he did not desire that
hi Interest, personal Interest, that is,
in the affair should appear. In other
words he wanted to talk seriously
about something of great importance
(to him without disclosing that the
'matter was of more than passing mo
ment. The opposition had greatly under
rated the character and ability of
Gormly. The Gotham Freight Trac
tion company, for instance, had podn
poohed him at first, and even now,
though the public press was filled
with accounts of him and his doings,
they still greatly underestimated his
qualities. Haldane himself had Joined
in this depreciation until be bad met
Gormly. He had as yet enjoyed no
opportunity of conversation with him,
save in a general way, as has been
seen; but he was accustomed to deal
'with men, and he saw Instantly that
he was face to face with a personal
ity at once able, courageous, deter
mined, and strong.
Behold the two men seated on either
lde of the bright fire In the library,
,Haldane smoking one of Gormly's ex
cellent Havanaa; glasses, bottles, and
Ice on a little table at hand. He had
disapproved of Mrs. Haldane's man
ner, not because be thought It unsuit
d to the occasion, but on account of
ithe peculiar qualities and characteris
tic of Gormly and the relationship In
which he stood to certain matters of
importance. He had been inclined on
the first entrance to follow his wife's
patronising, arrogant assumption of
superiority; but now be strove to in
fuse all the geniality and cordiality
possible into his voice and manner.
- On the other hand, Gormly natural
ly had a deep Interest In Haldane. As
the father of the woman he loved, he
would necessarily be a great factor
in the battle he meant to wage for ber
band. His consent and influence,
while not absolutely essential, would
naturally be of great value. If ha
could by any means win the support
and countenance of the great financier,
his dream would be by that much the
more easy of realization. He had an
Idea, however, that this would be im
possible. That did not daunt him 01
render him the less alert To win
Haldane's consent possibly might be
no more practicable than to win Miss
Haldane's consent. Yet Gormly wai
accustomed to attempt the Impossible,
and nine times out of ten to achieve
it That Haldane bad any relation
ship, or could have any relationship,
to him other than that of a prospect
ive father-in-law never- entered his
head. That was sufficient to rendei
the interview memorable to Mm,
The conversation began with a re
mark from the older man about the
'weather. I have long wondered why
the weather is the staple inaugural
topic.
"I have rarely experienced so severs
la snowstorm," said Haldane blandly,
'"I have been coming down to Long
Island in winter off and on ever slaca
I was a boy, and this surpasses any
'thing within my knowledge."
"It is bad enough for New York," ro
isponded Gormly, "Here when thi
(temperature gets down to the zero
i mark and the wind blows thirty 01
'forty miles an hour, and it snows hard
I all day, we call it a billiard. Most
people welcome this sort of snow
i storm because of the mild excitement
' iof the situation, and the street eleam
ling department rejoices at the oppov
jtunltles of graft presented."
! At that last remark, though Haldant
tk4 n estaiiJik connection wilh tti
ureC department, or any other de
partment of the municipal admiutstr
tfon in (act, the man slightly lifted his
bead and glanced for a moment witfc
deeper Interest at bis companion.
"I Ju It from your allusion thai
you have experienced
than this."
"I have been In real blizzards, Mr, I
Haldane," answered Gormly quietly;
ninVA wn. i--1
velr-lt noarrelT to be measured,
" ' !
where the temperature waa from
twenty to thirty below, where the sleet
needles cut like whips, and the storm
had full sweep unchecked and un
broken by any thing. However, I am
glad of the storm in this Instance,
since It has enabled me to extend ta
you and your party the shelter of my
roof. I have been acquainted I hav
had the privilege of knowing, that U
your daughter for some time, and 1
am honored in the acquaintance of hei
father and mother and your friends."
"You say you have known my daugh
ter for some timer
"I have had that pleasure."
"If I mistake not she said that yos
had been Interested in her settlement
I work. Quixotic imaginations of an
'enthusiastic girl, my dear sir; but 1
, humor her."
"You do well," returned the other
' "And if yon will give me leave to dlft
for with you, I hardly call it Qnrxotlo,
I have examined into the plan tho
oughly, and I must say It strikes me as
being altogether admirable as well aa
'entirely feasible. I hope and believe
'It will succeed."
"Quite so," returned Haldane. Ha
was not in the least interested in the
.matter. He realized, however, that II
j would be wise to pretend interest that
he did not feel, after such an expres
sion on the part of his host. "Your
Judgment as to the feasibility of tha
plan, therefore, I consider most valu
able, and I am glad It has your appro
bation. I presume that you have "
"I have assisted Miss Haldane in
every way possible," returned Gormly,
who did not propose to be questioned
ao to the details of his relation to the
scheme. "Of course," he went on,
"your own reputation as a financier is
known to me as it is to all of New
York, and if I may be permitted to say
so I am of the opinion that a large
part of your executive ability, not to
say genius, has descended to your
daughter."
"Thank you," was the answer. "El
eanor is certainly a most capable
young woman."
"And it must be a source of grati
fication to you that she chooses to ex
ercise her capability in this direction
rather than in the vain and aimless
social avocations of a large and in
fluential section of our so called best
people In the city?"
"Certainly, very true. But frankly,
I could wish that there was a mere
equable division of time between the
er high and the low, so to Bpeak;
that Eleanor could give more of her
attention to those duties, which after
all, my dear Mr. Gormly, however we
men of the world may deprecate them,
go to make up so large a part of life,
and leave more of the detail work of
this institution to others."
"I know little about the social obli
gations of the world to which you re
fer. It has not been my privilege to
have an entrance therein."
"Merely a matter of choice on your
part, I am sure," murmured Haldane
deprecatlngly.
"Possibly," was the cool reply. "I
have not hitherto been greatly inter
ested in effecting an entrance with
in the charmed circle, nor am I es
pecially now, saving your presence of
course and meaning not the slightest
offense in the world."
"None whatever Is taken, and I
pray you to proceed. You interest
me exceedingly."
"fn my business, Mr. Haldane, and
I have no doubt that the experience
is your own, I have found that what
I supervise myself is well done, and
what I delegate to others is frequently
ill done, and sometimes not done at
all."
"The remark is as old as Ben Frank
lin," laughed Haldane, "and the prin
ciple is older still." But surely," he
went on, "in a great business such
as yours is, you can't attend personal
ly to every detail yourself."
"By no means," returned the other.
"I have succeeded in surrounding my
self with a very capable corps of sub
ordinatesperhaps I had better call
them assistants who have been tried
and tested, and upon whom I have de
volved responsibilities commensurate
with their capacities, and from whom
I expect results. But I supervise ev
ery department of the business myself.
I am in possession of frequent reports
concerning it even In Its details. I
make regular and rigid inspections.
In short, so far as one man can do
so, I have it all In my own hands,
certainly in my own mind."
"My own practise, Mr. Gormly, with
my affairs, which are somewhat large
and extensive, is similar to yours."
"I taj(e It, sir," was the answer,
"that we are in lino with all successful
men in that."
It irked Haldane a little to be so
ca'mly Included in the same category
with Gormly; for he had never been
in trade and had acquired much of the
old world prejudice against the keen
ing of a store. However, it was not
worth quarreling about Not that
Haldnne had the slightest objections
to auarrellns; with Gormly; on tho
eontrary, he would have enjoyed It
ImmenHely, and Indeed intended In
one way or another to do that very
thing before he got through with him;
but It would be bad policy to do It
without more preparation for victory,
and it would be In execrable taste to
precipitate antagonism in the enjoy
ment of his hospitality. Therefore he
swallowed his dislike and proceeded
as follows:
"Even the best of subordinates
mKe myiases once in a wnite.
"They are do iiiore immune from
that," was the swift rejoinder, "than
the ablest of employers."
Haldane laughed. It was exceed
ingly well done. For the moment it
i tvun ilvil hi Arute rnmminlon.
worse stormj!""" , "
j He spoke with an air of the utmost
frankness.
'i have no personal concern, of
course, in me niauer. uui i
have
been greatly interested In the remark
auie series ui urucies iuui uao i
peared under your name. I suppose
you were betrayed Into this unfortu
nate position through some error on
the part of one of your subordinates."
"No," said Gormly, "that was a mis
take of my own, one of those employ
er's errors to which we alluded a mo
ment' since."
"It Is like to cost you dear. I fancy,
before you get through. The Gor
hain Freight Traction company, which
. i . v. .. V. ..
Gormly Deliberately Laid All
Cards on the Table.
His
I hear Is an immensely strong
financial organization and Is nat
urally relentless and inexorable In
matters of business, is apt to exact
compliance with its demands, or
leave your warehouses, as it were, in
the air."
"I have never credited them with
any other Intent."
"Then 1 suppose In the end you will
take your medicine, as the young men
say, and content yourself with your
ah proclamations?" ,
"My experience has been that pub
licity, If coupled with surrender, Is
never very efficacious. If I should
accede to the demands of the Gotham
Freight Traction company, the fact
that I had exposed them would be of
little moment."
"Oh, then, you propose to do your
ii freighting by wagou and give up
the battle?" asked Haldane, his eager
ness a little more apparent than be
imagined possible.
"I have not said so," he answered.
"What do you propose?"
It was a blunt, direct question, and
one unwarranted by the situation.
"Well" began the merchant
slowly.
"I ask simply as a citizen Interested
in the welfare of the community.
Some of the backers of the Gotham
Freight Traction company are friends
of mine, and from tonight I shall hope
to count you also among that num
ber," explained the financier grace
fully; "Thank you," returned Gormly. "I
have learned that it Is not wise to
say what you are going to do until
you are ready to do It; that It Is
much better, in fact, to substitute
doing for saying."
"An excellent maxim!" returned the
other with well simulated Indifference.
"All of your fellow citizens, however,
will be deeply interested in the out
come of the affair. I am an older man
than, you are, Mr. Gormly, and may
therefore take the liberty, not of ad
vising you as to the conduct of your
business, but of saying In a friendly
way one or two things that occur to
me. The first is that as a business
man I know that this publicity is more
or less distasteful to you. I assumo
that it will be to the Gotham Freight
Traction company, which, I believe, Is
a very worthy concern, desirous of
minding Its own business and exploit
ing Its own properties. I think my
self, viewing the situation impartial
ly, that you have been hardly dealt
with. I don't want to see the affair
advance any farther, for the credit
of the community. Suppose we
say five hundred thousand dollars
for the connections and nothing more
to appear about it in the public
press?"
"Is this" burst out Gormly
quickly. "Is this a compromise you
are offering?"
"I am offering nothing," returned
Haldane lightly, almost Indifferently.
"I am not In position to offer anything.
As I stated to you, I am simply a citi
zen who wants to see this unpleasant
matter removed from the papers,
where such things are discussed by
Intemperate writers without any real
comprehension of the Issues Involved
and I offer aa the friend of my friends,
and, If I may so call myself, as your
friend, to bring you two together."
"You are not empowered to make
such a proposition?"
"Certainly not," was the specious
answer. "I slmnjy take advantage of
the fortunate chance that gives me tne
privilege of your acquaintance to do
what I conceive to be a most Impor
tant public service."
"And you have no personal interest
in the matter?"
"I have already assured you as to
that."
"I will not accept any such offer,
if it should be made me by authority.
I will not pay a single cent over and
above the actual cost of building the
witches and a proper and reasonable
amount ror tne privilege oi tne cou-
nection." j
"Of course, you must make your
own decision. In that case, however,
I fear you will never get the switches."
"I am quite sure that before I get
through 1 shall have not only the
switches, but "
Gormly paused, and looked bis com
panion hard and directly In the face.
"But what?" said Haldane. flicking
the" ashes from his cigar daintily, and
speculatively watching the blue curl
of smoke that rose languidly from its
end in the air.
Gormly thought quickly. He was
not now deceived by the well assumed
Indifference of Haldane. He was con
vinced that there was something back
of it; that the relation of Haldane to
the whole affair was more than a
mere casual one; that Haldane had
not told him the plain, unvarnished
truth.
"Well, Mr. Haldane, I will be frank
with you. I not only intend to have
my track connection, but I Intend to
have the Gotham Freight Traction
compnny as well."
"My dear sir!" said Haldane gently,
not turning a hair before this astound
ing declaration. "Are you aware that
the bonds of the Gotham Freight Trac
tion company are two hundred and
fifty million dollars; that stock for
twice as much more has been issued
and sold and is already at a premium;
that It Is In the enjoyment of a ninety-
nine-year franchise with the privilege
of renewal; that its promoters in
elude some of the ablest financiers In
the city?"
"Much of what you say is a matter
of public notoriety. You have given
me, however, some information that
I did not possess and which is of val
ue," said Gormly quietly.
llaldano did not acknowledge the
touch, though he winced Inwardly at
It.
"And yet you speak," he went on,
"of controlling the company?"
"I do."
"This is most interesting. I am cu
rious to know how you propose to do
it?
"The business that you have built up
is evidence of your capacity in that
line; but you have, I take It, never
mingled in Wall street, never dealt
on the exchange?"
"Never. I didn't mean to, either."
"How then do you expect to obtain
control of such a corporation as this,
especially when it has back of It the
city government as well as the Sach
em society?"
Tht question was one Gormly could
have declined to answer without a
moment's hesitation without giving
any offense, for it was one that Hal
dane had no right to ask. He thought
deeply, if swiftly, and before he spoke,
Haldane continued:
"You are, I take It, a wealthy man;
but no single man could command the
resources of this corporation; that is,
no single man outside of those few who
are in it," he went on, "and it would
be sheer madness for you to attempt
it"
"Mr. Haldane," said Gormly, coming
to another conclusion, "there Is a pow
er in this country greater than the
money power."
"And what may that be, sir?"
"The power of the people."
"In this Instance, the people are al
ready on the side of the Gotham
Freight Traction company,"
"Are they bo?"
"Certainly. Through their represen
tatives they have voted them a fran
chise under which the line has been
constructed and by which it is oper
ated, through the provisions of which
it will be held."
"Have the people surrendered their
rights absolutely to the Gotham
Freight Traction company?"
"I should say that they had."
"Are they delivered, bound hand
and foot, to this corporation?"
"Well, you put it rather poetically;
but in substance your remark is true.".
"And have they no redress or re
course?"
"Certainly."
"And what is that?"
"I haven't the slightest objection to
telling you. They can revoke the
franchise at the expiration of the
ninety-nine-year term."
"Is that all they can do?"
"Absolutely all. You see, therefore,
it would be quite hopeless for you to
attempt to fight this corporation, even
with the alliance and support of the
people, which it is by no means cer
tain you could gain."
"And that is your unprejudiced opin
ion?" i "It is. Therefore I urge upon you
the acceptance of my offer to mediate
between you and them."
! "And you say your luterest is purely
impersonal?"
"Entirely."
, "I am glad, as I said before, to
'know that," returned Gormly, 'be
cause I should not like to find myself
in opposition to one who has mani
fested such friendliness to me as you
have."
Haldane looked up suspiciously;
but Gormly's appearance waa abso
lutely guileless.
"For notwithstanding what you tell
me," the merchant continued, "all of
which Is doubtless true, I propose to
enter the contest with the Gotham
Freight Traction company. I have
never allowed myself to be robbed; I
have never been beaten by trickery
and chicanery; and I don't propose to
be robbed or beaten now."
"Ruin, absolute ruin, is before you,"
said the other earnestly, "if you en
gage la this contest
"Hut sir, they are trying to hold me
up to use a blunt phrase for a mil
lion dollars for a thing that should
pot be worth a tenth of that amount
on a liberal basis. Morally "
"Morals, my dear Mr. Gormly, some
bow seem to have little to do with
I
business.
You must do what they
like, or "
lie shrugged hla shoulders.
"We shall see." said Gormly. "I be
lieve, though 1 am not a student of
military history, that an able general
s one who takes advantage of the
mistakes of the enemy, and that more
battles are won by such sharp sighted
endeavor than by deliberate plan
ning '
"Precisely! This is a case In point
The Gotham Freight Traction com
pany Is taking advantage of your mis
take." "But I have also heard," continued
Gormly imperturably, "that the ablest
general Is be who not only takes ad
vantage of his enemy's mistakes but
who turns his 6wn mistakes to good
account. I propose to antagonize the
party in power and the Sachem which
granted this franchise and delivered
the city into the hands of this corpor
ation and to drive them out"
"Many men have tried that; none
in my recollection have succeeded."
"The more houor in succeeding now,
and the more inspiration to try."
"But suppose you did succeed, what
then? How would that affect the
Gotham Freight Traction company?"
"Meanwhile." said Gormly, and in
this instance he deliberately laid all
his cards on the table. "I propose to
take advantage of the one blunder of
the Gotham Freight Traction com
pany." "And what is that?" asked Hal
dane with Intense eagerness. There
was no longer the faintest pretense
between these two. Ills cards were
on the table as well, although he had
not admitted It
"In order to make the franchise of
the Gotham Freight Traction company
really of value, to complete the ays
tem, without which it begins and ends
in the air, they must have the old
New York Street Cur company fran
chise which expires next spring. It
covers the only available routes and
the only available streets to connect
the two ends of the Gotham enter
prise. Somehow or other the astute
minds . controlling the . corporation
(ailed to secure the renewal of this
franchise. It has to ne Toted upon
and passed in the spring."
"The present administration," was
the quick reply, "will be In power un
til the April elections. The franchise
expires in March. No re grant of it
could be made until then. It will be
renewed before a new administration
could supplant the old, even if your
wild dreams were successful.'"
"That 1b to be seen," answered
Gormly coolly.
"My dear sir, It is self evident
"By no means. Public opinion shall
be aroused on the question of the re
newal of the franchise of the New
York Street Car company, with a clear
explanation of tie principles and con
sequences involved, to such an extent
that I do not believe any administra
tion on earth will dare to counter it"
"And who will do this arousing?'
"I will."
"How?"
"By offering myself as a candidate
for mayor of New York and by fight
ing the battle on that lsauo, and that
alone."
"I might," said Haldnne slowly, aft
er a deeply thoughtful moment "I
might secure the privileges you desire
conditioned"
"I don't desire them now, Mr. Hal
dane," returned Gormly. "I am In the
battle to stay. I ask nothing from the
Gotham Freight Traction company; it
can confer no favors upon me. I shall
take what I am entitled to by the
grace of God and the will of the peo
ple." Haldane stared a long time at the
dark, determined face of his host.
"You will make a splendid enemy,
Mr. Gormly," he said at last "The
battle between you and the Traction
company will be one worth going a
long distance to see."
Haldane looked fixedly at the young
er man. He acknowledged that in
him the Gotham Freight Traction
Ho Handed Her the Paper.
company and he himself bad found the
worthiest antagonist that the abund
ant and brilliant talent of the great
metropolis could produce.
. At that Instant the tall clock in the
hall struck the hour of 12.
. "I have the honor," wild Gormly,
bowing formally, "to wish you a very
Merry Christmas, Mr. Haldane."
To be continued
Miss Lucllo Gbhs arrived from
Godfrey (Montlcello Seminary) Illi
nois, Saturday evening, having been
called home from school on account
of the dangerous Illness of her father,
Mr. A. E. Case.
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ConnrcNsinun Magulre.
Congressman Magulre, who, in de
feating Will 'Hay ward, probably
sprung the greatest surprise of any
in the campaign, Issued the following
statement today:
"To the People of the First Con
gressional District of Nebraska: I
take this opportunity of expressing
my sincere thanks for the splendid,
support given me on last Tuesday by
men of all parties throughout this)
district, and especially to the people
of my home city of Lincoln. You
have re-elected mo to represent this
district In congress and this new ex
pression of your confidence places me ,
under Increased obligations.
"As It will be Impossible for me to
meet Individually those who sup
ported me bo faithfully in the cam
paign Just closed, I take this method,
of assuring them that I appreciate
their loyalty.
"Now that the people of my dis
trict have chosen me again to bear
the responsibilities that rest upon a.
public servant, I pledge them, that I
shall ever strive to reflect the will et
my constituents as I am able to In-
terpret their wishes. It shall be my
constant purpose to fulfil ever
pledge I have made to the people and.
to discharge my official duties ac
cording to the highest standards of
public life
John Magulre.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 11, 1910.
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held at the Horning school house oa
December 3rd, at two o'clock In the
afternoon, for the purpose of elect
ing trustees for said cemetery. Also
to transact such other business aa
may come before tho meeting.
Geo. W. Snyder.
Will T. Adams.
Charles Reihart, of Louisville, was.
In the city today to listen to the
arguments In the Keezer-Sltzman
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