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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1915)
THE SEMI.WEEKLV TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA. i She llU5IMriffllS SYNOPSIS. 10 Kenneth (irisivuld, nn iitiHiirr.CHridil frrlfor Iwauac of HOclaltfltla tendencies, 10W3 ui Andrew Oalbrulth, pn-wlilnnt of in ISuyou Stalo Securities, In the iirnal flunfa private offlcu and escape with $100, PW In cash He Rons uboanl (lit; Hollo Bull ns a deckhand. Charlottn Karnhatn PC WUhaaka, Minn., who had huuii him paaii CIidbralth'B check la tha Inmk, rco puntzps him, and nonds a letter of be IrnyaL to Galbralth anonymously. Grla tvoUl hi arrested ut St. LoiiIh, hut er.cut from hla captors. He decides on Wa :iaakx. lllnn. , as a hiding- place, nnd Inlaw thQ train. Ho falls III on thu Hlcepcr iniX fa car l for and takun la her homo In lVdMjila by Margery Orlcnton, datiKhlnr if Jasper urierBon, the flnnnclHl iiiiinnatu f Wa&ankn. Marjcery finds Ui ntoh;n uone In Qrtswold's nullcaiu! Itroflln, Inrcetl, takes the trail. Marnery asks lec ffUlurr to get Hdwnrd lUyrnor Into InancItU hot water ami Uien luilp him out it If., Grlswold recovers to And the. ittolen ltiurey eono. Ho forma a RlunrlHlilp with naytrmr. the Iron manufacturer Hrofdn onictl ta Wahaska In search or thu worn in who wrote the unotiynioux letter to lalbcaUh. MsrKRry takes Orlawold to Im, aafaty deposit vault and lurrm tho itoim money over to htm. Charlotlo hluffM ml FJroiita and Margery bcBfn.i to watch Jlm Qrlaarold puts his money In Hay ;neflc?a plant and commences Id rmvrltn his soak. Ortswold Is not sure that Ihwlotto laa. not recognized him. IDt uho.-i Mar Eeitf ami Charlotte us modeln for the :hantttcxa In his book and reiidH the iianuscrlDt to them. Broffln hjiIjb on MttrReiar, who throws hltn off the K0-nt (regarding (Jrtawold. CHAPTER XX Continued. "And that wan when you began to Buapect?" quelled Raymor. "That wao when tho suspicion bo Bare to torturo mo. I fought It; oh, yau don't know how hard I fought It! rhcra ho wao, lying sick and helpless; UtorIy unable to do a thing or say a word, fu his own defense; and yot. If m woro tho robbor, of courHo, wo fhouU, have to glvo him up. It was enfliks!" "f should say bo," was Rnymer'a feumpatliutlc comment. "How did you Eel It straightened out, at last?" "It hasn't been altogether straight ened, out until Just lately within tho toast Qjw dayB," sho wont on gravely. rAItor ho bogan to got well, I mudo film, toll: to mo about hlmscir, you Jina. There didn't seem to ho any- Ehlng to conceal. At different times a told mo all about his home, mid his knotBer, whom ho barely romombors, knd tho big-hearted, opon-handed fa pilec who made money bo easily In his tarofcsalon ho was tho Griawold, the pceat architect, you know that ho tea-vor It to anybody who wanted It kutlsupposo he has told you ail this?" "Na; at least, not very much of It" Mhra Grlerson went on smoothly, fallhin sympathetically Into tho roml hla cent, vein. "Kenneth went to college without vec having known what it is to lack ythfOR in reason that monoy could uy A little while after hu was grndu tecf Ills fatiior died." Leaving Kenneth poor, I Hiipposo; a has Intimated as much to me, onco twlta' said Raymor. "Leaving him awfully poor, Ho Wanted, to learn to write, and for a long tlma ho stayed on In New York. IMria lost any aid way, und. having a dreadfully hard time of It, 1 Imagine, Iftrmah he would never any much' tfwmt that part of it. That Is why ho tihx&A be is a socialist. At lust I felt Jiat. I lust muBt know, at. whatever :oatv Qbo day when wo wore, driving, 1 oroRsht him hero and and Intro IkcedLhim to Mr. Galbrallh. t was so icarod tint I could tasto it hut I did it!" rTsymer laughed. "Of courso noth fnacfttna of It?" 'Wlhing at all. And then, right out tf a clear sky, came anothor proof that kvoa,aven moro convincing. Do you tnppea to kuow who tho young woman tvaa. who discovered tho bank robbor ba, the.,8teamboat?" ' "IV Hiow should I knowt" "I dida't know but alio had told you," was,-tlio dotnure rejoinder. "It was Ch'arlotta Farnham." "WEatt" .ejaculated Itaymer. Ilut o wan not moro deeply moved than ta& tho man behind tho window cur- ina. If nroilln'a dead cigar had not sen. already reduced to shaunluHs In- Utlllfy, Miss Grlereon's cool aunounco- fmt, carrying with It tho assuranco iha.t his secret woa no sucrot, would have, settled it, "It's," bo," sho was adding, calmly, "I found out How do 1 know? uocauao kec father bought tho draft at iKippa's 'pknlt, and In tin courati of tlnio It fcamcr back with tho Bayou. Hlato 8o- fcurlty's dated paying stamp on it. Hoe how easy It wan!" Haymor'a laugh wns not altogether kikthfuL 1 "You nro a witch," ha nld. "Is lheret anything you don't lcnowT" I 'Nbt very mauy things that I roally taeed. to know," was tho mildly boast lul rotovt "But you sco, now, how foolish my BUBplctons were. Jfaymer nodded. Though lio would tot hasvo admitted It under torturo, the atlre matter figured somowhat as a knountafn constructed out of a rattler mall malshlll to a man for whom tho hubMettes lay In a region unexplored. He woadsred that tho clear-minded little "socml climber," as lilu olator (wiled hsr, had oror botherod her labia, brntn about such an abstruse knd. far-fetched question or Identities. "You. said, a row mlnutoa ago, that L ma . i . tm UKrAlln& rtii 4 0110 uioaswi a uuumiuiu i uai DDICE LYM)E - CDBnOK5 caryfctfr or cfA?.rj smotrffi sons Isn't quite the word. Ho is a sociolo gist." Miss Grlerson Ignored tho nice dis tinction in names, "Socialism goes with being poor, doesn't it?" sho remarked. "Since Mr. Grlswold's ship has como in, I suppose he finds It easier, and pleaBantcr, to be n theoretical loveler than a practi cal one." "That Is another thing I havo never been quite able to understand," Bald tho iron founder. "You Bay his father left him poor; whoro did ho got his monoy?" "Why, don't you know?" was tho In nocent query. And then, with n pretty affectation of embarrassment, real or perfectly simulated: "If ho hasn't told you, I mustn't" "Of course, I don't want to pry," said Raymer, loyal again. "I can give you a hint, nnd that is all. Don't you remember 'My Lady Jezebel,' tho unsigned novel that made such a hit last summer?" "Why, bless goodness, yeB! Did he write that?" "He has never admitted It In so many words. But I'll divide a littlo secret with you. Ho has boon reading bits of his new book to mo, and pshaw I a blind person could toll! I asked him once If ho could guess how much the author of 'My Lady Jezebel' had been paid, and he said, with tho most per fectly transparent carelessness: 'Oh, about a hundred thousand, I suppose.' " "Tally!" said Raymer, laughing. "Grlswold hnB put an oven ninety thou sand Into my littlo egg basket out at tho plant. But, of course you know that, everybody in Wnhaska knows It by this timo." Miss Grlerson did not reply, and tor a littlo while they were both silent Then Raymor said: "I wonder If McMurtry doesn't think I'vu dropped out on him. 1 guess I'd better go and sec. Don't watt any longer on my motions, unless you want to, Miss Margery." When Raymer had gone, tho oppor tunity" which Broffln had so lately craved was his. Miss Grlerson was left alone on tho big verandn, and ho hnd only to step out and confront her. Instead, ho got up quietly und went back through tho lobby with his head down and his hands in his pockets, and tho surviving bit of the dead cigar disappeared between his strong tcoth and becamo a cud of chagrin. Thoro had been a goal In sight, but Miss Grlerson had beat him to It. And tho winner of the small handi cap? With a deep breath-drawing that wns almost a Bob, Miss Grlorson sprang up, stole n swift confirming glance at tho empty chair behind tho window hangings, and crossed tho veranda to stand with one arm around a support ing pillar. And since the battle was fought and won, and tho friendly pil lar gave its stay and sholtor, tho vel vety eyes tilled suddonly nnd tho ripo red lips woro trembling Ulto tho lips of a frightened child. CHAPTER XXI. All That a Man Hath. For four entire days aftor Margery Grlerson hnd drlvon homo tho nail of tho clomontul voritles in her frank criticism of the now book, and Char lotto Pornhnm had clinched It, Wa haska's public places saw nothing of Grlswold; nnd Mrs. Holcomb, mother ly soul, was driven to oxpoBtulato Bcoldlngly with her second-floor front who was pushing tho pen feverishly from dawn to tho small hours, and ovldcntly In tho kindly widow's phrase burning tho candlo at both ends and In the middle. Out of this cundlo-burnlng fronjiy tho toller emerged in tho afternoon of the fifth day, u littlo pallid nnd tremu lous from tho overstrain, but with a thick packet of fresh manuscript to bulge in his pocket when ho mado hU way, blinking at tho unwonted sv light or out-of-doors, to tho great hoMJo nt tho lako's edgo. Mnrgory was waiting for him when ho rang the bell; ho guessed It grate fully, and sho confirmed It. "Of courso," sho said, with tho be witching littlo grimace which could bo mado to mean bo much or so little. "Isn't this your afternoon? Why shouldu't I bo waiting for you?" Thon. with a swiftly sympathetic glanco for tlio pale face and tho tired eyes "You'vo been overworking again. Let's sit out hero on tho porch whoro wo enn havo what little air thoro Is. There must bo a storm browing; It's posl' tlvely breathless In tho houso." Grlswold was glad ououeIi to ac qulesoo; glad and rcattully happy and mildly intoxicated with hor beauty nnd tho loving rudeness with which Bho pushed him into tho easiest of tho groat lounging chairs and took tho ehenf of manuscript away from him, declaring that sho moant to road it horsclf. When it was over; and ho could uot tell whether tho Intorval should bo measured by mlnutoa or hours; tho ro turn to tho realities tho hot aftor noon, tho treo-shadod veranda, tho lako dimpling llko a shoot of molten metal under tho sun glaro was almost Daln 1 ... tut. "It is wonderful simply wonder full" ho said, drawing a deep breath; and then, with a flush of honest confu sion to drive away tho work pallor: "Of course, you know I don't mean tho story; I meant your rending of It Hasn't anyono ever told you that you havo tho making of a great actross In you, Margery, girl?" "No" Sho was smiling ncross at him, lovel-cyed. "Lot mo pass it back to you, dear boy," sho said. "You havo tho making of a great novelist in you. It may take years nnd years, and and I'm afraid you'll always havo to bo helped, Jjut if you can only get tho right kind of help. . . ." Sho looked away, out across tho lake whoro a fitful breeze was turning tho molten-metal dimples into laughing wavolots. Then, with one of her sudden toplc-wrenchlngs: "Speaking of help, reminds mo. Why didn't you tell mo you hnd gono Into the foundry business with Edwnrd Raymer?" "Because it didn't occur to mo that you would caro to know, I guess," ho answered unsuspectingly. "A3 a mat ter of fact, 1 had almost forgotten it myself." "Mr. Raymer didn't aBk you for help?" "No; it was my own offer." "But ho did tell you that ho was in trouble?" "Y-ycs," hesitantly. "What kind of trouble wn3 It. Ken- noth? I havo tho best right in the world to know." GrlBWold straightened himself In his chair and tho work-weariness becamo a thing of the past. "You can't have a right to know anything that will distress you." "Foolish!" she chlded. "You may as well toll me. Mr. Raymer had bor rowed money nt poppa's bank. What was tho matter? Did ho have to pay It back ail at onco?" There seemed to bo no further open ing for evasion. "Yes; I think that was the way of it," ho answered. Grlswold expected something In tho nature of an outburst. What ho got was a transfixing glanco of the pas sionate sort, quick with open-eyed ad miration. 'And you Just tossed your money in to the breach as If you had millions of it, and by now you'vo almost forgotton that you did it!" she exclaimed. "Ken neth, dear, there are times when you are so heavenly good that I can hardly bellovo it. Aro there any raoro men like .you over on your side of the world?" At anothor time ho might havo smiled at tho boyish frankness of the question. But it was a better motive thon tho analyst's that prompted his answer. 'Plenty of them, Margery, girl; too many for the good of tho race. You mustn't try to mako a hero out of me. Onco In a while I get a gllmpso of the real Kenneth Grlswold you aro giv ing mo one Just now and it's sicken ing. For a moment 1 wns meanly Jealous; JealouB of Raymer. It was only tho writing part of mo, I hopo, but" Ho stopped because she had sudden ly turned her back on him and was looking out over tho lako again. When she spoke, Bho jjald: "Seo! Tho breeze Is freshening out on tho water. You aro fagged and tired nnd needing a bracer. Let's go and do a turn on tho lake In the Clytie." From where he was sitting Grlswold could seo the trim littlo catboat, re splendent In polished brass and ma hogany, riding at Its buoy beyond tho lawn landing-stage. He cared little for the water, but tho Invitation point ed to a delightful prolongation of the basking process which had como to be one of tho chief luxuries of tho Mero side afternoons. At tho landing stage Grlswold mado hiniBelt useful, paying out tho sea lino of tho movable mooring buoy and haul ing on tho shore line until tho hand- "I've Got Html" Ho Cried, sorno littlo craft lay nt their feet Strictly under orders ho mado sail on tho littlo ship, and when tho captain had taken her place at tho tiller he shovod off; nnd when tho helmswoman hnd laid tho courso up tho lako, Grls wold. pipe filled and lighted, pillowed his head In his clasped hands and a great coutontmont, flowing Into all tho intorstlcos and Iovellng all tho Inequal ities, lnppod him In Us soothing flood Ho was still half-dozing whon ho was mado to realize that tho murmuring rush of water uudor tho catboat'o fore foot bad changed Into a aeries of re sounding thumps; that tho wind was rising, and that the summer afternoon sky had become suddenly overcast Tho pretty tiller maiden wns pushing tho helm down with her foot and haul ing in briskly on tho sheet when he sat up. "What's this we're coming to?" he asked, thinking less of tho changed weather conditions than of tho charm ing picture sho maJt) in action. "Weather," she said shortly. "Look behind you." Ho looked and saw a hugo storm coud rising out of tho northwest and spreading llko a great gray dust cur tain from horizon to zenith. "Thoro's a good bunch of wind in that cloud," ho said, springing to help his companion with tho slatting main Bail. "Hadn't wo better llo up under tho Island nnd let It blow over?" "No," she snapped. "We'll havo to reef, and bo quick about it. Help mo!" Ho helped with the reefing, and tho great mainsail had beon successfully reduced to Its smallest area and hoist ed homo again beforo tho trees on tho western shore began to bow and churn In tho precursor blasts of tho coming storm. "It will hit us In less than a min ute; how about weathering that Island?" ho asked. "Wo'vo got to weather It," was tho Instant decision; "wo can't go around." Then, tho catboat still hanging In tho wind's eye: "Help me got hor over." "Hadn't you better let hor fall off a littlo raoro and run for It?" ho sug gested, and he had to shout It Into tho pink ear nearest to him to mako hlm Bolf heard above tho roaring of the wind and tho crashing plunges of tho boat. Sho shook her head and mado an im patient littlo gesture with hor elbow toward tho storm-lashed raceway over tho bows. Grlswold winked tho sprny out of his eyes and looked. At first he saw nothing but tho wild wasto of whilecaps, but at tho next attempt ho made out tho hotel steam launch, half way to tho entrance of tho southern bay and a little to leeward of the Cly tie's course. Tho small steamer was evidently no seaboat, and with more courage than seamanship, Its steers man was driving straight for tho Inn bay without regard for the direction of the wind nnd tho seas. "That's OIo Halverson!" cried the tiller maiden with scorn In her voice. "Ho thinks becauso he happens to have a steam engino ho needn't look to sco which way tho wind is blowing." "She's pitching pretty badly," Grls wold called back. "If ho only had seii8o enough to case off a little. . . ." Suddenly ho becamo aware of the finer heroism of his companion. He knew now why sho hnd refused to tako shelter under the lee of the island, nnd why sho was holding the catboat down to tho edge of peril to keep the windward advantage of tho laboring steamer. "Margery, girl, you're a darling!" ho shouted. "Take all tho chances you want to and I'm with you, if we go to tho bottom!" Sho nodded complete, intelligence and took in another inch of the strain ing main sheet. Grlswold lookod again, this timo over tho catboat's counter, and saw a big schooner, closo reefed, hauling out from a little bay on tho north Bhore. Tho launch's plight had evidently Im pressed others with the necessity of doing something. The need was suf ficiently urgent. Onco again the Swed ish man of machinery In charge of tho craft in peril was Inching his helm up in a vain endeavor to hold tho course, and tho littlo steamer was rolling al most funnel under. Grlswold forgot his companion was a woman and sworo rabidly. "Look at the fool!" ho yelled. "He's trying to como about! If ho gets into tho trough" Tho thing was done almost as bo spoko. A wilder squall than any of the preceding ones caught tho upper works of tho launch and heeled her spitefully. At tho critical instant the steersman lost bis head and spun the wheel, and It was all over. With a heaving plunge and a muffled explosion tho launch wns gono. Once again Grlswold was given to boo tho stuff Margery Grlerson was mado of In tho finer warp and woof of her. "That's for us," sho said calmly; and then: "Help me got anothor Inch or two on this Bhoet, Wo don't want to lot thoso people on tho Osproy do all tho heroic things." Together thoy hold tho catboat down to Its work, sending it ripping through tho crested waves and fighting sturdi ly for every foot of the precious wind ward advantago. None the less, it was tho big schooner, thrashing down tho wind with ovory square yard of its reefed canvas drawing, which was first at tho scono of dlsastor. Through tho rain and spumo thoy could see tho schooner's crow picking up tho ship wrecked passengors, who woro cling ing to Ufcholts, broken bulkheads and anything that would float. So swiftly was the rcscuo effected that tho res cuer had luffed and flllod and was tear lng on its way down tho lako again when tho close-hauled Clytlo enmo up with tho first of tho floating -wreck ago. Tho tiller maldon'a dark eyes were shining again, but this timo their brightness waB of tcaro. "Oh, boy, boyt" sho cried, with a little hoartbrokon catch In her voico; "somo of them must havo gono down with herl Can you bellovo that the Osprey got thorn all?" And thon, with tho sweet lips troinbllng: "I did my best, Konnoth; my very best and it wasn't good enough I" Sho waB putting tho catboat up Into tho wind, and Grlswold stumbled for ward to get tho broader outlook. Sud donly ho called back to her. "Port port your helm hard! Thoro's a man In a lifebelt he'o Just ont of reach. Hold her there steady steady!" Ho had thrown himself flat, face down, on the hnlf-deck forward and was clutching at something In the heaving seas. "I'vo got him!" he cried, and a moment later ho was work ins Ills way aft, holding tho man's faco out of wntcr. It asked for their united strength to got tho gray-haired, heavy-bodied victim of tho capsize over tho Clytlo's rail. They had to bring tho lifebelt too; the old man's fingers were sunk into it with a dying grip that could ndt be broken. At first Grlswold wns too much preoccupied and shocked to rec ognize tho drawn faco with its hard lined mouth and long upper Up. When ho did rccognizo It tho gripping fear was at his heart tho fear that makes a cruol coward of tho hunted thing in nil nature. What might have happened if ho had been alono; if Margery, taking her place at tho tiller and busying herself swiftly In getting the catboat under way again, had not been looking on; ho dared not think. And that other frightful thought ho put away, fighting against It madly as a condemned man might push tho cup of hemlock from his Hps. Forcibly breaking the drowned ono's hold upon tho lifebelt, ho fell to work energetically, resorting to tho first aid expedients for tho reviving of tho drowned an he had learned them in his boyhood. Once, only, ho flung a word over his shoulder at Margery as ho fought for tho old man's life. "Make for the nearest landing where wo can get a doctor!" he commanded; and then, In a passion of gratitude: "O God, I thank thee that I am not a mur derer! ho's coming back! He's breathing again!" A littlo later he was able to leave off tho flrst-ald arm-pumplngs and chest pressings; to straighten tho limp and sprawling limbs, and to divo into tho cuddy cabin, under Margery's direc tions, for blankets and rugs. When nil was done that could be dono. and he hnd propped the blanket-swathed body with tho cushions so that the crash and plungo of tho pitching catboat would bo minimized for the sufferer, he went aft to sit beside tho helms woman, who was getting tho final wave-leap of speed out of tho littlo vessel. "He is alive?" she asked. "Yes; and that Is about all that can be said. He Isn't drowned; but he Is old, and tho shock has gono pretty near to snapping the thread." Of course, you remember him?" she said, looking away across tho leaping waters. Grlswold, with his heart on lire with generous emotions, felt the cold hand gripping him again. "He Is the old gentleman you intro duced me to at tho Inn tho other day: Galbralth; is that the name?" "Yes." sho rejoined, Btill looking away; "that is tho name." Grlswold fell silent for tho time; but a littlo later, whtn the catboat was rushing in long plunges through the entrance to tho Wahaskan arm of tho lake, ho said: "You are going to take him to Merosldo?" "Yes. Ho la a friend of poppa's. And, anyway, It's tho nearest place, and you said thero was no timo to lose." Grlswold. helped tho bearers lift tho blanketed figure out of the Clytlo's cockpit, and while ho was doing it, tho Bteel-gray eyes of the rescued one opened slowly to fix a stony gazo upon tho face of tho man who was bending over him. What tho thin Hps were muttering Griawold heard, and bo did ono other. "So it's you, Ib It, yo mur dering blue-eyed deovll?" And then: "Eh, man, man, but I'm sick!" Grlswold walked with Margery at the tail of tho littlo procession as It wound its way up tho path to tho great house. "You heard what ho said?" ho in quired craftily. "Yes; ho is out of his head, and no wonder," sho Bald soberly. Then: "You must go homo and change at once; you aro drenched to the skin. Don't wait to como in. I'll tako caro of your manuscript." CHAPTER XXII. The Valley of Dry Bones, The cyclonic summer storm had blown Itself out, and tho clouds were beginning to break away In tho west, when Grlswold, obeying Margery's urging to go homo and change his clothes, turned his back upon Mereslde and his face toward a future of thick ening doubts and unnerving possibili ties. Grlswold had not deceived himself, nor had he allowed Margory's apparent convlncemont to docelvo him. Tho old man's mind had not been wander ing In tho oyo-openlng moment of con sciousness regained. On tho contrary, what ho had failed to do under ordi nary and conventional conditions had becomo Instantly possible whon the plungo Into tho dark shadow had brushed away all the artificial becloud Ings of tho memory page. What action he would tako when ho should recover was as easy to prcflguro as it was, for tho present nt least, a matter negligi ble. The dismaying thing was that the broad earth aeemod too narrow to hide in; that invention Itself became tho clumsiest of blunderers whon It was given the simple task of losing a sin gle individual among tho millions of unrelated human atoms, Thus tho threat of the peril which might bo called tho physical. But be yond this thero nns another, and, for a man of temperament, a still more ominous foroshadowlng of ovll to come. Of sorno BUbtle, deop-seatod change In hlmsulf ho had long beon conscious. Again and again It had manifested Itself in thoso momonts of craven fear and ruthless, murderous promptings, when kindliness, grati tude, lovo, all tho humanizing motives, had turned suddenly to frenzied hatred, and the primitive savage hnd lenped up, fiercely raging with tho blood-lust. For a long time after lie hnd reached his room, and had hnd his bath and change, Grlswold sat nt his writing table with his head In his hands, think ing in monotonous circles. Tho tiny chiming clock in his dress ing ciise in the adjoining bedroom had tinkled forth its 10 tapping hammer strokes when ho heard voices in tho lower hall, and then a man's footsteps on the stair. To n hard-pressed breaker of tho traditions at such a moment an unannounced visitor, coming up in tho dark, could mean but ono thing. Grlswold Bllcntly opened a drnwor in tho writing tnblo and groped for tho mato to tho quick-firing pistol which after tho change of wet clothing, hn had put aside to dry. Tho visitor camo heavily upstairs, and Grlswold, swinging hla chair to face tho open door, saw tho shadowy bulking of tho man as he camo through the upper hall.. When tho bulk filled the doorway It was covered by tho pistol held low, and Grlswold's finger waB pressing tho trigger. "Asleep, old man?" said tho Intruder in Rnymer's well-known voice There was a sound like a gasping sob, nnd another no of n drawer clos ing softly. Then Grlswold sold: "No; I'm not asleep. Como In. Shall I light tho gas?" "Not for me," returned the oed timo visitor, entering and groping for the chair at the desk-end, into which, when ho had placed it, ho dropped wearily "I want to smoke," ho went on. "Havo you got a cigar no, not When the Bulk Filled the Doorway It Wao Covered by the Pistol the pipe; I want something that 1 can chew on." A cigar was found, in the flrawer which had so lately furnished tho wea pon, and by tho flare of tho match in Raymer's lingers Grlswold saw a faco haggard with anxiety. "What is tho matter, Edward?" ho asked. "A mix-up with tho labor unions. It's been brewing for some littlo time, but I didn't want to worry you with it Unless wo announce a flat increase ot 20 per cent In wages to-morrow morn ing, and declare for the closed shop, tho men will go out on us at noon. I've seen It coming." If tho god of mlschanco had chosen tho moment It could not have been moro opportune for tho flro-llghting of malevolence. Grlswold's swing-chair righted itself with a click. "We'll see them in hell, first, Ray mer! The ungrateful beggars aro merely proving that It isn't in human naturo to meet Justice and fairness and generous liberality half way. If they want a fight, glvo It to themi Hit first nnd hit hard; that's tho way to do. Shut up the plant and make It a lockout." "I was afraid you might say some thing like that in tho first heat of It." said tho young ironmaster. "It's a stout fighting word, and I guess, under tho skin, you'ro a stout fighting mnn, Kenneth which I'm not. Whero aro your convictions about the man-toman obligations? We've got to tako them Into the account, haven't we?" "Damn the convictions!" snapped Grlswold viciously. "If I'vo been giv ing you the Impression that I'm an lm prntlcablo theorist, forget it. TheBe follows want a fight: I say give them a fight all they want of It and a lit tle moro for good measure." Raymor did not reply at once. ThlB latest Grlswold was puzzling him, and with the puzzlement thero went sor rowful regret; tho regret that has been tho recantor's portion in nil tho ages, Whon ho spoke It was out ot tho heart of common sense nnd san ity. "I know how you fool about It. I don't daro to pull down a fight which may not only shut us up for an In definite time, but might oven go far enough to smash us." Grlswold took his turn of sileuce, rocking gently In tho tilting chair. Whon tho delayed rejoinder came, tha harshness hnd gono out of his voice, but thero was a cynical hardness to tako Its place. "It's your affair; not mine," he said. "If you'vo mado up your mind not to fight, ot course, that settles It Now we enn como down to tho causes. You'vo been stabbed in the back. Do you know who'B doing it?" TO BB CONTINUED.) i