The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-07-20

the punishment which he was determined
to inhict upon his employer. Grafton was
rich and powerful He was the founder
of Ironton. and the owner OF its mills lie
Was' the head of "A proud family and a
man of influence, The tan tower, then
nearing completion. was intended to glori-
fy and perpetuate the fame of the great
manufacturer.
MY father gave him his start in the
world said Holt. speaking aloud I'm his
excitement. land now he proposes to wreck
my home and starve my family. If ! only
had him on the tor o. his fine tower for
five minutesi"
Just then hurry figure in heavy cloak
came punging across the square through
the snow TO the door Of the tower.
Hello. Holt" was Grafton's greeting,
'why in the devils name have you knock
ed off work so early"
Holt explained that the men had refused
10 work in the snow storm on the summit
Of the tower. u was dangerous job,
and they dared not risk their lives.
Grafton listened with frOwning face.
He was u man of about fifty. with hard
features and cold, gray eyes. lie heard the
foreman's statement with a look of min
gled anger ana contempt
Follow me to the top" he said shortly.
81 want to see how the town looks"
Holt protested. lie suggested that it was
showing and would soon he dark. Besides.
il was very cold and windy.
Come on" was Grafton's only reply.
as he climbed up the winding stairway.
The foreman followed and after a long
and toilsome journey they reached the
end of the stairs. From this point a tenn
porary ladder afforded access to the top,
which was encircled by iron railing.
The two men made their way up the
ladder and looked Gown upon the snow
clad mills and houses of Ironton.
I'm Hollis ear. Don't you think [ ought
to be happy"
Happy as any man who IS on his way TO
hell,' almost shrieked the other, he
darted down the ladder and closed and
locked the trap door.
Grafton screamed and yelled. but there
was no answer.
After listening a moment. Holt descend
ed the stairway, carrying the ladder with
him. At the base of the tower he paused
until he was satisfied that he was unob-
served Then he hid the ladder in a pile
of lumber at no great distance. and then
fastened his eyes upon the summit of the
tower.
Far up, almost among the stars. the
watcher could see in the twilight the
dimly outlined figure of a man catching
at the iron railing on the top Of the
tower.
Hank! was that a cry up there In the
tiOuOS ne gaze Drew so turiOuSlN tnat
it was hard to hear anything above its
roar
Nor could the prisoner on the tower
signal for help. The snow was falling
thicker and faster. and In less than five
minutes after the foreman had left the
tower il was impossible to see it's sum
nit
Holt turned away with shudder and
took walk around the square. Not a
human being was to be seen. and the sus-
picious watcher felt more at ease.
lie was almost tempted TO look in upon
the men at the tavern. but he was afraid
to trust himself.
81 will so home" he said 20 himself
cit viii not shelter Us much longer. but
old Grafton will not Dust us tomorrow"
And with a grim smile he podded through
the snow to the cottage. where his in
valid wife awaited him.
The next morning the people ,pf Ironton
were astonisned to see what iIas appa-
rently statue of snow surmountng the
tower.
Later i'm the day the DISAPPEARANCE OF
Grafton attracted attention. 'Sie missing
ladder excited suspicion. and when at last
the top of the tower was reached by the
workmen the detectives were rne. much sur
prised to find that the snow 'istatue was
the frozen corpse of the millionaire.
Nobody suspected stephen Hos and his
part in the affair was never Known until
he told the story with a smile .-his death
bed WALLACE : REED.