The Holly chieftain., 1904-07-29


you may have a substantial interest in
the firm, | will advance you a hun
dred thousand dollars on your future
profits from the Sailor Mine. and in
( vest with the firm four hundred thou
sand of my own money. What do you
think of my propositions"
Nothing would suit me better, but
I'm afraid I'm not qualified for such
a position said Blake. delighted be-
yond measure. Once more the path
to wealth opened out before him.
Il know your qualifications" said
John. you will become the most
popular and capable broker in San
Francisco
Announcement of the establishment
of the new firm was made the follow
ing week. Mr. Hawkins refused to
confirm or deny the popular rumor
that he was the banker of the con-
Germ, and no one suspected that John
Burt had any financial interest
in it.
Blake & Company first attracted
| speculative attention by its mastery
handling of the corner in the stock of
Don Pedro Smelling and Mining Com
pany. The profits of the firm were
estimated at million and half.
| John Hawkins was publicly named as
the manipulation and principal winner.
but James Blake was hailed as the
| daring operator whose brilliant gem
eralship had crowned the success of
the deal In the speculative firma-
ment he suddenly blazed forth as a
star of the first magnitude.
James Blake suddenly developed
traits which bewildered his friends
and surprised himself Under the
| guidance of John Burt he master ed
the details of the business, displaying
ability in dealing with the intricac,es
which formed the daily routine. In
capable of acting for himself, he could
follow a chartered course with the
precision of pilot.
Nature had denied to James Blake
that spark Of genius which inspires
the leader, but he possessed in high
degree those traits which leadership
] attracts and invests with power. He
grasped Burt's plans of campaign with
ecuted them with the dash and skill
of Murat. In the two years which
followed, wealth poured into the eof-
fers of James Blake & Company.
Blake's name figured in great finan-
cial transactions, and his opinion was
eagerly sought in matters of CONNER
cial moment Handsome as Apollo,
and the reputed possessor of large
fortune, he became a society lion, a
matrimonial archers.
Blake accepted his honors with Gig
nifty and modesty. He was willing
and proud to shine in the reflected
light of John Burt. He would have
endured unmerited disgrace as Sc
renely as he wore unwon honors.
From the moment when Peter Burt
stood with uplifted arms in the light
nings glare and gave him a blessing,
John Burt had no doubt of his finan-
cial future. With his eyes fixed un-
waveringly on an immediate purpose,
he had boldly commanded fortune to
do his bidding.
A profile portrait of Jessie Garden
| rested on an easel which stood near
the desk in his library. 1t was the
work of an artist of local fame, drawn
from tintype photographic sole
memento of the women he loved. The
pink paper frame, with a design in
hearts and roses, which surrounded
the photograph, was frayed and torn
but Jessies sweet face was revealed
on the glossy surface of the metal
I the face which had looked into his one
summer day when they rode to Hing
ham, and Jessie proposed they should
have their tintypes taken"
Jessie was in her sixteenth year
when the picture was taken, but the
long riding-habit and the queenly pose
of her head against the plain back
ground added dignity to the nascent
charms of face and figure. John
would sit for hours during the long
evenings and gaze at this portrait 1t
was the one visible connecting link
between the past and the present the
ocular inspiration for his future.
Again and again he attempted to pic
ture the Jessie Garden of the pres
ent With his eyes fixed on the por-
trait, and his mind centered on its
original, he struggled to span the void
of miles and years which parted them,
and to hold communion with her. AT
times he imagined the message was
received and that a loving answer
came, bidding him to have faith and
to persevere. Surely such correspon-
dence was not in violation of his
promise to Peter Burt. Then he
| would turn tn his hooks and with a