The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-09-15
TIL COLlMBIA HERALD. FRIDAY SEP rENBER -, 1905.

and was To-
You lie! Get ont of this house,
Quick, before I count three"
Mr. Kennard-"
"One,"
'Mr. Kennard, let me show YOU
"Two!"
Kennard swung the door oDan, and
his hands twitched as Culver stag
gered to his feet, skunk by him, and
tottered out into the night.
| Fer the next two hours time and
events ceased to be for John Kennard.
| He sat on the divan in his room star
| ing at familiar objects without recoS-
milton. neither thinking nor dream
ing: conscious but oblivious. When
at last he reused himself, it was to
answer Maddox's ring of the bell.
"Wen. l have had a hunt for you
and no mistake" began Dave, Been
| all over this darned town after you
to the Thespians, to the Unity-eyery-
where. but last of all. of course, to
Dels. where l got your message. 50
you've heard the news too! Who told
YOU? Good Lord, what's the use Of
looking like that? It's only a fight,
snd we'll scalp 'em yet. Who told
you, anyway
"Told me-what?"
"About the tricks of orr kind friends
In the board after we left, and the new
ones they're planning. What! You
haven't heard about them? Then, for
Lords sake. what's the matter with
vou? You look like All right. III
save my compliments and trot out my
facts. But do be hospitable and offer
me something to smoke. if only
cigarette. Well. it seems. after We left
to-day. those cheerful conspirators got
together, found the obliging secretary,
and recorded the meeting as merely
adjourned to seven D. m. At seven
they met, carried on the game without
us, and voted their resolution through.
I don't know whether it can stand,
but the order will be enforced till the
courts decide otherwise, and in the
mean time those poor devils Of PEN
sioners must sing for their money.
Of course we couldn't have Kept up |
to-day's tactics long, so perhaps it's |
Just as well they've taken the initla- |
tive and put themselves in the wrong. |
But that's not all At the It meet |
ing they propose to order the general |
manager to reduce all wages ten per |
cent. I can't understand that move, |
but they will surely make it. A clerk |
in my Office heard the whole thing |
discussed in one of the horse stalls
of Gardeners cafe. But what I've
chased you up for is Jack, will you
please go and take a drink? You give
me the creep-creeps with your mourn
er's mug on! Now l want you to brace
up and go to Harlan and talk this
whole thing over with him in his own
house. He's the best of the lot, and |
believe he'd be open to reason. Make
him talk it right out before his daugh-
ter, if possible. l tell you she can in
fuence him when What's the MAJ
ter, old man? Faint? BY Gum, bet
YOU have been darn fool enough to
mouse over this thing without any dim
ner. Here, come out now and"
For Gods sake. Dave don't bother
me any more tonight"
The words were almost cry. as
they burst from Remarks lips, and
Maddox started as ne heard Them,
shocked by something in the tone.
With an anxious glance at the listless,
almost hUGdled figure in the big arm
hair, he leisurely gathered up his coat
md hat and stepping toward Ken
lard, laid hand upon his shoulder.
"A!l right, old man" he exclaimed,
1heerfully. I'm Off Sorry I've been
4 nuisance. See you tomorrow.
Goodnight"
AS the door closed Kennard turned
% his old Office desk, which had been
brought to his room when the pilot
house" ceased to be headquarters. On
he blotter lay a letter ii a familiar
At that moment nothing
'ould have startled him. and he opened
he envelope mechanically, slancins
,yer its contents without any indica-
ion of surprise
1t was a short note from Miss Har-
an inviting him to be one of a box
,arty at the charity ball
Kennard dropped the letter and un-
ocked the lower drawer of the desk
It the very top lay small sheet bear
ng the memorandum found among
,ulver's papers. He hesitated for
moment, and then slowly placed the
memorandum and the note side by
ide. There was no possibility of any
rror. They were both in the hand
iriting OF Leslie Harlan.
CHAPTER XIV