Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-11-30

CACUSe HAUL Ol men WIN Idils Anu IL 4
expended my limited brain owe in
looking into all the cus and expla-
nations, what energy or time would ]
have for constructive work? All / can
do Is to select a man for a position and
TO judge him by results. You were put
in charge to produce dividends. Pm
sorry, and ! Venture to hope that things
are not so bad as you make out in your
eagerness to excuse yourself. For the
sake Of old times, Tom, | ignore your
angry insinuations against me. try to
be just, and TO be just one must al
ways be impersonal."
Well" said Walters with an air of
desperation, give me another year, Mr..
Roebuck. and I'll produce results all
right. I'll break the agreements and
cut rates. I'll freeze out the branch
roads and our minority stockholders.
I'll keep the books so that all the ex-
pert accountants in New York couldn't
untangle them. I'll wink at and com
NIT and order committed all the nee
essary crimes. / don't know why I've
been so squeamish, when there were so
many penitentiary offenses that | did
consent TO, and, for that matter, COM
NIT, without a culver. | thought /
ought to draw the line somewhere
and | drew it at keeping my personal
word and at keeping the books reason
ably straight. But I'll go the limit"
I'll never forget Roebuck's express
sion; 1t was perfect, simply perfect-a
great and good man outraged beyond
endurance, but n Christian still. You
have made IL impossible for me TO tenn
per justice with mercy, walters" said
he. IF it were not for the long years
of association, for the affection for
you which has grown up in me. l
should hand you over to the fate you
have earned. You tell me o have
been committing crimes in my service.
You tell me you will commit more n
greater crimes. l can scarcely believe
my own ears"
Walters laughed scornfully-the reck-
less laugh OF a man who suddenly sees
that he is cornered and must fight for
his life. Rot" he jeered. Rot! You
always have been a wonder at Juggling
with your conscience. But do you eX-
pect me to believe you think yourself
innocent because you do not yourself
execute the orders you issue-orders
that can be carried out only by COM
hitting crimes?' Walters was now be-
side himself with rage. He gave the
reigns to that high horse he had been
riding ever since he was promoted to
the presidency of the great coal road.
He began to lay on whip and spur.
DO you think he cried to Roebuck,
1.-THE blood of those 500 men drowned
in the Pequot mine is not on you
hands-your head? You, who ordered
John Wilkinson TO suppress the compe-
tition the Pequot was giving you, or
dered him in such a way that he knew
the alternative was his own ruin? He
shot himself-yet he had as good an
excuse as you, for he, too, passed on
the order until il got to the poor fire.
man-that wretched fellow they sent to
the penitentiary for life? And as sure
as there is q God in heaven, you win
some day do a long, long sentence in
whatever hell there is, for letting that
wretch rot in prison-yes, and for John
Wilkinson's suicide, and for the lives
Of those 500 drowned. Your pensions
to the widows and orphans can't save
YOU"
/ listened to this TRADE astounded.
Used as / was to men losing their
heads through vanity, l could not cred
1t my own ears and eyes when they
reported to me this insane exhibition.
| looked at Roebuck. He was wearing
an expression of beatiic patience; he
would have made a fine study for a
picture OF the martyr at the stake.
Il forgive you, Tom" he said, when
Walters stopped for breath. Your own
sinful heart makes you see the black
of sin upon everything. l had heard
that you were going about making
loud boasts of our power over your
employers, but / tried not to believe it.
/ see now that you have, indeed, lost
your senses. Your prosperity has been
too much for your good sense He
sighed mournfully. II shall not inter-
fere to prevent your getting a position
elsewhere" he continued. But after
what you have confessed, after your
ISLANDERS, how can / put you back In
your old place out west, as / intended?
How can l continue the interest in youand
care for your career that ! have had, in
spite OF all your shortcomings? | VIC
raised you up from q clerk
Raised me up as you fellows always
raise men up-because you find them
clever at doing your dirty work. | was a
decent, honest fellow when you first took
notice Of me and tempted me. But, by
God, Mr.. Roebuck. If Nv sold out beyond
hope of living decent again, I'll have my
price-to the last cent. You've got to
leave me where l I'm or give me a place
and salary equally as good This Walters
said blusteringly, but beneath | could
detect the beginnings Of a whine.
You are angry, Tom" said Roebuck
soothingly. II. have hurt your vanity-it
is one of the heaviest crosses / have to
bear, that / must be continually hurting
the vanity of men. Go way and-and
calm down. Think the situation over
coolly: then come and apologize to me, and
I will do what 1 can TO help you. AS for
your threats-when you are calm, you viii
see how idle they are"
Walters gave a sort OF groan: and
though I, blinded by my prejudices in
favor of Roebuck and OF the crowd with
whom my interests lay, had been feeling
that he was an impudent and crazy in
CRATE. 1 pitied him.
What proofs have 1 got 2" he aid des-
perately. IF / show up the things / know
about, i show myself up. and everybody
will say I'm lying about you and the
others in the effort to save myself. The
would denounce me as a
treacherous liar-you fellows own or con-
troll or foozle them in one way and an
other. And IL I was believed. who'd pros
ecute you and what court'd condemn you?
Don't you own both political parties and
make all the tickets. and can't you ruin
any office holders who lifted a finger
against you? What a hell of a state OF
AFFAIRS
A swifter or a weaker descent / never
witnessed. My pity changed to contempt.
This fellow, with hts great reputation :
thought /. rs a fool and a knave, and a
weak one at that"
go away now. Tom said Roebuck.
'sWhen you're master of yourself again,
come 10 see me-"
Master OF myself!'' cried Walters Bit
terly. s.who that's got anything to lose
is master Of himself In this country
With shoulders sagging a sort OF
stumble in his gait, he went toward the
door. He paused there to say: i've