Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-12-07


. door to the Left Good morning"
And in that atmosphere of vast affairs
speedily dispatched his consent with
out argument seemed and was. the
matter-of-course.
bowed. Though he had not saved
me as a favor TO me. but because
it fitted in with his plans, whatever
they were, my eyes dimmcd. Il
shan't forget. this" said !, ny voice
not quite steady. o..
Il know it" said he curly. II
know you
saw that his mind had already
turned me out. | said no more. and
withdrew. When I left the room II
was precisely as II had been when |
entered it-except the bit OF paper
torn from the pad. But what q DIFF.
ference to me. to the thousands. the
hundreds OF thousands directly aud
indirectly interested In the Coal com.
bine and its strike and It's products.
was represented by those few, almost
illegible scrawlings on that scrap Of
paper.
Not until had gone over the stu.
alton with Farquhar, and We had
signed and exchanged the necessary
papers, did begin to relax from the
strain-how great that strain was
realized a few weeks later, when the
gray appeared thick at my temples
and there was In my crown what was,
for such shock as mine, a thin spot.
Il am saved" said to myself, ven
turing long breath, as stood on the
steps OF Galloway's establishment,
where hourly was transacted business
vitality affecting the welfare Of scores
OF millions Of human beings, with
James Galoway's personal interest as
the sole guiding principle. Saved"
repeated, and not until then did it
Hash before me, Il must have paid a
frightful price. He would never have
consented to interfere with Roebuck
as socn as | asked him to do it, I'm.
less there had been some powerful
motive. If had had my wits about
me, l could have made far better
terms" Why hadn't my wits about
me! Anita" was my instant answer
10 my own question. Anita again. |
had bad attack of family mans
panic" And thus it came about that
| went back to my Office, feeling as il
| had suffered a. severe defeat, in.
stead OF jubilant over my narrow es-
cape.
Joe followed me into my den.
What luck?" asked he, in the tone
OF a mother waylaying the doctor as
he issues from the sick-room.
LuckT said |, gazing blansly at
him.
You've seen the latest quotation,
haven't you?" In his nervousness his
temper was on a fine edge.
NO" replied l indifierently. | sat
down at my desk and began to busy
myself. Then | added: We're ont
OF the Coal combine. I've transferred
our holdings. Look after these things.
please" And | gave him the checks.
notes and memoranda of agreement
Galloway" he exclaimed. And
then his eye fell on the totals of the
stock had been carrying. Good
God, Natl" he gasped. Ruined"
And he sat down. and buried his
face and cried like a child-it was
then that measured the full deuth
OF the chasm had escaped. | made
no such exhibition of myself, but when
tried to relight my cigar my hand
trembled so that the flame scorched
my lips
"Ruined" | said to Joe. easily
enough. Not at all. We're back in
the road, going smoothly ahead
only, at bit less stiff a pace. Think
Joe, OF all those poor devils down in
the mining districts. They're out
clear out-and thousands of 'em don't
Know where their families will get
pread. And though they haven't
found 1t out yet, they've got to leave
the place where they've lived all
their lives, and their fathers before
them-have got to go wandering about
In a world that's as strange to them
as the surface Of the moon, and as
bare for them as the Sahara desert"
That's So" said Joe. Its hard
luck" But saw he was thinking
only OF himself and his narrow escape
from having to give up his big house
and all the rest Of it; that, soft.
hearted and generous though he was
to those poor chaps and their wives
and children he wasn't giving a
thought
You've done q grand two hours'
work. said Joe.
"Grander than you think" replied
|. I've set the tiger on to fight the
bull"
Galloway and Roebuck?"
"Just that" said |. And laughed,
started up, sat down again. mo, III
put of the pleasure" said |. "Tn let
Roebuck find out, when the claws
catch In that tough old hide of his"