The Somerset reporter., 1906-05-17
SilaS of Hebron
Valley
BY NJ. ]. PHILLIPS
Copyright. 1905. by Ruby Douglas

John c. Davidson, with his cleanly
Rhavcn, comely face. cleft chin, blue
eyes and firm jaw might have been,
from appearances. an actor. He might
have been mistaken for popular
preacher or professional baseball
player His age was, apparently, any
where between thirty and fifty years.
He had the air Of good living and
prosperity which the man Of the world
is supposed to wear.
All guesses as to his profession, how
ever. would probably have gone wide
of the mark. He was senior member
of the firm of Davidson Il Cole Of Wall
street, a firm which bore rather shady
reputation. Even now he was hurry
ing home from a hunting trip in Maine,
which had been cut short by the tip.
irregularly received. of n big killing
TO he made the next day on the Stock
Exchange.
In other words Davidson Il Cole
were preparing to garner several hun
dred thousand dollars because the Hill
mans and the Silvers were about to
close in a death grapple for the control
] of the New York and Western. Each
i faction held about one-third Of the
/ stock. Spectators and investors held
the other third. mostly in small blocks.
i The Snvers needed the road, it was
said, to stihe its chances Of becoming
a dangerous competitor The Hillman
crowd desired 1t for those very posi-
blities.
The stock was down to 81 but, ac-
cording to the information cleaned by
the brokers, the Slyers were prepared
/ to pay 100 II necessary for the shares
constituting the balance Of power.
Despite the suspicion which attached
to him on Wall street, Davidson's face
was one people instinctiyely liked and
trusted. When at a remote junction
point, Silas Ashlar entered the smoker
Of the train, shaking the snowfakes
| from his ulster-it was midwinter and
storming-he took the seat beside the
broker
| Ashar was twenty-five, and his good
natured face. unchiseled by the stress
OF city life, was round and immatured
/ yet withal there WAS native shrewdness
/ in it and frank honesty.
/ Davidson was n man to inspire not
/ only confidence but condolences Be
/ sides. he was In the mood for CONVERSE
/ ton. In the course of half an hour the
country youth was unburdening him
! self to this agreeable stranger as he
j had never talked to his closest friend.
81 live over to Hebron Valley, in Yer
i mont" he said I'm clerk in old man
Briggs general store; been workin'
there since | was fourteen. The old
man wants to retire now, and I'd like
to buy the business
IL see" rejoined Davidson politely.
Silas beat a tattoo with clumsy fin
gers on the window sill and smiled
with embarrassment before he proceed
ed There's there's a girl, you know"
Indeed. Briggs daughter, l sup
poser"
mo; Jennie Gardner. We're-we're
engaged, you see. That's why / want
/ the store
Feel as IL you'd ought to he set up
| In business before you marry, ehF'
queried the broker, smiling a little.
well no; don't" replied the young
man reluctantly, "and Jennie don't,
neither does her ma But her father
he's John Gardner, the banker there at
Hebron-he don't like me; thinks amt
got money enough. l guess. Then
there's another fellow, the postmaster.
He wants Jennie to marry"
Davdson's interest quickened. why
don't you run away with the girlT' he
asked.
"She won't do It, She's afraid OF her
father. So Is her mother, for that mat
ter He's hard man.
He'd be satisfied to let you marry II
you owned the store"
Yes, and that's just some more OF
his meanness," returned Sllas. He
thinks it's impossible for me to buy IL
or he wouldn't say SO. All COTS $500.
Briggs wants $1,000. I'm goin' down
to New York to see IL | can't raise 1t.
I've heard of money being made pretty
quick on Wall street.
They'd get your hay in about TWEEN
ty minutes on Wall street" responded
Davidson decisively. Il know, because
that's where l hang out. But see here,
Ashlar. I've got a little sporting blood
In nv veins, and I've been under dog
myself. Suppose l help you down this
u-penny banker
Say, If you only would"
VERY well. Let's have your five hun
dred, There's something on for tomor-
row, and maybe | can clean up your
little pile for you during the excite
ment. Are you willing to trust me and
take the chanceY
Ashlars answer was to draw, with
trembling fingers, bulky envelope
from an inner pocket and pass it over
to the broker, who tore it open and
counted the contents dexterously, There
was $500 in the package in well thumb.
ed tens and twentes
The broker slowed the money away
and produced bit of pasteboard.
There's my address," he said, handing
the card to Ashlar. You come to that
number day after tomorrow at 10, and
I'll have some news for you"
When at dusk Ashlar, bewildered by
the appalling noise and confusion OF
the big city, ventured from the rail
way station into the street he sudden
" felt that he had done foolish thing