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

however, ne knew enough to throw
him into fever of fright He watched
my calmness with terror. Goal stocks
are dropping like a thermometer in
a cold wave" he said, like a fireman
at sleeper in a burning house.
o Naturally" said |, unrufled, appar.
emily. What can we, do about it,"
I'VE must do something!" he ex.
claimed.
Yes, We must" | admitted. For
instance, we must keep cool, espe-
cially when two or three dozen peo-
pie are watching us. Also, you
must attend to your usual routine. I"
What are you, going to do?r he
cried. For Gods sake, Matt, don't
keep me in suspensep o.
Go to your DESK" I commanded.
And he Quoted down and went.
hadn't been schooling him in the fire
drill Tor tlfteen years in vain.
| went up the street and into the
great banking and brokerage house Of
Galloway and Company. | made my
way through the small army of guards,
behind which the old beast of prey
was intrenched, and into his private
den. There he sat, at small, plain
table, in the middle of the room with.
out any article of furniture in 1t but
his table and his chair. On the table
was a small inkstand, perfectly clean,
a steel pen equally clean, on the rest
attached to it. And that was all
not a letter, not scrap Of paper, not
a sign Of work or of intention TO
work. 1t might have been the desk
of a man who did nothing; in fact,
it was the desk Of man who had so
much to DO that his only nope of es-
cape from being overwhelmed was
to despatch and clear away each. mat.
ter the instant it was presented to
him. Many things could be read from
the powerful form, bolt upright in that
stiff chair, and from the cynical, mas
terful old face. But to me the chief
quality there revealed was that quail.
ity of qualities, decision-the great.
est power a man can have, except
only courage. And old James Gallo
way had both.
He pierced me with his blue eyes,
keen as youths, though his face was
scanned with scars Of seventy tumul-
tuous years. He extended toward me
over the table his broad, stubby white
hand-the hand of builder, of con.
structiye genius. How are you,
Blackjack" said he. What can
do for your" He just touched my
hand before dropping it, and resumed
that idol-like pose. But although
there was only repose and delibera-
ton in his manner, and not a sugges-
ton of haste, |, like every one who
came into that room and that pres.
ence, had a sense of an interminable
procession behind me. a procession
of men who must be seen by this
master-mover that they might submit
important and pressing affairs to him
for decision. 1t was unnecessary for
him to tell any one to be brief and
pointed,
81 shall have to go to the wall to-
day. said l, taking a paper from my
pocket, unless you save me. Here
is a statement Of my assets and liza
bilities. | call to your attention my
Coal holdings. l was one of the
eight men whom Roebuck got round
him for the new combine-it is a Sc
cret, but l assume you know all about
it."
He laid the paper before him, put
on his nOseglasses and looked at it
IF you will save me-" | continued,
Il will transfer to you, in a block,
all my Coal holdings. They will be
worth double my total liabilities with
in three months-as soon as the re-
organization is announced. | leave it
entirely to your sense of justice
whether shall have my part of them
back when this storm blows over"
why didn't you go to Roebuck?"
he asked without looking up.
Because it is he that stuck the
knife into me-"
"Why?"
81 don't know. | suspect the Man.
asQuale properties, which | brought
into the combine, have some value,
which no one but Roebuck, and per.
haps Langdon, knows about-and that
| in some way was dangerous to them
through that fact. They haven't Civ.
en- me time to look into It"
A grim smile fitted over the face.
You've been too busy getting mar.
ried, eh?"
Exactly" said I. It's another case
OF unbuckling for the wedding-feast
and getting assassinated as pen.
atty. Do you wish me to explain any.
thing on that list-do you want any
details Of the combine-of the Coal
stocks there?"
Not necessary" he replied. AS |
had thought, with that enormous ma
chine Of his for drawing in informa.
ton. and with that enormous mem.
Org of his for details, he probably
knew more about the combine and its
properties than did.
You have heard Of the lockout"
inquired-for | wished him to know
| had no intention of deceiving him