Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-12-16

ital into 1t and reduce the price of gas
In Philadelphia to go cents thousand.
Where will you he them
The face OF the Colossus as he ut
tered this stand and deliver speech
was calm and inscrutable. Conscious
of the resistless power of his untold
millions. he felt no more conjunction
I'm mercilessly crushing this business
rival than he would in trampling out
the life of worm. The little man fac
ing him looked haggard and distressed.
He knew we'll that this was no idle
threat. He was well aware that Ry-
der and his associates by the sheer
weight of the enormous wealth they
controlled could sell out or destroy any
industrial corporation in the land. 1t
was plainly Illegal. but it was dore ev-
cry day. and his company was not the
first victim nor the last. Desperate. he
appealed humbly to the tyrannical
money power:
Don't drive US to the wall, Mr. Ry-
der This forced sale will mean dis
aster to Us all. Put yourself in our
place; think what it means to scores
of families whose only support is the
income from their investment in our
company
''4Ir. Herts." replied Ryder unmoved,
! 81 never allow sentiment to interfere
! with business. You have heard my
| terms. | refuse to argue the matter
! further. What is it to be? Five mil
! lions or competition? Decide now or
| this interview must endr'
He took out his watch and with his
other hand touched bell. o Beads of
perspirat;on stood on his visitors fore
/ head. In a voice broken with sup
pressed emotion he said hoarsely:
You're a hard, pitiless man, John
! Ryder. SO be it-fve millions. l don't
know what they'll say. l don't dare
return to them"
These are my TERMS" said Ryder
coldly. THE papers" he added, will
be ready for your signature tomorrow
at this time. and III have a check ready
for the entire amount. Good day"
Mr.. Bagley entered Ryder bowed to
Herts, who slowly retired When the
door had closed on him, Ryder went
back to his desk, smile of triumph
on his face. Then he turned to his
secretary.
LET Sergeant Ellison come up" he
said
A moment later the door opened, and
Sergeant Ellison entered, followed by
the secretary, who almost Immediately
withdrew.
well, sergeant" said Mr.. Ryder cor
daily, what have you to tell me? l
can give you only a few minutes. l ex-
pect a lady friend of yours
The plutOcrat sometimes condescend-
ed to be ocular with his subordinates
"a lady friend of mine, sir?" echoed
the man, puzzled.
"Yes-Miss Shirley Green. the au-
thor" replied the fnancier, enjoying
the detectives embarrassment. THAT
suggestion of yours worked out all
right. She's coming here today"
I'm glad you've found her, SIR
! at was a tough job" answered
Ryder, with a grimace.- 1--WE wrote
her half a dozen times before she was
satisfied with the wording of the invi-
tation, but finally we landed her, and |
expect her at 3 o'clock. Now, what
about that Rossmore girl? Did you go
down to Massapequa?
Eyes. sir, l have been there half a
dozen times In fact. I've just come
from there. Judge Rossmore is there
all right, but his daughter has left
for parts unknown"
Gone away! Where?" exclaimed
the fnancier
This was what he dreaded. AS lon;
, a. he could keep his eye on the cir
, there was little danger Of jefferson
f making fool of himself; with her dis
, appeared everything was possible.
! Il could not find out, sir. Thei
, neighbors don't know much abou
f them. They say they're naughty an
, stuck up. The only one | could ge
anything out of was parson nance
! beetle. He said it was a sad case
that they had reverses and a daughte
who was in Paris
, Eyes, yes said Ryder impatiently
! I'VE know all that. But where's tn
daughter now?'
: Search me, sir. l even tried t
pump the s!avey. Gee, what a viXer
She almost few at me. She said sh
didn't know and didn't care"
:. Ryder brought his fist down wit
= force on his desk. trick he had whe
II he wished to emphasize a point.
Sergeant. | don't like the myster
! Gus disappearance of that girl. 70
e must find her, do you hear? You mus
find her if it takes all the sleuths
/ the country. Had my son been see
! there:"
y The parson said he saw young fe
% low answering his description sittin
+ on the porch of the Rossmore cottae
&c the evening before the girl disappea
: ed, but he didn't know who he was an
~ hasn't seen him since"
''That was my SON I'll uaCpr II