The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-04-30
CHAPTER XXI.
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Harvey SayIer, Swlneherd.
At a little after eight the following
night, l was in Chicago, was knock
ing at suite l. in the Auditorium no
tel; / was hearing sounds from with
in that indicated that the dinner was
under way The door swung back
and there stood old Roebuck himself,
napkin in hand, his shriveling old
face showing that his dollar sense
was taking up the strength which
his other senses were losing. He
was saying cordially: "Ah, Croffut,
you are late"
Then his dim eyes saw me; he
pulled himself up like a train when
the air brakes are clapped on.
They told me at the Office that
you were at dinner" said 1, in the
tone of one who has unintentionally
blundered. CAS- l was looking for
dinner. rather hoped you'd ask me
to join you. But I see that"
Come right in" he said smoothly,
but gray as sheep. You'll find
some old friends of yours. We're TAX
ing advantage of the convention of
western manufacturers to have a lit
tie reunion"
now had a full view Of the table.
There was a silence that made the
creakfng of starched evening shirt
bosoms noisy as those men drew
long stealthy breaths when breathing
became imperative. All my clients"
and Dominick = he at Roebuck's
right. At Roebuck's left there was a
vacant chair. Shall I sit here?" said
l easily.
THAT place was reserved-was for
but" stammered Roebuck.
For Granby's ghost?" said I, pleas
antly.
His big lips writhed. And as my
glance OF greeting TO these old friends
Of mine travelled down one side of
the table and up the other, it might
have been setting those faces on
fire, SO brightly did they flame. 1t
was hard for me to keep my disgust
beneath the surface. Those gentle
men" assembled there were among
the leading citizens" of my state;
and Roebuck was famous on both
sides of the Atlantic as a king of
commerce and a philanthropist, Yet,
every one of those brains was busy
most of its hours with assassin-like
plottings-and for what purpose? For
ends so petty, so gross and stupid
that it was inconceivable how intel
Igence could waste life upon them, not
to speak Of the utter depravity and lack
of manliness. Liars, cheats, bribers;
and Haunting the fruits of infamy as
honors, as titles to respect. as gifts
from Almighty Cod And here they
were, assembled now for silly plot
tings against the man whose only Of
tense in their eyes was that he was
saving them from themselves-wa
preventing them from killing the
goose that would cheerfully keep on
laying the golden eggs for the priv
ilege of remaining alive. 1t was pitt
full. It was nauseating. l felt my
degradation in STOPPING to such
company.
l spoke to Dominick last, To my
surprise he squarely returned my
gaze. His eyes were twinkling, as
the eyes of a pig seem to be, if you
look straight into its face when it
lifts its snout from a full trough.
Presently he could contain the huge
volume of his mirth no longer. It
came roaring from him like a great
coarse torrent, shaking his vast bulk
and the chair sustained it, swelling
the veins IN his face, resounding
through the silent room while the
walters literally stood aghast At
last he found breath to ejaculate:
We'll. I'll be good and-damned!"
This gale ripped from the others
and whirled away their cloaks of sur
face-cOmpOsure. Naked, they suggest
ed lot of rats in a trap-Dominick
| jeering at them and anticipating the
pleasure of watching me torture them
choked back the surge of repulsion
and said to Roebuck: Then where
shall l sit?"
Roebuck looked, almost wildly, to-
ward the foot of the table. He long
ed to have me as far from him as
possible Partridge, at the foot of
the table, cried out-in alarm:
MAKE room for the senator between
you and Mr.. Dominick, Roebuck. He
ought to be as near the head of the
table as possible"
mo matter where Senator Sayler
sits. it's the head of the table" said
Roebuck. His commonplace cour-
tesy indicated, not recovered self
control. but the cunning of his ram
nant instinct OF preservation