The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-10

kers. his head was bald and rose to a
benevolent dome and his blue eyes, in
spite of a cynical CLINT which was al
ways in them, were softened by the
twinkling crows feet in the corners.
He reclined at his ease in comfort
able leather chair, unperturbed by the
dropping of his cigar ashes on his din
ner coat.
He looked at his daughter, who sat
quietly on the other side of the fire
place, her fair-haired head bent over
her embroidery. Caspar Dane knew
that she had been waiting all the even
ing for him to speak.
Helen, it was to Paul Herricks ia
Their / paid my fool tax forty years
ago" he said.
Your fool taxi" A flush tinged her
cheeks and she put down her embroid
cry with trembling hands.
'Yes-What every young man pays
for his share of worldly wisdom. He
was good looking, sprightly man,
with curly black hair and very hand
some, dark-red cheeks and an attrac-
tive smile-Paul Herrick is like that,
isn't he?"
Yes" Helen murmured.
II noticed it especially when he came
to interview me today. His father was
a crook-kept d bucket-shOp, and was
one of the young fellows he fleeced.
He ended as a floater on the street"
why do you tell me this?'
Because of that interview which
Paul Herrick had with me today. He
comes of bad stock. Helen. and he deals
in stocks as a business; l don't know
which fact is the worse. I'm told that
he's a better fellow than his father;
| dare say he is, or he wouldn't have
got you to care for him, as I under
stand is the case. Or has he misin
formed me on that pOint?"
Helen came over and pressed her
fathers hand appealingly. No" she
said.
He's a fellow director with me in
Valdez Mining; he's been straight
enough as far as 1 know" Caspar
Dane admitted.
What did you say to Paul?' Helen
asked timidly.
Il said that it was a most unwelcome
surprise and that l would look into the
natter
Not very cordial, We're you? What
do you say to me?"
The same
Helen sighed; she was aware of her
fathers stubborn prejudices and of his
eccentric and perverse methods of con-
fiTming them.
Helen, my dear"-he put his arm
round her and drew her closer to him
don't think I'm unsympathetic with
you. 1 remember how dear a thing it
was when I won your mothers consent
and l don't think I could really be
unsympathetic at such a time. I want
you to have all the happiness there is
in young lOve-and there's a great deal
But l don't want you to miss all the
happiness there is in love that's no
longer young-loVe that grows and
keeps on growing, even when the man
and the woman are on the downward
slope of life. Compared with that, your
young happiness, my dear, is nothing
literally nothing. And I want you to
have the affection of a man so good
that you can give him all your life
full, ungrudging, always increasing
love and loyalty. If / find Paul Her
rick is such a man, the fact that he's
the son of his father won't make any
difference TO me-"
The Girl was touched, but not quite
satisfied.
How will you find out?' she asked
Something may happen" he an
swered vaguely.
She was aware that the reply mask
ed an eccentric purpose, but she had
=. to be content.
The directors of the Valdez Mining
company had been summoned for a
special meeting in the law office of Mr.
John WEIGH. 1t was generally under
stood upon the street that at this
meeting the first dividend would be
declared. The mining expert, Caspar
Dane, was returning that day from an
examination of the property, and upon
receiving his report, expected to be IA
vorable, the board would take action.
Mr.. Edward Shinn, the wealthy
stocking manufacturer. and Mr.. Lind
say Tweed, the eminent wool merchant
met in the elevator on the way up TO
WEIGHS office. AS they recognized
each other they nodded. each with
confident and initiated smile. Going
to cut melon today?" inquired Tweed.
and Shinn answered. Il guess Wen
thump it anyway, TO see if it's ripe"
Having had each one his joke. they
entered Welch's office in excellent hu-
NOR.
The office boy directed them to one
of the inner rooms; Welch and Paul
Herrick were awaiting them.
"Old man not come YETI" asked
Shinn.
He'll be here" Herrick answered.
He telephoned me just an hour ago:
he arrived in town only this morning"
Tweed's voice broke in.
"And how's the market today, Her
rick? Strong, eh-and maybe We'll give
il an extra little flip. That's a great
business you're in-With your private
signals and pass words, and what not.
More like play than business always
think. What's your countersign on the
floor, Herrick?"
I'm afraid I don't quite under
stand" said the young man.
''Oh, yes, you do. Why, Vance, my
broker, was telling me he has private
signals on the exchange-twO fingers
for this and three fingers for that"
The door opened and CasDar Dane
entered. He took off his hat without a
smile; man built on large scale,
with the habit of genial responsiveness,
and a face as naturally merry as it
vas shrewd, he had now nat smile of
sEseting for any one. He shook hands
with each of his fellow directors in
grave silence, and although it was
spring out doors and the morning sun
was shining in at the windows, the
room seemed smitten with a chill.
Dane took the chair at the head of
the long table: Shinn and Tweed sat
together or his right; Paul Herrick
slipped into a chair on his left. over
by the door WEIGH, the lawyer, sat at
his roll-top desk, which was open, and
watched Dane with apprehensive eyes.
"Gentlemen, the chair will ask the
meeting 20 come to order" Dane said.
His voice was grave, deliberate and
Unconditional. THE circumstances are
such that the chair will dispense with