The Washington herald., 1908-05-31
CHAPTER XV-Continued.

a
years his aged employer took him int
partnership; then he worked up pretex
and threw the concern into the hands OF
a receiver. he being appointed receiver
In few months he was able TO put the
business up for SALE and buy it in II,
next organized all the shoe stores Of tn,
town into a little trust, and built a fac.
tory, and that was the nucleus OF the
United States Boot and Shoe Trust, which
combined with a leather trust, gave then
n monopoly of the business. Bulpitt had
organized 1t all. and was president. He
had become great by dint Of always get
ting angrier than the other man. and
knowing whom TO kick. But it was not
by tact, but ruthless force. that. he had
broken through the crowd at the bottom
Of the ladder and reached the top, where
there is always room-for those who can
get there. However, he had a great repu-
tation for always getting his own way
and for the possession Of dynamic force.
Vandraken was much surprised to see
Mr.. Bulpitt deposit his ponderous form
in chair before going through the usual
formulate Of salutation He regarded the
big, putting gentleman with curiosity min
gled with the contempt Of the thin for
the fat Bulrltt on his part. gazed fierce
ly at VanGralen through protruding eyes.
resting the backs of his hands on his
widespread thighs.
What can I do for you tonight. Mr.
Bulpitt?" said the young man. genially.
wishing to put him at his ease.
a hypnotic gesture Of command "Sit
down, young mani Sit down right there"'
and he indicated chair in front Of him.
In his establishment, Vandraken sat
down. "You-you have a letter Of intro
duction. I believe, Mr. Bulpitt?"
The big man produced a letter from a
wallet and reached it over to Vandraken,
keeping a suspicious eye on him as he
read 1t, and pulling at intervals.
This letter gives no reason for the
introduction" said Vandraken, looking
UP from it. What can I do for you
Come back TO America with me-" re-
piled Mr.. Bulpitt abruptly, IN his domi-
neering voice. Come back TO where you
belong That's what I want with you,
young man.
Come back TO America What are you
II deteCtve2'
Detective nothingl l am president OF
the United States Boot and Shoe Cor
poration-what the papers call a captain
OF Industry"
Look herer' said the young man. be-
ginning TO lose his temper. Il wish You
would get industrious minding your own
business I don't allow any man to take
the tone with me you are taking
Vandraken had. Of course. met some
Of the great captains Of industry in New
York but they had all been Of the suave.
polished type This was his first expert
ence OF the self-made, rough-diamOnd
kind. and he did not know how TO take
him 7 suppose my uncle sent you on
this delicate mission ne added.
mo, sir" replied the big man. POM
pOusly. Il am a committee of one, rep
resenting the Society OF Industrial Cor
poratiOn Presidents. At a meeting of the
society. held two weeks ago. It was
unanimously decided that the life you are
living is a menace 10 the existence Of
concentrated wealth. The American peo-
pie are getting aroused-they are rearing
up on their hind legs. and. II they start.
something VIII give. I suppose. young
man. you read the American papers?"
Read the papers, answered Van
draken. scornfully. Does q man read
his own obituary notices."
If you don't read the papers how can
you know what YOU are doing? That
makes you more dangerous even than we
had figured on Mr.. Bulpitt made
note in a little book. The long and
short Of Il is. that while your morals are
no concern Of ours. the effect Of your
morals Is very much our concern"
F Naudraken opened his mouth as II 70
speak. but the big man silenced him
with his fat fOrednger. You let me
make my spiel When I've finished.
you'll be given an opportunity TO say your
little say"
To Bulpitt and his type. all rich young
men who dd not work in offices were
dudes and dudes were young men
who had no force OF character. and young
men who had no force Of character were
best treated Ike children: given their
orders, and told not TO ask questions.
Bulpitt had q son who had tried. inef-
fcctually, TO be n dude. but Bulpitt
rounded him UP. and had him Gagged in
an Office. So he thought he knew how TO
handle Vandraken's case "But when
I've said my say. young man. I calcu-
late there won't be much left to you to
say"
Vaudrakcn lit n cigarette to annoy his
visitor. eco ahead, Mr.. Bulpitt. You be-
sin to interest mo"
The big man glared at him. It's Just
this: the American people aren't really
down on trusts and big fortunes; they
know well enough that the men who are
making them are only themselves as they
would Ike 10 be. We hired one of the
biggest novelists Of the day. a psycholog-
ioal expert he called himself. 70 figure
,ut Just how much the people would
stand. and il comes TO this: as long as
%e represent what he called the Ameri-
can spirit it's all right The peoples Of
the East and the peoples OF the West
are kindred spirits. according TO his re-
port. The Oriental. he claims. don't
ilind the TIigh-muck-a-muck and his
Grand vizicr having all the wealth of the
country. because any dOnkey-boy may
become vizler and any donley-bOy's
daughter may become the mother OF the
next High-muck-a-muck. 'Taint likely.
hut It's possible Wei. same way I'm
merica. IT'S all an elegant gamble. and
what's a gamble without long shots and
big odds? All we got 10 do this novel
ist figured. was 20 let the people win Just
once in a while. like the confidence mon
do. That's why we started off the metal
N'-'N VIZ" ' t"'DAAiie man Aot pIthiuenl,
at salary Of a million a year We had
20 thank the novelist for that idea /
tell YOU, some Of them novelists amt
such fools as I used to think The labor
ing men craned their necks so hard look
ms up at that president. they amt never
looked down since
We'll sir, we hired this novelist to
make report on you. and he says II
we don't suppress you, the American peo-
pie VIII suppress us. We. he says are
only the people themselves carried TO ex-
tremes. but you are MS carried 10 ex-
trcmes. and at least one generation ahead