Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-07
CHAPTER xxI1.-Continued.

TERRIBLY" he laughed. 1.-THE black
hearted villain of melodrama isn't patch
on me when I'm stirred And then, more
seriously: But it isn't altogether joke.
There is another side to the thing-what
you might call the ethical, l suppose.
There are a score or SO of men In the
companys service-Frisbie and his sub
ordinates-whose jobs hang upon mine.
worse man than 1 ever aspired to be
might be loyal to his friends"
II wouldn't think of questioning your
loyalty to your friends" she admitted.
Also" he went on. determinedly. there
is the larger question of right and wrong
involved Is it right for me to step aside
and let an organized system of graft and
thievery go on unchecked? 1 know it ex-
lists: l have evidence enough to go before
a grand jury. I'm not posing as saint
or even as a muck raker, but isn't some
thing due to the people who are paying
the bills?'
Now you are involving Uncle Sidney
again. and / can't listen to that"
He is innocent: as innocent as some
hundreds of other narrow-mlnded. short
sighted old men whom chance or the du-
plicity of the real rascals puts at the head
of corporations
"Yet you would make him suffer with
the guilty"
Not willingly. you may be sure. Not
at all. if he would listen to reason. But
he won't. He'll stand by North till the
last gun is fired and while North stays
therell be graft. big or little, as the OPP
portunities warrant"
Alicia held her peace while the caravan
was measuring another half mile of the
boulder-strewn road. Then she said: Il
feel so wretchedly inadequate to help you.
Mr.. Ford. l wish you could walt until
you have talked 1t over with brother"
frof Cfvnnv
ment doesn't lie with me now. From
your uncle's manner and from what he
said to me yesterday. 1 can't help feeling
that the crisis is right here. For two
days Mr.. Colbrith has been very plainly
leading up to some sort of dramatic
climax l can't remotely guess what it Is
going to be: though can guess that the
plot isn't his
Again she took time to consider, and
when she spoke they were nearing the
scene of strenuous activities at the NOV
ing track end.
You don't think you could postpone
it?' she asked. almost wistfully, he
thought. II think-I hope-my brother
will become interested again: IT Is your
fault that he lost interest. Mr.. Ford
my fault?' reproachfully.
Certainly. You didn't give him enough
to do. He was happy and contented
while you kept him hard at work. But
after the bonds were placed and the
I'm a miserable sinner!' Ford con-
fessed. And / had promised you, too!
But the battle has been SO fierce at this
end of the line. and I couldn't be in two
places at one time. Your brother should
have been made first vice president. in
stead of North. Perhaps We can bring 1t
about yet-if you don't call 1t all on.
There 1t is again., she retorted. You
are dragging me in-and trying tc bride
me too!"
God forbid." he said. so earnestly that
she forgave him. And then: Il wish
your brother were here-now.
$50 do l." she admitted. Then she told
him of the wire summons sent from Dem
yer and of the shadowy hope she had
based upon it.
Where was your brother them he
asked.
II don't know. positively. 1 hope he
was in New York. He was to come over
in the Campania. in time for the shoot
ing at Mount Ptarmigan.
you've had no word from him.
None
They were up with the track layers
now. in a country of huge bare hills and
high-lying. waterless valleys. and the
president had halted the caravan to give