The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-03-18
CHAPTER II-continued.

orderly, Sergt. Haley, to watch over Carr
Mercer.
CHAPTER ll-continued.
Cary was rich. but after he hat
spent his youth with incredible indus
try and great deal of ability TO build
up a steel business and had put It into
a little combination-not a big trust
Just a genuine corporation-some Of
the financial princes wanted IL for a
club-to knock down bigger game.
reckon-and proceeded to cheaper the
stock in order to control it. Cary held
on desperately, bought more than he
could hold. mortgaged everything
else but they were too big for him to
fight II was in 1908. you know, when
they had an alleged financial panic,
and scared the banks. Cary went to
the wall. and Phil with him. and poor
Phil killed himself Afterward Cary's
wife died: he surely did have a mean
time. And to tell you the truth. Ber-
tie, | think there has been a little
Rink in Cary's mind ever since"
Ibid you hold any of Cary's stock?"
He was piecing his puzzle together.
Yes; but my stock was all paid for.
and held on to it; now ii is over par
and paying dividends. Oh, the prop
erty was all right. had il been kept in
honest hands and run for itself The
trouble with Cary was that in order
to keep control OF the property he
bought a lot of shares on margins. and
when they began to run downhill. he
was obliged TO borrow money on his
actual holdings to protect his fictitious
ones. The stock went so low that he
was wiped out He wouldn't take my
advice earlier in the game : and knew
that il would only be losing money to
lend II to him, later-still. sometimes
have been rather sorry didn't.
Would better try the spade, BERTHE.
or the diamond ?"
The colonel advised the spade. He
wondered whether he should repeat TO
his aunt the few sentences which he
had overheard from Mercer and his
companion; but a belief that old age
worries easily, added to his natural
mans disinclination to attack the fem
fnine nerves. tipped the scales against
frankness. So, instead. he began to
talk about Archie; what was he like?
was he fond Of athletics? or was he
Q booltish lad? Aunt Rebecca reported
that he liked riding and golf; but he
was not very rugged. and since his
fathers death he had seemed listless
20 a degree. But he Is better now"
she added, with trace of eagerness
quite foreign to her usual manner.
"Janet Smith has reused him up; and
what do you suppose she has done?
But really, you are the cause"
'I?" queried the colonel.
Just you. Archie. Janet argued. is
the kind of nature that must have
some one to be devoted to-"
"And has he taken a fancy to her?
Or TO you?"
Aunt Rebecca's eyes dulled a little
and her delicate lips were twisted by
a smile which had more usefulness
than humor in II. I'm not a lovable
person; anyhow, he does not love cas-
fly We are on terms of the highest
respect. even admiration, but we
haven't got so far as friendship. far
less comradeship Janet is different.
But don't mean Janet; she has grown
absurdly fond of him; and | think
he's fond Of her; but what she did was
70 make him fond of you. You. Gen.
Rupert Winter; why. that boy could
pass an examination on your exploits
and not miss a question. Janet and he
have a scrap-book with every printed
word about you, | do believe. And
she has been amazingly shrewd. We
didn't know how to get the youngster
back TO his sports while he was out
OF school; and, in fact. an old woman
like me is rather bewildered by such
young creature, anyhow; but Janet
rode with him; you are remarkable
rider: helped there. because ! re-
membered some anecdotes about you
at West Point"
"But, my dear aunt"
Don't interrupt me. BERTHE. it's a
distinctly American habit And we
read in the papers that you had |
learned that Japanese trick fighting |
--jiu-jitsu-and were a wonder"
"Tm not, | assure you; that beast OF
a newspaper man"
Never mind. II you are not a won-
der, you'll have 10 be; you can take
lessons in Los Angeles; there are
quantities OF Japs there. Why. even
In Chicago. Janet picked up one. and
we imported him. and Archie took
lessons, and practices every day.
There's book IN my bag. in the rack
there. a very interesting book; Janet
and have both read a 50 we could
ak 70 srxA,s. You would better skiAa !