The Irish standard., 1909-01-30
WE NAN%


to pay Sis and her back, don't you
see? We came here. l got Job. a
well-paid one, too, through Enjoys ia
Their, reporting on the condition of the
mills-a kind of examiner. And the
job was for Keatcham.'
"Why did you take It? know,
though. You did it to familiarize him
with your appearance, so that he
would not be warned when your
chance came"
How did you know that?"
"a man I knew in the Philippines
a Filipino--was wronged by a white
man, who took his wife and threw her
aside when he tired of her. The girl
killed herself. Her husband watched
thanks to that very fact that his
victim wasn't on guard against him
and sent his knife home. He'd been
that fellows servant. picked the
dead man up. That Filipino looked as
you looked minute ago.
what became of the Filipino?" in.
quired his listener.
The colonel had not told the story
quite without intention He argued
subconsciously, that If Mercer were a
good sort under all, he would have a
movement of sympathy for a more
cruelty wronged man than he: if not,
he would drive ahead to his purpose,
whatever that might be. His keen
eyes looked little more gentle as he
answered: HE poisoned himself. The
best way out, I reckon. I should hate
to have had him shot after knew the
story. But there was really no option.
But I'm interrupting you. You did
your work we'll and won Keatchams
confidence?"
"He isn't a very conflding man.
didn't see him often. My dealings
were with Atkins. He didn't know
that had found him out; he thought
that he had only to explain his two
names, and expected gratitude for his
warning, as he called it. He is Shiny;
but was able to repay little of my
score with him. 1 was employed by
more than Keatcham, and saw a
good many industrial back-yards. Just
chance, L came on clew. and Endy
Tracy and l worked it UP together.
Atkins was selling information to
Keatcham's enemies. We did not
make out complete case, but enough
and at the right time. But that hap
uened later-you see, I don't know
how to tell story even with so much
at stake" He pulled out his handker-
chief, and Winter caught the CLEAN Of
the beads on his sallow forehead. ut
was this way" he went on. cat first
I was only looking about for safe
chance to kill him, and to kill that
snake of an Atkins; but then it grew
on me; it was all too easy a punish
ment-just quick death, when his
victims had years of misery. wanted
him to wade through the hel, I had
to wade through. wanted him to
know why he was condemned. Then
it was began to collect just the cases
I knew about-just one little section
Of the horrible swath of agony and hui
initiation and poverty and sin he and
his crowd had made-the one I knew
every foot of, because I'd gone over
It every night wasn't so dead tired I
had to sleep. God! do you know what
it is to have the people who used to
be running out of their houses just to
say howdy to you, curse you for a
swindler or a fool or turn out of one
street and down the other not to pass
you? Did you ever have little wom-
an who used to give you frosted cake
when you were a boy push her Grape
veil off her gray hair and hand you the
envelope with her stock. with your
handwriting on the envelope, and beg
you-trying SO hard not to cry, twas
worse than if she had-beg you to lend
her just half her interest money-and
You couldn't do it? Did you-never
mind. said 1 waded through hell.
I did! Not I alone-that was the
worst-all the people that had trusted
me! And just that some rich men
should be richer. Why should they
have the lions share? The lions
share belongs to the lion. They are
nothing but jackals. They're meaner
than iackals, for the jackals take what
the lion leaves, and these fellows steal
the lions meat away from him. We
made honest money; we paid honest
wages; folks had more paint on their
houses and more meat in their store
houses. and wore better clothes Sun
day, and there were more schoolhouses
and fewer saloons, and the negroes
were learning trade instead of loaf
ing. The whole county was the better
off for our prosperity, and there isn't a
mill in the outfit-and I know what
I'm talking about-there isn't shop
or mine that's as we'll run or makes
as big an output now as it did when
the old crowd was in. You find 1t that
way everywhere; and that's what is
going to break things down. We saw
to all the little affairs; they we're our
affairs. don't you know? But Keatch.
ANS new. men draw their salaries and
let things slide. Yet Keatcham. is q
great manager II he would only take
the time; only he's too busy stealing
to develop his businesses; there's more