Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-09-09
CHAPTER XVII.

| "A week naQ passed since SaXtOnS ap-
| pointment to the receivership and Whea-
ton went to and from his work with many
misgivings. Several of Wheaton's friends
| had confded to him their belief that he
ought to have been appointer receiver in
stead OF Saxton, and there was little that
| he could say to this, except that he had
no time for it. He had become nervous
| and distraught, and was irritable under
| the jesting of his associates at The Bach
elors'. There was a good deal of joking
at their table for several days after Sax
tons appointment over Margrave's dis
comfture, to which Wheaton contributed
little. He felt decidedly i'll at ease under
it, Thompson. the cashier, had come
home, and Wheaton found his presence
irksome
He had seen Margrave several times at
the club since their last interview at the
bank and Margrave had nodded distantly,
as if he hardly remembered Wheaton.
Wheaton assumed that sooner or later
Margrave would offer to pay him for his
shares of Traction stock. But while the
loss of his own certificate, under all the
circumstances, did not trouble him, Mar
graves appropriation of Evelyn Porter's
shares was an unpleasant fact that haunt
ed all his waking hours.
One evening, a week after the receiver
ship incident, he resolved to 60 to Mar
grave and demand the return of Evelyn's
certificate. The idea seized firm hold up
on him. and he set out at once for Mar
graves house. He inquired for Margrave
at the door, and the maid asked him to go
into the library. They were entertaining
at dinner, she told him, and he said he
would wait He walked nervously up
and down in the well-appointed library.
He heard the hum Of voices family from
the dining-room. Margrave came in pres
emily, fat and ugly in his evening clothes.
He welcomed Wheaton noisiy and intro
duced him to his guests, two directors Of
the Transcontinental and their wives, who
were passing through town on their way
to California.
Mrs. Margrave and Mabel greeted
Wheaton cordially. Mabel was dressed
to impress the ladies from New York, and
was succeeding Mrs. Margrave was op-
pressed by the presence in her home of
so many millions and so much social dis
tinction as her guests represented, and
she contributed only murmurs Of assent
to the conversation which Mabel led with
ease discoursing of yacht races, horse
shows and like matters of metropolitan
interest. Wheaton was glad now that he
had come Margrave's guests were people
worth meeting. AS soon as Wheaton
felt that he could go decently, he rose and
shook hands with the visiting gentlemen
and bowed to the ladies. Margrave took
him by the arm with an air Of great init
macy and affection and walked with him
to the hall, where he made much of help
ing Wheaton into his overcoat.
II wanted to see you on a business
matter Wheaton began, in a low tone.
"Oh, yes" said Margrave loudly, II
forgot to mail you that check. I've been
terribly rushed lately; but in time, my
boy, in time"
"Oh, not that l mean that other GER
tifcate." Wheaton was trying to drop
the conversation to a whispering basis as
he drew on his gloves. Margrave had
again taken his arm and was walking
with him toward the front door, talking
gustiy all the while He swung the door
open and followed Wheaton out upon the
front step
"a glorious night glorious % he ejacu-
lated, putting from his walk. His hand
wandered up Wheaton's arm until it
reached his collar, and after he had al
lowed his fingers to grasp this lingering
ly, be gave Wheaton a sudden push for
ward, still holding his collar, then raised
his fat leg and kicked him from the
step.
Come again, Jim?" he called pleasant
ly. as he backed within the door and
closed it to return to his guests.
Wheaton reached his room, filed with
righteous Indignation. He might have
known that coarse fellow like Margrave
cared only for people whom he could con-
troll and he decided after a night Of re-
Election that he had acted handsomely in
saving Porter's package Of securities from
Margrave the night of the encounter at
the bank. The more be thought Of it, the
more certain be grew that he could, il it
became necessary to protect himself in
any way, turn the tables on Margrave.
He called Margrave a scoundrel In his
thoughts, and was half persuaded to go at
once 10 Fenton and explain why Marsrave
had been at the bank on the night that