The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-04-29
CHAPTER Il-continued.

CHAPTER discontinued.
Gary was rich, but after he had
spent his youth with incredible indus
try and a great deal Of ability to build
up a steel business and had put II into
a little combination-not a big trust,
just a genuine corporation-some of
the financial princes wanted it for a
club-to knock down bigger game.
reckon-and proceeded to cheaper the
stock in order to control 1t. Cary held
on desperately, bought more than he
could hold. mortgaged everything
else; but they were too big for him to
fight. 1t was in 1903, 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
kink in Cary's mind ever since"
did you hold any of Cary's stock?"
He was piecing his puzzle together.
Eyes; but my stock was all paid for,
and / held on to It; now it is over par
and paying dividends. oh, the prop
erty was all right, had it 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 l knew
that it would only be losing money to
lend IL to him, later-still, sometimes
I 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 belief that old age
worries easily, added to his natural
mans disinclination to attack the fem
mine 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
n bookish lad? Aunt Rehecca reported
that he liked riding and golf: but he
was not very rugged, and since his
fathers death he had seemed Estless
TO a degree. But he is better now"
she added. with a trace Of eagerness
quite foreign TO her usual manner.
sJanet Smith has reused him up; and
what do you suppose she has done?
But really, you are the cause"
'T?" queried the colonel.
"Just you. Archie, Janet argued. is
nhe kind of nature that must have
some one to be devoted to-"
"And has he taken fancy to her?
Or TO your"
Aunt Rebecca's eyes dulled a little
and her delicate lips were twisted by
a smile which had more wistfulness
than humor in IT. I'm not a lovable
person; anyhow, he does not love cas-
lily. 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 l think
he's fond of her; but what she did was
TO 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 scrapbook 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
a young creature. anyhow; but Janet
rode with him; you are a remarkable
rider; I helped there. because l re-
membered some anecdotes about you
at West Point"
"But. my dear aunt"
Don't interrupts 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"
I'm not, assure you; thaUbeast of
a newspaper man
Never mind, If you are not a won
der, you'll have to be; you can take
lessons in Ins Angeles; there are
quantities CT japs there. Why, even
IN Chicago, Janet picked up one, and
we imported him, and Archie took
lessons, and practices every day
There's a book in my bag in the rack
there. very interesting book; Janet
and have both read It so we could
talk to Archie. You would better skim