The log cabin Democrat., 1909-11-26
CHAPTER lI-Continued.


Gary was rich, but after he had
spent his youth with incredible indus
try and a great deal of ability to build
up steel business and had put it into
a little combination-not a big trust,
just 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 it. 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 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
kink in Carys 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 knew
that 1t would only be losing money to
lend 1t to him. later-still, sometimes
have been rather sorry | didn't,
Would l 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 ne
had overheard from Mercer and his
companion; but a belief that old age
worries easily, added to his natura
mans Discrimination to attack the fem-
inine nerves, tipped the scales against
frankness. So, instead, he began to
talk about Archie; what was he like?
was NE lOUu VI dlllltIiNo' VI '''' -
. bookish lad? Aunt Rebecca reported
that he liked riding and golf; but he
was not very rugged, and since MS
fathers death he had seemed listless
to 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 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 it. I'm not a lovable
person; anyhow, he does not love cas-
ily. 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
to make him fond of you. You. Gen.
Rupert Winter; why, that boy could
pass an examination on your exploits
end not miss a question. Janet and ne
have a scrap-book with every printed
word about you, ! do believe. Ana
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 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
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, l assure sou; that beast of
newspaper man"
"Never mind, If you are not won
der, you'll have to be; you can take
lessons in Los Angeles; there are
quantities of laps 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 l have both read it so we could
TAX to Archie. You would better skim