Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-07-05

Then. briefly and crisply. he outlined
his plan Of action. Nick Walloway
heard him through with glow Of ad-
miration in his eyes.
"1f you can do that, Cherub. you'll
win." he declared: ''but If the scheme
slips up
"Then I'm down and out. But It's
got to 60 through" and Mr.. Devine's
mouth lost some Of its chernbic curves.
you'll do your part. Nick. Oh. it
will be easier than you think! They'll
never suspect you're in It, And don't
try to report until II tonight. Then
you know where to come-private din
Ing room, tenth floor. I'll have 'em all
there at H."
When Cherub Devine appeared on
time the rumors of his defeat were
passing from mouth to mouth. The
Bates-Rimmer retainers were indulg-
ing in war dance Of victory.
Silently the Cherub passed to his ac-
customed corner and began tearing
pieces Of paper into small bits with
the same calm. unhurried air Of alb
straction as usual. Many glances were
bestowed on him. most Of them Gu
riOus. few sympathetic. some trl-
umphantly vindictive. Everywhere he
was regarded as beaten man. Now
and then gray uniformed floor boy
handed him messages. which he read
leisurely and as leisurely reduced to
fragments. Just as the session closed
Pop Rimmer passed near him and
turned to favor him with an apelike
leer. The Cherub binked unrespond
| tngly. He seemed too dazed by mis-
fortune even to disguise his chagrin.
A somewhat different Cherub De-
vine it was. however. who met his
half dozen lieutenants that night be-
hind the seclusion Of safely locked
doors on the tenth floor of gaudy
big hotel. He had become an alert.
masterful. confident person. who thrill
ed those about him by a rev elation Of
unguesSed resources and unsupported
reserves Ol IOTce.
The climax of the struggle was
reached during Thursday. Along
about the noon hour the members Of
the Bates. Rimmer combination were
forced to admit that the Cherub was
still in the fight. They made the ad-
mission with profane JUNCTION. They
did not understand why 1t was so.
They only knew that in some mysteri-
GUS manner their triumphant career
had been checked.
Thus it went All that afternoon
the contest waged. Now the price OF
p. z. and n. stocks slqmped desper-
ately. now it skyrocketed amazingly.
Other stocks were affected The
whole list quaked and quivered as the
struggling giants Of finance wrestled
heedessly about the arena.
Placidly smoking fat. black cigar
and fitting comfortably back in one
Of Walloway & Co.'S mahogany Office
chairs. Cherub Devine received bull
letins from the front. That was the
position in which Nick Walloway
found him when. after the day was
over. he rushed in. haggard of face
and with an anxious look in his eyes.
I'VE lack fifty shares" he announc-
ed briefly.
"Then that's fifty we must get to-
morrow morning." responded the
Cherub.
1T can't be DONE" declared VALID
way. dropping hopelessly into chair.
'The country has been raked with a
fine toothed comb. We can't get hold
OF another share I'm sorry. Cherub.
but I've done my best for you. The
F.. z. and Ms annual meeting is held
at noon tomorrow. and the Bates-Rim-
mer crowd has practically got us beat
en- now. If we only had fifty shares
more we could wipe them off the face
of the earth"
you're as bad as the countess"
chuckled the Cherub amicably. Then
as this reflection recalled something
to his mind he thrust his hand into an
inner pocket Of his coat and drew out
a long envelope. at which he stared
blankly.
a twinge Of guilt pricked his con-
science. There-he had completely for
gotten the first errand with which she
had intrusted him. Doubtless it was
to exchange this stock for cash that
she had been so anxious to come to
the city. Perhaps she had been ex-
pecting a remittance by every mail.
S ha mefacedly he opened the envelope
to make an idle examination Of the
contents. At the first glimpse his ex-
preston changed. Hastily he ran
through the documents, then showed
them back into the envelope.
A moment later he asked quietly.
How many shares did you say we
lacked. Nick?"
Fifty" gloomily responded Mr.. Wal
oway. his head between his hands.
And about how much would they
be worth to me just now?'
Worth! Why, anything-three hun
bred. five hundred. thousand dol
lars share if you could get them
which you can't"
MOP" responded the Cherub. We'll.
" hat do you say to those? and he
tossed the long envelope to Walloway.
That young man took his head from
between his hands and glanced re
at the Cherub. 1t was no
line for joking But he took the pack"
It and began spritless investigation.
Suddenly he jumped to his feet.
"Devinew he exclaimed hoarsely.
These are P. z. and n. preferred"
Sure" The Cherub was watching