Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-24
have an offer for it that it seems best

I have an offer for it that it seems best
, to accept. Walsh wishes to buy it,
Walsh exclaimed Wayne.
Il was surprised that he should want
| to leave us Col. Craighill continued.
II rather more surprised that he
! should be able to- said Wayne. who saw
nothing heinous in Walsh's wish to leave
| the office if he could do better elsewhere.
| 1t was. however, quite like his father to
express amaZement that a valued sub
ordinate should desert his standard With
| in fortnight Wayne's attitude toward
his father had unconsciouSly hardened
what once had been fitful rebellion was
| now stubborn revolt. In his heart Wayne
felt that his father had never appre-
, ciated Walsh. and he hoped now, that If
! the silent lieutenant left. the loss would
precipitate the breaking down of this
| complacency, this perfect self-confidence.
Walsh has made a fair offer. He
knows the business well-as well. practi-
| cally, as | myself. His offer is based on
the last invoice, to which he adds one
hundred thousand dollars for the name
and good will of the house. The capitali-
cation is Just a s your grandfather left it,
Walsh has owned. for a number of years.
you remember, ten shares of the capital
stock. You and | together own the rest.
The few shares held by men in the office
TO complete the organization are all as
Der
Twenty shares said Wayne. prompt
ly. irrtated that his father was assuming
that he would not know.
Quite right. You own twenty: i hold
siXty-fiye and that leaves five shares held
by the clerks that are practically mine. |
take it for granted that YOU will wish to
sell Your holding if | dispose of the con-
trolling interest
NO. | hardly think | shall replied
Wayne. THE earnings are better than
they ever were. and | shouldn't know
where to do we'll Besides" he added,
in tone that caused his father to vince,
the business was started by Grand
father Wayne and j have always felt
that | owed il to mother TO keep my in
terest there. l suppose the corporate
name will not be changed"
Il had assumed ii would not be re-
piled Col. Craighill. smiling. 1T is part
of the assets
Certainly, the Wayne-Craighil Com
pany. AS | am both a Wayne and a
Craighiil l prefer to stay in: assume
you don't care one way or another.
ION the other hand, | am glad 10 see
that you have mind of your own in the
matter. and your feeling about your
grandfather. the founder of the house
does YOU great credit. my son. 1t pleases
me more than j can say | should not be
retiring myself If this were not i'm line
with my plans of several years for con-
centratinE my interests. | use this
money to better advantage elsewhere.
He did not explain how he proposed to
of the jobhing business, and Wayne asked
no questions. y number of men were
waiting, as usual. to see Col. Craighill.
who presently took up several cards from
his desk and rang for the office boy To
begin admitting the callers.
Wayne had ordered Joe to bring down
his runabout at o'clock and for half
an hour he idled as he waited in his own
office He came and went as he liked by
the hall door in his room, so that the
clerks in the outer office never knew
whether he was in or not.
Home. joe and he sat silently pom
dering until the car drew up at his
fathers door. As he hung up his coat he
was conscious of a new expectation,
new exhiiaration. His heart beat fast as
he stood. listening intently, like one VINO
is startled by an obscure sound in lone
ly house and waits for its recurrence. He
had gone home to see his fathers vile;
he had gone expecting to find her alone
and he peered into the dim drawing room
guardediy. as though fearful of detection
\ clock on the stair struck the half hour
and its chime, familiar from childhood
beat upon his ears jarringly, and sent
confused alarms bounding through ms
pulses. He turned into the library, and
there the thronging hosts of memory that
the scene summoned steadied and sobered
him as he stood within the portieres.
hen. as Sc swung round into the hall.
he heard light laugh above, and Mrs.
Craighill came running down to meet
him. Her step on the stair was noiseless:
his pictorial sense was alive to the grace
of her swift descent.
Home SO soon,'
She put out her hand and waited at the
foot of the stair. A rose-colored house
gown, whose half sleeves disclosed her