Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-09-07
FRANCIS LYNDE
xx1I1.-(con,inued.)

crept down to the gate But 1t was
Miss Dabney. and not Nanny Juliets
Pete who was holding the reins.
Il couldn't find Pete. and Japheth
has gone to town." she explained.
Can you get in by yourself?"
He was holding on by the cut wheel.
and the death-look was creeping over
his face again.
Il can't let you." he painted; and she
thought he was thinking of the dis
grace for her.
Il am my own mistress" she said.
coldly. If choose to drive you when
you are too sick to hold the reins. 1t
IL my own affair"
Il wasn't thinking of that; but you
must first know just what you're do
ing. My father stands to lose all he
has got to-to the Farleys That's
what the meeting is for. Do you I'M
derstand?"
She bit her lip and far-away look
came into her eyes. Then she turned
on him with little frown of determl-
nation gathering between her straight
eyebrows-a frown that reminded him
OF the Major In his militant moods,
Il must take your word for It," she
said. and the words seemed to cut the
air like edged things. Tell me the
truth: is your cause entirely Just?
Your motive is not revenge?"
1T Is my fathers cause. and none
Of mine; more than that. 1t is your
krandfather's cause-and yours"
She pushed the buggy hood back
with quick arm sweep and gave him
her free hand. Step carefully" she
cautioned; and minute later they
tha v,tty
in white dust cloud of their own
making.
There was sharp crisis to the fore
in the old Lighthouse office at the fur
mace. Caleb Gordon. haggard and
tremulous, sat at one end of the tres
tle-board which served as table. with
Norman at his elbow: and hank:1s
him on either side were the two Far
leys. Dyckman. Trewhitt, acting gem
eral counsel for the company in tho
Farley interest. and Hanchett. repre-
senting the Gordons.
Having arranged the preliminarics
to his entire satisfaction, Colonel Dux-
bury had struck true and hard. The
pipe foundry might be taken into the
parent company at a certain nominal
wassee Limited stock. or three several
things were due to happen simultane-
ously: the furnace would be shut down
Indefinitely for REPAIRS" thus cutting
OF the iron supply and making ruin
GUS forfeiture of pipe contracts newt
able; suit would be brought to recover
damages for the alleged mismanago-
ment OF Chiawassee Consolidated dur
Ing the absence of the majority stock
holders: and the validity of tho pipe
pit patents would be contested In the
courts. This was the ultimatum.
The one-sided battle had been fought
to finish. Hanchett. hewing away In
the dark. had made every double and
turn that keen legal acumen and
sharp wit could suggest to gain time.
Bun Mr., Farley was memorable. a. Tho
business must be concluded at the
present sitting; otherwise the papers
in the two suits, which were already
prepared, would be filed before noon
Hanchett took his principal into the
laboratory for private word.
ats for you to decide, Mr.. Gordon"
he said. III you want to follow them
into the court, we'll do the best we can
But as friend can't advise you to
take that course"
IF we would only make out to ind
out what Toms holding over 'em!"
groaned Caleb. helplessly.
Eyes; but we can't" said the lawyer.
"And whatever 1t may be. they are evil
IDENTIFY not afraid Of It." '
Wen never see dollars dividend
out O. the stock. Cap'n Hanchett.
might as well give 'em the foundry free
and clear"
That's the chance you take, of
course But on the other hand, thew
can force you to the wall in month
and make you lose everything you
have. I've been over the books with
Norman: IL you can't I'LL your pipe
contracts. the forfeitures will ruin you.
And you can't fill them unless you can
have Chiawassee iron. and at the pres
ent price,"
The old iron master led tn. way
back to the room of doom and took his
place at the end Of the trestla-board
table.
"Give me the papers," he said, Gloom
lily: and the Farley's attorney passed
them across. with his fountain pen.
There was purring of wheels in the
air and the staccato ciatter OF a horse,
hoofs on the hard metallng of the pike
Vincent Farley rose quietly in his place
and tiptoed to the door. He was in ,h..
act of swapping the catch OF tho
spring latch. when the door few in
ward and he fell back with smother
ed exclamation. Thereupon they all
looked up. Caleb, the tremulous. with
the pen still suspended over the sigma
lures upon which the ink was still wet.
Tom was standing in the doorway.
deathly sick and clinging to the iam;,
for support In putting on his hat no
had slipped the bandages. an. the
wound was bleeding afresh. Dyckman
yelped like stricken dog. overturning
his chair as he leaped up and backed
away into a corner. Only Mr. Duxbury
Farley and his attorney were wholly
unmoved. The lawyer had taken his
fountain pen from Caleb's shaking f1n-
gers and was carefully recapping 1t;
and Mr.. Farley was pocketing the
agreement. by the terms Of which the
firm of Gordon & Gordon had ceased TO
exist
Tom lurched into the room and threw
himself feebly on the promoter. and
Vincent made as II he would come be-
tween. But there was no need for In
PREVENTION. Duxbury Farley had only
to step aside. and Tom fell heavily.
clutching the air rs he went down.
INe dusty once winch mad once been
his mothers sitting-room was cleared
of all save his rather when Tom re-
covered consciousness and sat up. with
Caleb's arm to help.
There. now. Buddy: you ortn't 10
tried to get up and come down here"
said the father, soothingly. But Toms
blood was on fire.
Tell mel" he raved: "have they got
the foundry away from your"
Caleb nodded gravely. But don't
you mind none about that son. What
I'm sweatin' about now is the fix you're
In"
Tom struggled to his feet, :ottering.
I'll cut the heart out of these de-
mons that have robbed you. Give mo
the pistol from that drawer. and drive
me down to the station before their
train comes. I'll do 1t. I'll do 1t now!"
But when old Longfellow. jigging
vertically between the buggy shafts.
picked his way out of the furnace yard.
he was permitted to turn of his own
accord in the homeward direction; and
an hour later the sick man was back