The San Francisco call., 1910-03-06
PARDON NE, JIM, BUT WHAT THE DEVIL DO YOU MEAN

and had thought she would like to have word in
time She did like it extremely. She thousand
times obliged to Mr.. Carteret for the information.
She would certainly upon it How clever and
thoughtful he was And they parted with the friendly
feeling of fellow conspirators.
Matters developed quickly. Carter himself placed
heavy selling orders the stock early in the after
noon, his resignation from the directorate having
been left in the hands of the experimenting clerk
precautionary His motive in calling Mrs
Stilton into his scheme to increase the down
ward pressure and give body to the assault he
planned There others TO whom he dared
trust the tip During the of the day he busy
in his apartments with the preparation of the
script that would be his Is inch gun in the action
Having finished it by o'clock, he it to be
mimeographed and ordered so copies.
At o'clock his prelimnaries complete. He
was definitely launched his experiment. He
content. Each detail had been we'll planned. There
would be terrific explosion the morrow and from
the wreckage would emerge R. Pendleton Carteret in
new role commanding financial figure, playing only
for the biggest stakes, live factor among the giants
of wealth. He recalled Janson Cutten's grandio-
quent phrase, the thorny path of industrial empire
building" He that path and he could no
reason to fear failure.
He had his hand on the telephone receiver at
half-past eight Just he about to lift it from
the hook the buzzer announced visitor He went
to the hall door and opened it. Outside stood
Jimmy" Hope
well, here's good fortune" exclaimed Carter
welcoming him with outstretched hand and drawing
him into the sitting room. "St down, won't you?
Wait until l get the glasses Haven't you in
months. What blew you here?"
Come to pluck your battered form off the rocks, ,,
said Hope, grimly, with feeling than precision
He helped himself sparingy from the bottle and
Ieced the easiest chair. What an utter, confounded
idiot you are Carteret"
THE GOOD AT THE SURFACE
Thanks" said the Virginian, calmly. "But why
this sudden appreciation of my virtues?"
Jimmy Hope very different person from
the tremulous dissipated wastrel that Carter had
helped to a wife during his first adventure in the
metropolis The firm hand of the woman had kept
him carefully to the narrow way and her love had
coaxed the good grain OF him the surface. He took
hold of the situation with assurance.
Question for question: Carteret. What ever in
duced you embark ON this utterly wild scheme of
yours? Do you want to be crushed off hand? Thanks
be- little Stilton had enough sound Mrs Hope
your exact eligibility tipster and heard the
whole mad thing. Pm here to turn you back"
Carter abruptly. Pardon me, Jim but what
the devil do you mean?
Mean! What do you mean? Here you are, an
awfully decent chap I'll allow, but with no more
knowledge of the big game you're apparently hunting
than the child new born. And of all things you
have to start raid on Cuttens properties And if
that isn't bad enough, you try drag along
to help Now let's hear the whole thing from start
finish"
The Virginian was. on the verge OF sharp retort
He had fallen into the habit of regarding Jimmy
good natured nonentity, infinitely inferior to him
self in all things but money and rank The tone of