Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-05-20

into his corner Of the smoking com
nartmeut to stare abSVntmindedly ont
of the window. Tie IAcIub WAS soon
apparently engaged in a profound con
temptation Of the end Of his cigar.
You would not have guessed. 10 look
at him, that he was considering any
thing more serious than the favor Of
the tobacco. Not until they were on
tie ferry cid lie break the silence.
Then. briefly ard crisply. he outlined
his plan of action. Nick Walloway
heard him through with glow of adj
miration in his eyes.
If you can do that, Cherub. you'll
win," he declared; but if the scheme
slips up
Then I'm down ard out. But it's
got to go through" and Mr.. Devines
mouth lost some of its cherubic curves
You'll do your part. Nick. Oh. it
will be easier than you think! They'll
never suspect you're in 1t. And don't
try to report until II tonight. Then
you know where to conle-private din
ing room. tenth floor. I'll have 'em all
there at H."
When Cherub Dcvine appeared On
the floor q half hour before closing
time the rumOrS of his defeat were
passing from mouth to mouth. The
Bates Rimmer rctainers were indulg
ing in a war dance Of victory.
Silently the Cherub passed to his &C.
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 tri
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 b!inked unrespond-
ingly. He seemed too dazed by mis-
fortune even to disguise his chagrin.
A somewhat different Cherub De-
vine 1t 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. lie had become an alert.
masterful. confident person. who thrill
ed those about him by a revelation of
unguessed resources and unsupported
reserves Of force
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 1t went. All that afternoon
the contest waged. Now the price Of
p. T. and N. stocks slumped desper-
! ately. now 1t skyrocketed amazingly.
Other stocks were affected. The
whole list quaked and quivered as the
struggling giants of finance wrestled
heedlessly about the arena.
Placidly smoking a 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
ard with an anxious look in his eyes.
I'VE lack fifty shares" he announc-
ed briefly.
"Then that's City 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 q
| fine toothed comb. We cant get hold
| of another share. I'm sorry. Cherub.
but I've done my best for you. The
p. z. and Ms annual meeting Is held
at noon tomorrow. and the Bates-Rim-
mer crowd has practically got us beat
en- now. II We only had fifty shares
more We could wipe them or the face
| Of the earth"
you're as bad rs the countess"
chuckled the Cherub amicably. Then
IA this reflection recalled something
| to his mind he thrust his hand into an
| inner pocket Of his coat and drew out
long envelope. Mt which he stared
blankly.
A twlnge Of guilt pricked his con-
science. Thcre-he had completely for
gotten the first errand with which she
had intrusted him. Doubtless 1t 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.
Shamefacedly 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. NickY'
Fifty" gloomily responded Mr.. Wal
loway. his head between his hands.
"And about how much would they
be worth to me just nowT
worth! Why. anything-three hum
dred, five hundred, thousand dol
lars share II you could get them
which you can't"
"Nor responded the Cherub. "Well,
what do you say to thosew and he
tossed the long envelope to Walloway.
That young man took his head from
between his hands and glanced re-
proachfully at the Cherub. 1t was no
time for joking. But be took the pack
ct and began a spiritless investigation.
Suddenly he jumped to his feet.
"Devinew he exclaimed hoarsely.
| "These are r.. z. and N. 'preferred!'
Sure" The Cherub was watching
him with calm interest