The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-27
Western. . :.
Copyright. 1910. By Charles Scribner's Sons

push before he remembered that it was late and that there had been no light in Hallock's room when he had come down the corridor to his own door.
 The touch of the push button was only a touch, and there was no an swering skirl of the bell in the ad- joining room. But as if the intention had evoked it a shadow crossed behind the superintendent's chair and came to rest at the end of the roll top desk. Lidgerwood looked up with his eyes afame. It was Hallock who was was pointing to the memorandum on the calendar pad.
 "You made that note three days ago. he said abruptly. "I saw your train come in and your light go on. What bill of lading was it you want ed to see me about?"
 For an instant Lidgerwood failed to understand Then he saw that in ab- breviating he had unconsciously used the familiar sign 'B-L," the common abbreviation of "bill of 1ading."
 "Sit down. he rapped out. "That isn't bill of lading;' it's building and loan.'"
 Hallock dragged the one vacant chair into the circle illuminated by the shaded desk electric and sat on the edge of it, with his hands on his knees. "Well?" he said in the grating voice that was so curiously like Grid ley's.
 eve can cut out the details''-this from the man who, under other con ditions, would have gone diplomatical- ly into the smallest details. Some years ago you were the treasurer of the Mesa Building and Loan associa- tion When the association went out of business its books showed a cash balance in the treasury. What became of the money"
 Hallock was silent for a time, so long a time that Lidgerwood burst out impatiently, g''Why don't you answer me?'
 'I was just wondering if it is worth while for you to throw me overheard ,' said the chief clerk, speaking slowly
  needing friends pretty badly just now, if you only knew it, MT. Lidgerwood."
 The cool retort, as from an equal in rank, added fresh fuel to the fire.
 "Tm not buying friends with conces- sions to injustice and crooked deal ing" Lidgerwood exploded. You were in the railroad service when the money was paid over to you, and you are ill the railroad service now. want to know where the money went"
 Its none of your business, MT. Lid gerwood."
 "By heavens, I'm making it my business, Hallock! These men who were robbed say that you are an em- bezzler, thief. If you are not you've got to clear yourself. If you are you can't stay in the Red Butte service another day; that's all."
 Again there was silence surcharged with electric possibilities. When Hal lock spoke it was still without anger.
 ''I don't care a hang for your chief clerkship," he said calmly, but for reasons of my own I am not ready to quit on such short notice. When I am ready you won't have to discharge me. Upon what terms can I stay"
 ''Tve stated them," said the one who was angry. Discharge your trust, make good in dollars and cents or show cause why you were caught with an empty cash box"
 'You seem to take it for granted that I was the only grafter in the building and loan business" the chief clerk objected. 'I wasn't. On the con- trary, I was only a necessary cog in the wheel. Somebody had to make the deductions from the payrolls, and"-
 "I'm not asking you to make ex- cuses," stormed Lidgerwood. '1'm tell ing you that you've got to make good! If the money was used legitimately you or some of your fellow officers in the company should be able to show it. If the others left you to hold the bag it is due to yourself, to the men who were held up and to me that you set yourself straight. Go to Flemister he was your president, wasn't he?- and get him to make statement that I can show to the grievance commit tee. That will let you out and me too.''
 Hallock stood up and leaned over the desk end. His saturnine face was mask of cold rage, but his eyes were burning.
 '.If thought you knew what you're saying" he began in the grating voice, "but you don't-you can't know" Then, with a sudden break in the fierce tone: Don't send me to Elem ister for my clearance-don't do it, MT. Lidgerwood. It's playing with fire. I didn't steal the money; I'll swear to it on a stack of Bibles a mile high. Flemister will tell you so if he is paid his price. But you don't want me to pay the price. If I do'-
 "Go on,' said Lidgerwood, frown- ing. "f you do, what then?''