The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-29


glimpses Of deeper mystery involv-
ing Flemister and Hallock. Angels
tradition spoke freely Of a former
friendship between the two men, One
thing was certain-of all the minor Of
fcials in the railway service Hallock
was the one who was best able to for
ward and to conceal Flemister's thiev-
cries.
It was in the midst of the subterra-
mean investigations that Lidgerwood
had a call from the owner Of the Wire
Silver. On the Saturday in the week
Of surcease Flemister came in On the
noon train from the west, and it was
McCloskey who ushered him into the
superintendent Office. Lidgerwood
looked up and saw small man wear
ing the khaki Of the engineers, with a
soft felt hat to match. The swapping
black eyes, with the straight brows
almost meeting over the nose, sug-
gested Goethe's Mephistopheles. and
Flemister shaved to fit the part, with
curling mustaches and q dagger point
ed imperial.
give been trying to find time for a
month or more to come up and get ac-
quainted with you, Mr.. Lidgerwood,"
the visitor began when Lidgerwood
had waved him to chair. Il hope
you are not going to hold it against
me that I haven't done it sooner"
Lidgerwood's smile was meant to be
no more than decently hospitable.
1--WE are not standing much upon
ceremony in these days Of reorganiza-
tion," he said. Then, to hold the in
terview down firmly to a business
basis, what can / do for you, Mr..
Flemister?"
It's the other way round. came to
do something for you-or, rather, for
one of your subordinates. Hallock
tells me that the ghost of the old Mesa
Building and Loan association still re-
fuses to be laid, and he intimates that
some of the survivors are trying to
make it unpleasant for him by accus-
ing him to you. AS l understand it,
the complaint of the survivors is based
upon the fact that they think they
ought to have had a cash dividend
Forthcoming on the closing up Of the
associations affairs.
"As Hallock has probably told you
/ had the misfortune to be the presi
dent of the company. Perhaps it's
only fair to say that it was a losing
venture from the first for those of us
who put the 1oaning capital into it
AS you probably know, the money In
these mutual benefit companies is
made on lapses, but when the lapses
come all in bunch
81 am not particularly interested il
the general subject, Mr.. Flemister,'
| Lidgerwood cut in. CAS- the matter
has been presented to me. under
| stand there was a cash balance shown
on the books and that there was NJ
cash in the treasury to make it good
Since Hallock was the treasurer car
scarcely do less than have done.
am merely asking him and you tt
make some sort of explanation which
will satisfy the losers"
There Is only one explanation to b.
made" said the excluding and LOAF
president brazenly. ga few of US VIII
| were the officers of the company wer
the heaviest losers, and we felt tina
we were entitled to the scraps an,
leavings."
I'm other words, you looted the treas
ury among you," said Lidgerwood cold
~. "Is that it, Mr.. FlemisterT'
The mine owner laughed easily. "1'r
not going to quarrel with you over tn
word" he returned. POSSIBLY the Pre-
ceeding was a little informal If 70
measure 1t by some Of the more highl
civilized standards"
81 don't care to go into that" wa
Lidgerwood's comment, "but l canno
evade my responsibility for the on
member of your official staff who
still on my payroll. How far was Ha
lock impIicated?"
HE was not implicated at all saw
In a clerical way"
"You mean that he did not share
the distribution Of the money!
"He did not"
"Then 1t Is only fair that you shout
set him straight with the others, NJ
Flemister."
The ex-president did not reply 6
once. He took time to roll cigarett
leisurely, to light it and to take one {
two deep limitations before he sait
'It's rather disagreeable thing to d
this digging into old graveyards. don
| spJ- A. EirI
" don't know what you can do wit
them unless you send them to N
8 And If you do that / am afraid SON
Of them may come back on hospit
stretchers. I haven't any time to 70
with them at this late day"
Lidgerwood felt his gorge rising, ar
a great contempt for Flemister ":
mingled with a manful desire TO pitt
him out into the corridor. It was
concession to his unexplainable pi
for Hallock that made him temporize
! I'm justice to Hallock, / think =,
| ought to make a statement OF sou
kind that l can show to these me
who, very naturally. look to me t
redress VIII you do that?'
"Tll think about it." returned t
mine owner shortly, but Lidgerwo
was not to be put off so easily.
: You must think Of It to some go
purpose" he insisted IF you dol
I shall be obliged to put my own CO
: | struction upon your failure to do
III and to act accordingly"
Flemister's smile showed his teeth
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