The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-06-30

I'll 60
No, stay" he commanded. There's
something funny going On, and I pro-
pose 70 know what It f. Nov, HoIl-
wedeE-
HollWedel gtammersd.
Well. It isn't much" he said. that
had TO do with the deal" he added.
hastily. Matter Of fact, / only acted
as an agent, under orders. OF courge,
you understand. thought they were
your orders. and obeyed them i'm
plicitly."
"Orders?" queried West.
Mrs. West sverted her face.
II hope you won't BE- angry,
Tonn.' she faltered, tremuIoasIy.
IN be angry # don't get this
straight from the beginning" said
West. 60 On, HoIIwedel. I promise
to control myself and not to inter
rupt."
Well" said HoIIwedel: and stop
ped Well" he plunged desperately
at his narrative. the morning after
you were sunstruck, Mrs. West called
at the office. Mind You, I hadn't any
notion that you were even aiIing. She
said that you had broken your arm
your right arm"
"why?'' demanded the startled con
valescent.
TO explain why you couldn't send
me written instructions, By your OVID
hand" suggested HoIlwsdel.
Yes" assented Mrs. West, tirnld1y
And" the broker continued, ct was
necessary to get around Belden. You
had given her full details Of how was
TO go about the business. Mrs. West
Instructed me. I thought that it was
mighty risky, but that made it seem
all the more as though it came from
you, West. 1t was a scheme to knock
the bottom out of Net Common, in or
der to keep Bsldeu On the anxious
seat while We quietly bought up a ma
tority Of the Bennington Fours. OBJ
tected because we hadn't ready money
enough to put It through, but Mrs
West overcame that by pledging her
personal fortune to old winant. That
gave Us enough TO operate with"
"Bess," cried West, "you-you did
that"
watt" advised HoIIwedeL You
promised to go easy. Mrs West start.
ed the ball rolling by going to Wise's
uptown room and selling FIVE hundred
Net Common short Inasmuch as YOU
we're known TO have been eonferrins
| with Beldsn the day before and Mrs
West being your wife, presumably IA,
king flyer for pin money on your
/ advice, young Wise jumped at the con.
clusion that Net Common was due to
| BREAKFAST as We had figured he
/ would He telephoned his papa. and
| the Wise clique unlozded on the min,
| ute. That staggered Belden, and be-
| fore he got over It, everybody was
| bearing Net. I sold ten thousand
! short, Just TO help things along. and
Belden took the count. Then soaked
them with twenty-five thousand shares
and Net dropped like a sinker. She
closed at eighty-three, with Beldeu
choking to death; and we covered and
cashed in to a beautiful tune
In the meantime, I'd been cabling
the English investors for their Ben.
niHgtons, and got a big block from
over there, besides what I picked up
on the Street during the slump and
while Belden was getting his second
wind Finally. had coFraled over
half the bond issue, which Mrs. West
and locked up in our safe deposit
vault. Pretty soon-day or two
Belden came around: said he's recon.
stdered, that he'd take our block at
the price agreed upon-eighty. I told
him Just how things stood We held
the majority Of the FOurs: but we
didn't want them. We didn't care to
foreclose. I told him he could have
them at par. He swore he'd have
your blood. West-and gave in. He
had TO. I don't know where he got the
money. but do know that We cleared
nearly a million on the operation. And
your wite's responsible"
Hollwedel stopped abruptly. Mrs.
West started. and quiTered a little
with fearful gladness-that she had
done this thing for him. for her hus-
band. But she feared TO meet his eye.
West remained still In his chair. star
ing at the ceiling. After a while-a
tense. silent interval-he passed his
hand over his eyes.
My wife" he said. softly, and
arose He took step or two toward
her. and paused. - nfllion!" he whis-
pered. oh, good Lordt" He ad-
vanced until he lowered above her.
while she sat with bowed head and 4
film Of dimnsss cIouding her vision.
Ny wife," said West, breathlessly.
"Bess-
She looked u at him. her face shin
ing
II had to. dear" she said. 81
couldn't help fittings were so des-
perate. Something had to be done.
and it seemed to ne that you would
have done Just that"
''But-but how could you know how
to flank Belden."
How could help knowing. Tom?'