The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-08-18

vaudeville. ne observed. al nrSt
was inclined to take him rather Sc
riously. but he's too inelodramatic to
mean anything. ! happened to see
that paper knife incident out of the
corner of nv eye. Blagg deliberately
pushed IL off the desk to fall at your
| feet"
Kelvin joined in the laugh. Hes
absolutely harmless he said. "but he's
an excellent wireless operator"
Shortly afterward the paper knife
disappeared from Kelvin's desk. but
no one noticed its absence.
The argument with Rollins had but
one possible result :, Hepperdon and
Raymer got their concessions, as did a
few others. Raymer had originally APP
peared as representing the entire pack
ers' combine. but when the matter was
put squarely up to him he promptly
left Speed. Melton Sears & Co. and the
rest Of them out In the cold. took a
comfortable rebate for his own ship
ments and let them pay the full
freight. Valentine was left out en-
tireiy, Kelvin, with a smile. pointing
but one Of the men whom Valentine
claimed as his own. The Oswald bill
was killed in committee.
Valentine was one of the loudest OBJ
jectors. His business was ruined. and
the wooden mills combine resolved 1t.
self into its original members. Kel-
Wins publicity bureau seized upon this
as the first shining example Of what
the fat rate had done for the public,
and Kelvin went soaring again in the
public esteem. The mills of the wool
en- combine had once more become In
dependent concerns. competing with
one another, with the double effect of
raising the price of wool and lowering
the price of the finished article, the
farmers and the public being the great
benefciaries, and Rollins had done
this. with Breed back of him as the
momentum, and back of them both
Kelvin as the dynamic force. Great
was Kelvin. Then the beef combine
came TO blows. Raymer, as he we'll
might. was underselling the other
packers and gobbling up their trade.
Some of this internal war leaked out.
and again the fat rate. Breed. Rollins
Unified Steel corporation. the wooden
combine and the beef trust-there
was a record over which TO crow!
Who now was the friend Of the people?
Why. Breed and Rollins and Kelvin,
great Kelvin.
But Kelvin had long since absented
himself from Forest Lakes. leaving be-
hind him no thought q any interest
that might be there, save as 1t con-
cerned his own boundless aims. The
dreams of two women. one dark and
one fair. followed him. but he would
not have cared now IL he had known.
He left the field to his rivals and
plunged into his new plans with the
same concentration that had marked
his previous undertakings. Henry
Breed, watched savagely by Zelphan.
spent his half hour daily in his huge
money vault and day by day spent
more and more furtive time upon his
Bible. while Blagg at dead of night
practiced necessarily upon his sample
combination lock. He could open II
now, set upon any combination. by the
mere feel of the drop of the tumblers.
Kelvin's new task was an agreeable
one. He took up pleasant quarters In
Washington and began to entertain the
list Of senators whom Breed counted
as among his assets. and gradually his
circle Of acquaintance grew. he was
gone about three months. and when he
returned he sent for Rollins.
slave you sent Hepperdon and Ray
mer and the others their rebates" he
asked.
Yesterday, up to the LIST Of the
MONTH" replied Rollins. "Why?'
Because there are to be no more.
Collect your fiat rate and keep It
without single exception. We've
won."
Rebate to the United Food com
pany, as usual, Rollins" interrupted
Breed, with chuckle That's my
only profit on bread now, you know.
since Kelvin reduced it to cost. And
rebate in cash, Rollins, always In
cash."
But I don't quite understand" pro-
tested Rollins. Cant they legislate
against us effectively now?'
Scarcely" returned Kelvin, with
smile. "since we ourselves are the law
making body. SO long as we keep the
public from clamoring too much to
their servants in Washington. I've
just purchased stock In the govern
ment-former assets of Hepperdon and
Raymer and their fellow bandits-to
give us control"
Rollins looked troubled. 81 don't
like it." he said.
NONSENSE" declared Kelvin. Were
using 1t to good end You can estab-
fish your fiat rate now as you planned
in the first place. We're going to be-
gin the battle of the trusts in earnest"
THE battle Of the trusts" repeated
Rollins musingiy. 1T sounds interest
ing at least
1t won't be, though" replied Kel-
vim, with contempt. There will be no
battle whatever. I'm merely going to
chloroform them on the eve Of the