The Washington times., 1911-02-04

They all seized hands. This don't
mean much to me personally, for I've
only got a little in it, said the Mayor
but | certainly have the glad feeling
on your account, Rogers. You car
clear right out to a land where the all
was made for breathin' purposes. Here
in New York the air amt good fol
much except film in lots. Yes, sir
Rogers, I'm certainly glad,
In the course of the morning Mr..
Harris dropped in. He asked for Rog-
ers, but David said that Rogers was
out. For half an hour the detective
talked about the houses in which he
was interested, now and then slipping
in guileless questions about Rogers. But
David was on his guard; he matched his
wits against Harris. and when at length
the detective went away David was GER
tain that he was no wiser than when he
came.
At half-past the Mayor thrust his
head into the office, and, seeing Kate
was there, beckoned David into the
hall. The Mayor had never before
been at elbows with a real money king,
so for him the meeting was a new ex-
perience; and despite his ire toward Mr..
Chambers, he was prompted to make
his appearance before royalty in a fit
ting court costume.
"Dyou think 1 look all right?" he
asked anXiouSly.
David surveyed the Mayors bulky
figure. There was silk hat with not
single fiber in disarray, a long light
overcoat, a pair of fresh gloves that
were staringly tan, and the most gor-
geous waistcoat in the Mayors closet
He walked to the door and looked out.
There comes our carriage" he called.
Get Rogers and we'll be movin'.''
"Carriage!' cried David.
"Sure. D'you think we're goin' to let
Chambers and his bunch think we're
a lot o cheap skates? Not much. We're
goin' to do this thing proper"
But Mr.. Chambers himself uses the
street cars"
"NNell. he can afford to-" the, Mayor
returned with equanimity. I'VE can't -
When David walked with Rogers to
the carriage he would not have been
surprised had the Mayor handed them
for their lapels punches of roses knotted
with ribbon. They settled back against
the cushions and suspense silenced
them, and with hardly a word they
rumbled over to Broadway, down into
Wall Street, and up before Mr.. Cham
bers' office.
AS they stepped from the carriage,
Rogers thin fingers gripped David's
hand like taut cords.
David returned the pressure. It'll be
all right" he said reassuringly.
They went up the broad steps into a
tiled hallway. and turned to their right
to the entrance of the private banking
house of Alexander Chambers & Co.
An erect, liveried negro whose stiffly
formal manners suggested a spring
within him. admitted them into a great
light room in which, behind a partition
of glass and bronze grating that reached
halfway to the ceiling, sat scores Of
men working swiftly without appear
ance of speed A word and a lifted
finger from the black automaton di-
fnd fp h. for av.6 ne -
Here man with the bearing of a
statesman, Mr.. Chambers doorkeeper,
bowed them into three leather-seated
chairs, and carried their names in to
Mr.. Chambers private secretary.
Almost at once the doorkeeper reap
peared, and with the subdued air that
the place, led them into
a large office. The keen-faced secre-
tary, rising from his desk, ushered them
a door into another office. At
the great desk in the center of the room
were Mr.. Chambers and Mr.. Jordon.
der as to how Mr.. Chambers would re-
ceive him was at once relieved. An in
clination Of the head and a quiet "Glad
to see you, Mr.. Aldrich"-that was all |;
nothing in his impassive face and man.
ner to suggest that he remembered the
prison-gap in David's life.
They all sat down-David, Rogers, and
the Mayor-in three leather-bottomed
chairs which stood in front and to the
right of Mr.. Chambers desk. To the
left, in row, were half a dozen other
chairs. Mr.. Chambers leaned slightly
forward and folded his hands on the
plate-glass top of his desk.
Let us go straight to the point of
this matter" he began, addressing Rog-
ers, who sat between David and the
Mayor. "Mr. Jordon tells me you re-
fuse to consider any sum less than $780,
900 for the land you control. Is that cor
rect?''
1T is
Dayid's shoulder against Rogers told