Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-18

know what her love means to me.
have put myself in your power. Sup
pose I've wronged you? Now is your
chance to do a divine thing. Deep
down in your heart of hearts you know
that the act would be one Of justice
between man and man."
Bivens looked up sharply.
"As a charity, Woodman, might
give you the paltry fifty thousand dol
lars you ask"
I'll take it as a charity!" he cried
eagerly, take it with joy and graft
tude, and thank God for his salvation
sent in the hour of my need"
Bivens smiled coldly.
But in reality. you demand justice
of me?"
II have put myself in your power
have refused and still refuse to believe
that you can treat me with such bitter
cruelty as to refuse to recognize my
claim. l have walked at last to find
myself helpless. The shock Of 1t has
crushed me. I've always felt rich in
the love of my country, in the con-
sciousness that l did my part to save
the Union. Its growing wealth l have
rejoiced in as my own. There has
never been a moment in my life up to
this hour that l have envied any man
the possession of his millions. In the
fight have made on you, have been
trying to strike for the freedom of the
individual man against what seemed
to me to be the crushing slavery OF
soulless machinery"
The little financier lifted his shapely
hand with a commanding gesture and
the speaker paused.
Come to the point, Woodman, what
is in your mind when you say that
am your debtor?"
Simply that / have always known
that your formula for that drink was
a prescription which l compounded
years ago ahd which you often filled
for me when was busy. AS a physi-
clan / could not patent such thing.
You had as much right to patent 1t as
any one else"
IN other words" Bivens interrupt
ed coldly, you inform me that you
have always known that / stole from
your prescription counter the formula
which gave me my first fortune, and
for that reason every dollar l possess
today is branded with the finger print
of a thief; and you, the upright physi-
clan, held by the old code of honor
which makes your profession frater-
nifty of ancient chivalry, come now with
your hat in hand and ask ME for a
share of this tainted money"
"Bivens," the doctor protested with
dignity" you know that have made
no such wild accusation against you.
In our contest 1 have never stopped to
personalities. l have always felt that
the inherent justice Of my cause was
based on principle. But I'm an old
man tonight. The sands Of life are
running low. I'm down and out. The
one being 1 love supremely Is in peril.
l can't fight"
Bivens turned with sudden fury and
faced his visitor, every mask OF re-
straint thrown to the winds. His lit
tie bead-eyes with the venom OF q
snake coiled to strike. He stood close
to the doctor and looked up at his tall
massive figure, stretching his own d.
minutive form in a desperate effort TO
stand on a level with his enemy.
The doctors face grew suddenly
pale and his form rigid as the two men
stood holding each others gaze for a
moment without words.
The financier began to speak with
slow venomous energy:
I've let you ramble on in your
maudlin talk, Woodman, because II
amused me. For years I've waited for
your coming. Your unexpected advent
is the sweetest triumph of this festi-
val night The offer l made you was
at the suggestion of my wife. l did II
solely to please her. l think you Will
take my word for it tonight" He
paused and a sinister smile played
about his mouth. The last time / saw
you / promised myself that I'd make
you come to me the next time, and
when you did, that you'd come on your
hands and knees"
The doctors big fist suddenly closed
toward
his desk when his slender hand grip
ped and fumbled heavy cut glass ink
stand. The older observed his tremb-
ling hand with a smile of contempt
And l swore," Bivens went on in
voice quivering with unrestrained pas
sion, that when you looked up into my
face grovelling and whining for mercy
as you have tonight, I'd call my SER
wants and order them to kick you
down my door STEP"
He loosed his hold on the ink stand
and leaned across the massive fiat-tor
desk to touch an electric button.
The doctors fist suddenly grippeC
the outstretched hand and his eyes
glared into the face of the financiel
with the dangerous look of a madman
You had better not ring that bell
yet" he said with forced quiet in his
tones.
Plvens he3itated and his muscles re-
laXeG in the grip on his wrist.
You wish to prolong the agony fol
another moral discussion?" the fnan
cicr asked with q sneer. "All right, Il
you enjoy it,"
Just long enough to say one thine
to you, Bivens. There's limit beyonC
which you and your kind had better
not press the men YOU have wronged
You have made a brave show of yOul
power tonight. Well, you are mistaker
if you believe you can longer awe the
Imagination of the world with its tin
sci. You have begun to stir deeper
thoughts. Look to your skin. I've al
ways said this is Gods world, and Il
must come out right in the end. I've
begun to think tonight there's some
thing wrong. God can't look dowr
and see what's going on here-the Goo
nd NKrnrchin urh