Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-09

let III SpltS Ol THEIR gloomy pTSOlC-
tions of his speedy ruin, he had stead
lily grown in power and influence.
The work on which he had just en-
tered was an investigation before an
unusually intelligent grand jury Of the
criminal acts of a group Of the most
daring and powerful financiers of the
world. These men controlled through
their position as trustees Of the treas
uries Of great corporations more mil
lions than the combined treasures OF
the governments of the Republic-state
and national. The act was not only
daring, it was extremely dangerous
Under certain conditions it nigh pro-
duce panic-so daring and dangerous
was the move that it's first announce
ment was received as a joke by the
press. The idea of a young upstart
questioning the honesty and position OF
the men who controlled the treasures
of the great insurance and trust COM
panies was ridiculous. When he realiz-
ed the magnitude Of the task he had
undertaken, he at once put his house in
order for the supreme effort. 1t was
necessary that he give up every out
side interest that might distract his
attention from the greater task.
The one matter of grave Importance
to which he was giving his time out
side his office was his position as ad-
visory counsel to DR.. Woodman in his
suit for damages against the Chemical
Trust, which had been dragging its
course through the courts for years
To his amazement he had just receiv-
ed an offer from Bivens's attorneys to
compromise this suit for a hundred
thousand dollars. He would Of course
advise the doctor to accept it immedi-
ately. He had never believed he could
win penny.
What could be Bivens's motive in
making such an offer? 1t was impos-
sible that the shrewd little president
of the American Chemical Company
had anything to fear personally from
this attack His fortune was vast
and beyond question. His wealth had
grown in the past nine years like
magic. Everything his smooth little
hand touched had turned to gold
Wherever an industry could pay a
dividend, his ferret eyes found 1t. The
process was always the same. He
brought together its rival houses, cap
italized the new combine for ten times
its actual value and bound the burden
Of this enormous fictitious value as
an interest bearing debt on the backs
Of the consumers of the goods. The
people and their children and their
children's children would have to pay
ii.
than forty millions and the issue OF
such a suit as the one Woodman had
brought and on which he had spent so
much Of his time and money was to
Bivens a mere bagatelle.
The more Stuart pondered over this
extraordinary offer, the more COM
pletely he was puzzled. He sought for
outside influences that might move him
to such an act. 1t might be Nan-it
must be! Her letter surely made the
explanation reasonable. She knew this
suit was an obstacle in the way OF
their meeting If she had made up
her mind to remove that obstacle, she
would do it. Her will had grown In
imperious power with each indulg-
ence.
During the past winter she had be-
come the sensation of the metropolis
Her wealth, her beauty, her palaces
and her entertainments had made hel
the subject of endless comment. She
had set a pace for extravaganza which
made the old leaders stand aghast
And the one thing which made hel
letter we'll nigh resistless was that he
alone of all the world knew the inner
life of this beautiful woman whose
name was on a thousand lips. Hel
worldly wise mother might have guess
ed it but she had been dead for the
past llNe years, dllu liiS SSSiSN "oS "'A
alone.
He read her letter over again ant
looked thoughtfully at the pile of le'
gal documents in the case of Woodmar
against the American Chemical Com.
pany lying on his desk.
It's her work beyond a doubt" he
said at last. and the doctor will never
believe it,"
He was waiting the arrival of hi:
old friend for a conference over Bly,
ens's offer of compromise and M
dreaded the ordeal. If he should re-
fuse this final chance of settlement ht
would make a mistake that could MOI
he undone. The result was even worse
than he could possibly foresee.
so the little weasel has offered tc
compromise my suit for half the sun
we named, eh?" the doctor asked il
triumph.
"I assure you that if the case come:
to it's final test you are certain t.
lose"
so YOU have said again and again
nv boy"-was the good -natured reply
but his sudden terror and this Ole
shows that we have won already am
he knows it. Greater thieves Wn'
have ruined their competitors in TIT
same way, are urging him to settl'
this suit and prevent others from De-
ing brought"
Il don't think So
It's as plain as daylight"
There's another motive"
Nonsense" persisted the doctor, hi
whole being aglow with enthusiasm
"Bivens has seen the handwriting ol
the wall When the American peopl
are once aroused their wrath vii
sweep the trusts into the bOttomles
pit"
"Bivens isn't worrying about tn
peopie or their wrath"
Then it's time he began!" the doc
tor cried. Mark my word, the day o
the common people has dawned. Thi
mudsill of the world has learned t.
read and write and begun to think