Rock Island Argus., 1911-04-05

for 'em out of their hard earned say-
ings"
az know" said Blount, frowning.
The fact that Patricia's father was in
volved added fresh and exasperating
complication, but he must come to
some decision. Let us get down to
the present fact" he went on brusque-
ly. What Is 1t that you want me to
do, Mr.. Hathaway"
'I want you to set the machinery in
motion so that we can have our rate
continued for another two years on
the same terms as before. You are
going to need every vote you can get
this year, Mr. Blount, and you can't
AFFORD to turn Us down"
Blount returned the printed list of
stockholders and fell back upon the
pencil sharpening. ''Is Ii possible that
you don't recognize the bald criminal.
fly Of such q transaction. Mr.. Hath
! awayr he asked quietly.
"Of course don't" was the ready
reply. 'It is the universal rule Of the
business world everywhere. You do
something for me and do something
for you. You make It possible for us
to live and do business in lumber, and
we VIII do what we can to make ir
possible for you to get your square
deal from the people of this state.
That's the whole thing In a nutshell,
Mr.. Blount"
''One question" snapped Biount
trying to fix the rowing gaze OF the
hawkrke eyes. with whom did you
make this arrangement two years
agoT
with Mr. Mcvickar himself"
And you think you can DO It
againT'
ct know I can, but I don't want 10
go over your head. They all tell me
that you are handling this end OF It
for the railroad company, and I'm not
going around hunting a chance to
make enemies. There's no hurry.
Take your own time to think It over
and to communicate with Mr.. Nc
Vickar If you want to. When you get
things fixed you can wire me just one
word to Aretas. Just say Yes and
sign your name TO it. and that will be
enough"
For a full half hour after the presi-
dent of the lumber trust had closed
the door Of the private Office In the
Temple court building behind him
Blount sat rocking gently in his pivot
chair, fighting once more with the
soul nausea which was threatening to
overwhelm him.
So Vice President McVickar had de-
ceived him after all, and he was mere
" fence put up to screen the chican-
fri ,xryIi cx1fy7Y ON
just the same as before. More, the
vice president had let him stultify
himself in a thousand ways. All his
brave talk about openness and fair
dealing would be set down as mere
dust throwing to conceal the workings
of a corrupt and criminal machine,
grinding away in the background.
And his father-how did he figure
in this despicable business? Had he
plotted with McVickar to bring his
own son to shame merely because that
son had refused to be a tool in the
hands of the great machine? 1t was
grossly incredible, and yet Evan
Biount remembered that thus far his
father had said no word opposing the
course he had taken. Could 1t be pos
sible that a father could become so
much the boss as to forget the COM
mon ties of kindred?
Blount's mind-but more than his
mind, his heart-went cropping out In
vain readings for a confidant and an
adviser There was no one to whom
he could turn, no one whose conscience
was not scared and distorted in the
fires of political partisanship. No one,
did he say? Yes; there was one. Pa
tricia would know and understand.
He must find her and tell her. But in
the interval
He got up and shut his desk with a
slam. The stenographer heard and
came to the door of the anteroom,
notebook and pencil in hand. ANY
thing to give me before you go away,
Mr.. BlountT' he asked.
"No" said BIount almost savage
ly. Then he reconsfdered. Yes, there
is. You may take a message to Mr..
McVickar. Are you ready"
The stenographer nodded
"All right; take this:
Pending another interview with you. I
shall close my offices in Temple court and
conffne myself strictly to the routine legal
business of the company. In the mean
time my resignation is In your hands II
you wish to appoint a new division coun-
sci.
Write that out and send 1t at once"
he said to the clerk "I shall be at
the hotel If you want to reach me
between now and closing time"
Ito be continued)