The Washington herald., 1912-04-28
CHAPTER /.
A Life for sale,

THE contrast in personal appear
ance between the two men, hav-
ing regard to their relative po-
sitions, was a significant thing. The
caller. who had just been summoned
from the waiting-room, and was stand
ing before the others table, hat IN
hand, a little shabby with ill-brushed
hair and doubtful collar, bore in his
countenance many traces OF the wild
and irregular life which had reduced
him at this moment to the position OF
suppliant. His complexion was pale
almost to ghastliness, and in his deep
set, sunken eyes there was more than
a suggestion of recklessness. He was
so nervous that his face twitched as
he stood there waiting, and the fingers
which held his hat treubled His lips
were a little parted, his breathing was
scarcely healthy. There was something
about his whole appearance indicative
of failure. The writing upon his fore
head was the writing Of despair.
The man before whom he stood was
of an altogether different type His
features were strong and regular, his
complexion slightly bronzed, as though
from exposure to the sun and wind.
He had closely-cropped black hair,
keen gray eyes, and a determined chin.
He sat before a table on which were
all the modern appurtenances of busl-
ness man in close touch with passing
events. A telephone was at his elbow,
his secretary was busy at a smaller
table in the corner of the room,
typist was waiting respectfully in the
background. His confidential clerk
was leaning over his chair, notebook
in hand, receiving in a few terse SEN
tences instructions for the morrows
operations. Stirling Deane, although
he was barely forty years old, was at
the head of a great mining corpora
ton He had been the one man Sc
lected for the position when the most
important and far-reaching amalgama-
tion of recent DAYS had taken place.
And this although he came of family
whose devotion to business had always
been blended with singular aptitude
for and pre-eminence in sports. Deane
himself. until the last few years, had
PLAYED cricket for his county, had
hunted two days a week, and had by
no means shown that whole-hearted
passion for money-making which was
rife enough in the circles amid which
he moved.
He wound up his instructions, and
dismissed his clerk with few curt and
final words. Then he turned round in
his chair and faced his visitor.
81 am sorry to have kept you, Row
an" he said. This is always rather
busy day in the city, and a busy
time"
His visitor. who had been waiting
for an hour in an ante-roonl, and was
then esteemed fortunate to be accorded
an interview, looked around him with
a little smile.
so you've prospered, Deane," he
said u
always meant to. And you, Rowan"
The visitor shook his head. Il have
tried many things" he said; "all fail
ures-disposition or luck, / suppose.
What is it, l wonder, that keeps some
men down while others climb"
Deane shrugged his shoulders. Dis
position" he said, is only an append
age, and luck doesn't exist In nine
cases out of ten, if mans will is
strong enough, he climbs"
Rowan nodded gloomily. Perhaps
that's it, he assented. l never had any
will, or if l had, it didn't seem worth
while 10 use ii"
Take a seat" said Deane. you
don't look fit to stand What can l do
for you? We shall be interrupted in a
few moments"
4 want something to do" Rowan
said.
q can't give it to you" answered
Deane, firmly. but not unkindly.
you don't beat about the bush" the
other declared, with hard little laugh.
Why should l." Deane asked. 1T
would only waste our time, and be,
after all, a mistaken kindness. There
isn't a man about my place who hasn't
grown up under my own personal OBJ
servation. It's an important business
this. Rowan / daren't risk a single
weak link. To be frank with you-and
YOU see ] am being frank-Pd sooner
pay your salary than have you here"
Give me letter to some one else,
then" Rowan begged. I'm just back
from Africa, broken"
Il can't do that" Deane answered
q know you we'll / like you. We
have been friends. We have been to-
gether in difficulties. More than once
you have been in a way useful to me
] have every disposition to serve YOU
But you were never made for busi-
ness, or any form of regular work
would not offer you a place in my own
Office, and cannot pass you on to my
friends. What else can ! do for you?"
Rowan looked into his hat, and