The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1912-12-03

ten wears without the omission OF q
single event of any importance"
Stuart glanced through the book with
amaZement.
How did you come into possession
of such facts?"
NO trouble at ALL" was the easy
answer. ut only requires little mon
ey and little patience and little
care in selecting the right men for the
right job ANY man in the business
world who thinks he can do as he
peases in this town will wake some
morning with a decided jolt The war
Tor financial supremacy has developed
secret service which approaches per
lection Not only do | Systematically
watch my employees until | know ev
cry crook and turn Of their lives, but
watch with even greater care the
heads Of every rival firm in every de
partment of the Industrial world where
my interests touch theirs.
II not only watch the heads of firms;
watch their trusted assistants and
confidential men, In that big safe
thousand secrets lie locked whose rev
elation would furnish matter enough to
run the yellow journals for the next
five wears. Modern business is war.
the fercest and most cruel the world
has ever known. 1t is of greater i'm
portance to modern captain OF in
dustry to know the plans of his enemy
than it ever was to the commanding
general of an opposing army"
81 see," Stuart responded thought
fully.
."There are men down there in the
street now" Biyens went on dreamily.
"who are wearing silk hats today for
whom the prison tailor is cutting suit.
| have their records in that silent little
steel clad room. It's pitiful thing
but it's life.
1.-THE scarcest thing in New York to-
day, jim. is the man who can't be
bought and sold. The thing that's be-
yond price in the business world is
character combined with brains.
That's why | made you the offer l did
once Upon a time to come in with me.
There are positions today in New York
with a salary Of half million year
waiting for men who can I'll them. If
could find one man of the highest or
der of creative and executive ability
who would stand by me in my enter
priseS | could be the richest man in
the world in ten years"
Stuart lifted his eyes from tire rec
ord he was casually scanning and
smiled into Bivens' dark. serious face
The look silenced the speaker. The
little man knew inStinctively that Stu
art was at that moment weighing his
own life and character by the merciless
standard he had set up for others.
Judged by conventional laws, he had
nothing to fear He was faithful
member of his church. He gave lib
orally to its work and gave generous
ly to a hundred worthy charities. He
loved his wife with old fashioned 10y
atty and tenderness and grieved that
she was childless He stood by his
friends aud fought his enemies. asking
no quarter and giving none.
Yet in his heart of hearts he knew
that, however loftily he might dis
course at present about character.
''honor," "integrity" and fair deal
ing" he had stolen the formula from
his big hearted employer. Woodman.
with which he had laid the foundntion
of his fortune. 1t was The first half
million that came hard 1t was this
first half million thai bore the stain Of
shame.
His other questionable acts on which
the fate of millions had often hung he
had no difficulty in justfying Bust
ness was war.
Bivens waited for Stuart to speak
The moment was one big with fate.
Stuart was about to reach decision
that would make history. No one
knew so well its Importance as the
keen intellect that cleaned behind the
little black eyes watching with tire
less patience. Below he could hear
the roar of the city's life. Men bought
and sold with no fear of tomorrow
Yet single word from the lips of the
tall clean shaved young officer of the
law and a storm would break which
might tear from the foundations insti
tutions on whose solidity modern civ
ilization seemed to rest.
"Well, jim" Bivens said at length,
you are going to act?
Stuart rose abruptly, his reply sharp
and clear: -.
eyes. I'm going to act"
AT once?"
ITS my duty" u q
Bvens grasped his hand.
81 congratulate you. Jim. You are
going to do big thing, one of the
biggest things in our history. You are
going to teach the mighty that the law
is mightier. 1t ought to land you at
the very top in politics or any other
old place you'd like to climb"
That's something which doesn't in
terest me yet, Cal The thing that
stuns me Is that I've got to do so pain
full thing. But my business Is the
enforcement of justice. There's one
thing ! still can't UNDERSTANDABLE