River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-11-07
The COrrectOr of DeStinieS
Being Tales of Randolph Mason as Related by
His Private Secretary. CourtIand Parks
THE INTRIGUER
Bv Melville DAVIDSON Post
Copyright by Edward ]. Clode

reIuSe TO assist my father in the fight
with Mr.. Wood. 1t seems to be max
ing the game unfair, like the Rhine
helping the Germans there against
Caesar. This drama of Gafki, like all
Homeric echoes, outrages my sense Of
fair play. There was not, as / re-
member, clean fight in the whole
Iliad; some god was always lending
a hand
She sat moment silently watching
Caesars pontoon bridges sucked un-
der by mysterious currents.
Il ought, as a dutiful daughter, to
hold keener interest in my fathers
side of 1t, suppose" she said. IF
Mr.. Wood is not checkmated, fathers
and If my father brushes him, he will
go, In every sense, under the ak. So
| ought to be fired with certain bar
baric eagerness for victory, and so, in
a way, l am. But somehow, at the
bottom Of me, wish to see the fight
fair. No handicaps, no Olympic leg
ging, the winning to the best man."
This impassioned speech was inter
rupted by thin piping voice. little
more than birds chirp. please,
Margaret" 1t said, II am tired. May
| go homer" The old aunt had awak-
ened. Her face was plaintive, like a
child's. Time, having made life's cir
cult with her, was returning her to
dissolution by the cradle.
| summoned the old woman's maids,
and they got her, with the footman's
assistance, to the carriage. / went
out with Margaret Garnett. She
harked back to her theme moment
as | took my leave of her. Good
night, Courtlandt," she said. please
keep Randolph Mason a neutral in this
fight. 1t is too fine a struggle to be
spoiled by an outsider. If father wins,
| shall have this mans head on a
charger, if | wish it. If he loses let
the victor sell me into slavery"
| turned to call hanson, when one
of the theater attendants touched me
on the arm.
Il beg your pardon" he said; can
you tell me if this article belongs to
Miss Garnett? 1t was picked up by
an usher in her box" He held In his
hand a fiat gold locket attached to a
chain linking alternately topaz and
an opal. l carried the locket to the
light and examined it, The case was
without a mark. / pulled it open to
see If there was any inside, and I
found there such a one as left no
doubt remaining. The locket contain
ed the picture of her father, and op-
posite it, of all persons on this earth,
the face Of Thomas B. Wood.
/ returned the locket to the waiting
lackey. ut is certainly Miss Gar
nett's," 1 said; you would better send
it Immediately to her residence"
On Thursday morning the counsel of
John A. Garnett called on Randolph
Mason. When Pietro brought him in
to the Office / took him for some cele,
brated actor.
Il have the honor" he said, Ito adj
dress Mr.. Parks, believe, the secre-
tary of Randolph Mason. My name is
Alger | am here on matter for John
A. Garnett.'
hid under a conventional greeting
the flaming interest which these
words lighted. Here was the envoy
which Margaret Garnett said her faith
er was about to send did not know
that this meeting was by appointment.
until Randolph Mason appeared on the
threshold of the folding-doors between
the two rooms. He spoke to me.
Il shall be engaged with Mr.. Alger
for the next half hour. Direct Pietro
to admit no one" Then he went back
into the room, followed by the attor-
ney. | presently found Pietro, gave
him the directions and returned to my
table, where l could witness through
the folding-doors this conference which
Margaret Garnett wished so greatly
to prevent: 1t was Randolph Mason
who began the conversation.
Can you give me briefly" he said,
the history of this case?"
The attorney was not moved to
hasty recital by Mason's abrupt impa-
thence. He sat down in a chair be-
fore the table, lifted his face, serene
with that deep internal composure
common to those who are accustomed
to speak the last irrevocable word.
and regarded Randolph Mason as he
doubtless would have regarded some
strange, unfamiliar tribunal, to be
carefully addressed. When he spoke.
his voice was as clear as glass. al
though it seemed to loiter on the SEN
fences deliberately.
Il cannot give you this matter brief
ly," he said; "a certain elaboration
is unavoidable. A recital of mere
overt acts will not convey a sense of
that large plan to which they are pre-
I must be pardoned if /
add some collateral features and some
comment"
Randolph Mason's face took on an
expression of unwilling assent, such
an expression as one observes fire.
quently on the face of an examiner in
the courtroom. who, failing to bring
his witness clearly to the issue, aban-
dons him to his own manner of recital
He sat down in his chair, placed his
hands idly before him on the table
and then dropped his body leisurely
back, like one hopelessly fated to a
long story. These suggestive actions
were not lost on the attorney; he
knew exactly by what mental concep-
lions they were inspired. A faint
shade of color came for an instant in
to his face and vanished, but his voice
continued:
The Consolidated Fnel Railroads