The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-11-15

pardon me-" said Mason, you have
made them to conceal that motive"
The girl recoiled before this bru-
tai thrust. ike one before blow.
81 do not understand you," she said.
"But understand you perfectly"
replied Randolph Mason.
Then he arose and walked past her
out into the hall.
I returned over the flag-stone walk
with Hiss Garrett to her carriage. /
could find no words Of adequate apol-
ogy. "Courtlandt," she said. tell
your cold. Unconditional master that
since he has so ruthlessly taken from
my fingers the weapons OF a man.
shall meet him with the weapons OF a
woman"
I closed the carriage door, and she
drove away proudly like an empress.
The only occasion on which / have
ever known Randolph Mason to go out
OF New York In any mans behalf was
when he went to the residence Of John
A. Garrett at Bryn Mawr. a suburb Of
4
and the aspiring marshal had arrived
at terms, as ! understood II, or, rath-
er, the one had accepted in capitula-
ton the terms Of the other. The con-
ference was to conclude this treaty.
I accompanied Randolph Mason, as !
usually did.
The Garrett residence at Bryn
Mawr is one Of the most distinctive
in America. It is q reproduction In
white marble of the Petit Trianon at
Versailles, set exQuisitely in a forest.
with white glistening roads winding
among the trees and a brook and i
bit Of manufactured meadow.
This conference between the richest
man in America and the most ambiti.
Gus was held in the library Of this
transplanted Partisan lodge.
/ could not easily bear in mind in
the atmosphere Of such q place the
hard, practical nature Of this meeting
1t was the hall Of some stately coun-
ell Of Florence, sitting above the Arno,
or. rather-and the fancy became al.
most real--it was the council chamber
OF some doge, where on this night he
was to meet the captain Of Barbarian
armies lying with barred teeth along
the Adriatic, and treat with him for
the city. The men in this conference
might appropriately have taken the
characters Of such a scene. Garnett,
tall, white. impressively patrician, at.
tended, like that doge. by two coun-
selors, characteristic, l fancied, OF an
empire In the evening Of decadence-
his attorney and Randolph Mason;
and the other. this giant, this captain
OF barbarian armies, courageously
alone.
This romantic medieval fancy per.
sisted. II became for an instant even
more real when through an opening
OF the door / saw Margaret Garnett
She was not listening. She carried
rather the air OF one depending upon
some desperate hazard, the arrival of
some event, the sharp stroke OF some
impending fortune. She went slowly
down the steps, her hands slipping
along the marble rail OF the balusters.
The attorney seated at the table be-
gan to read the protocol of treaty
which he had drawn, and came swift.
ly back to the commonplace business
character Of the meeting. The paper
was merely an assignment under the
legal form Of a majority OF the com.
mon stock Of the Consolidated Fuel
Railroads to certain persons named by
Thomas B. Wood. The attorney ex.
planned that. in his opinion, no further
writing was necessary. This assign.
ment should be placed in escrow. "a
fully executed writing. but put into
the custody OF some third person to
hold until the fulfillment of some con.
dition), and delivered to Mr.. Wood up.
on the resignation of his Office. II
would put voting control of the rail.
road into the hands Of his agents. who
would carry out his plan.
The strong, masterful face Of the
United States marshal set in a cynical
smile. This assignment is, think,
sufficient" he said; but will hardly
take the chance Of legal battle over
an escrow. after my resignation shall
have been accepted"
The negotiation seemed on the in
slant to be conclusively blocked. Gar.
nett insisted upon the protection OF
an escrow. and Wood upon the pos.
session OF the paper before he irrevo.
cably resigned his Office.
Randolph Mason came forward then,
sat down at the table, dipped a pen in.
TO the ink pot and turned toward the
United States marshal.
I'm consideration OF the assignment
OF this stock to your trustees" he
said, "you agree. believe, to resign
your ONCE"
"You have It correctly" replied the
man.
Randolph Mason drew a writing pad
over to his hand and wrote rapidly a
memorandum OF the same date as the
assignment, requesting the considera.
ton for the transfer of the stock. He
spoke then to the attorney. "Give me
the assignment" he said. Then he add
ed line at the bottom, showing II to
depend upon an agreement of the
same date. When he had finished he
again addressed the United States
marshal "prenaro vour racicvp N tioy, {"