The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-03-23


"'Since the trial and conviction of
Granger pursued Craven unmovedly
1t has become known that Brady, my
co-trustee, used that check to make
good his unlawful appropriation of the
fund of which he and I are trustees
Naturally it appeared that I profted
equally with Brady in the use to
which the check was put. It is be-
cause Of my apparent profit that l am
supposed to have given the order to
Granger
: "Weak-weak as dishwater! cried
Temple, springing up. Craven, it's
no good, I tell you. Caught myself
believing myself a thief while you
read it. It's futile to explain-hope-
lessly futile-till we can present some
proof that Granger did of his own vo-
dtion certify that check. Oh, I'll trust
In Crane little longer
There was silence in the room for a
few moments. while Temple smoked,
Craven tugged at his gray mustache
in quandary. and Cato slept.
"What did you say?" asked Craven
anxiously. looking over his glasses.
Il did not say
II want you to. Confound it, you
don't take life seriously enough"
"You have perhaps observed that I
don't make the mistake of doing so.
In some matters I hardly think I am
grown up. I am, for example, quite
content to remain boy so far as the
muddles Of life are concerned, con-
t1nuing with youthful cheerfulness to
translate de profundis clamavi into
Out Of the depths I have clams,' eh,
Craven?-just as did when held the
fort at the foot of the lowest form in
Lat1n.'' 49,
"You're too pigheadedly brazen in
your play with public opinion, that's
what you are, my boy" cried Craven
hotly. public opinion has already
convicted you"
"So?' said Temple serenely, lifting
his eyebrows in that quizzical way of
his. "Public opinion is very absurd
protest against it. Take one thor.
oughly ignorant man. Who regards his
opinion or considers his judgments as
vital? Put together all the thoroughly
ignorant men in the republic, and we
are told that the sum of their stupid
ity is to be reverenced, regarded with
ave.
1.-THE voice of the people," broke in
Craven. is"-
"Diaboli!' finished his client. ''The
public Of today has gone mad with a
muckrake in it's hands; it's too ir-
nationally ready to believe that those
in high places
"Are ink dyed scoundrels-don't I
know?' broke in Craven. "And that's
what they're labelling you, one Of the
kid glove grafters, one Of the mahog-
any table thieves"
Temples eye had caught the portrait
of his mother over the mantel. His
mood suddenly veered to downright
seriousness.
"Craven. offered Crane $4,000 to
get some tangible proof from Brady's
office. But I'd give million. I'd
give every cent I've got to stand clear
and be recognized as honest. Why,
tell you, it's hell! I tell you I've
worked, worked all my life, worked
hard to build up my career on honest,
clean lines. You know it. I've turned
my back to crooked ways when they
were easily accessible. and now-I'm
accused Of being thief, the dirtiest
sort of thief the man who shoulders
his crime on another The muscles
# his mouth twitched a bit; he felt his
control slipping away, so he turned
abruptly on his heel and averted his
face.
The grim lawyer crossed over to lay
his hand with almost Woman's ten
derness on the big shoulder Of his
friend, and his voice broke with sus-
picion Of huskiness as he muttered:
STEADY, old man, steady. Well
kick clear of it all YETI
When Temple spoke again it was In
bis customary even tone:
"Craven, it seems to mo that If
Granger certified that check he didn't
do it for mere love. Must have re-
ceived something in return, eh?'
"Something in return" said the law
yer dryly. "Sure. and a big some
thing at that. 1t was worth it,
what do you suppose he did it
with, then?"
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
"The papers said he had wife, I
remember. Ever see herr"
"Never did," said Craven laconically.
Suppose she's extravaganza?
"Superduous question:" grunted Cra-
ven. 'They all are" Craven was
sixty and bachelor by instinct, one
might even say by heredity, for his
father had succeeded in escaping mat
rimony until close upon f1fty-two.
Temple smiled indulgently and be-
gan celebrating his new idea. 1T has
occurred to me that if we could estab-
fish that Granger has been spending
or investing large sums of money late
~ it would help our cause. That's
why mentioned his wife,
Before he vouchsafed to reply the
cynical old lawyer walked across the
room and helped himself to a neg of