Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-11-20
CHAPTER TX:
The Storm Breaks.

The Storm Breaks.
~HE sensation which the district
attorney sprang in the sudden
indictment Of the president Of
the lroquois company was pro-
found and farreaching The day before
the Indictment was presented to the
grand jury stocks began to tumble
without any apparent cause.
When the warrant for the arrest Of
the great man had been served. and
he was admitted to bail to await his
coming trial. there was feeble rally
in the market, but the rats quickly be-
gan to desert sinking ship. The
president under indictment had ceased
to be a power. There was wild
scramble of his associates who were
equally guilty to save their own skins.
The press. which at first denounced
Stuart, now boldly demanded the lner
riIess prosecution Of all the guilty. and
they hailed the brilliant young district
attorney as the coming man.
For six consecutive days stocks had
fallen with scarcely an hours tenn.
porary rally. Every effort Of the bull
operators. who had ruled the market
for the two years past. to stem the
tide was futile. Below the surface, in
the silent depths of growing suspicion
and fear. an army Of sappers and min
ers under the eye Of one man were
digging ut the foundations Of the bust
ness world-the faith Of man in his
fellow man.
Each day there was crash. and
each day the little fnancier and his
INSCRIPTIONS allies marked new VIC
tim. In the midst Of the campaign
for the destruction of public credit
which Bivens and his associates, the
Allied Bankers. were conducting with
markable results, when their profits
had piled up into millions. bomb was
suddenly exploded under their own
headquarters.
The Van Dam Trust company was
put under the ban of the New York
clearing house. The act was a breach
of faith. utterly unwarranted by any
known law of the game. But it was
Zone.
When the president Of the company
walked quietly into Bivens' office and
made the announcement for moment
the little dark man completely lost his
nerve. Cold beads of sweat started
from his swarthy forehead.
'"There must be some mistake"
''Theres no mistake It's blow be-
low the belt. but it's knockout for
the moment. They know we are SOL
vent. two dollars for one. But they
know we have $9O,OOO,OOO on deposit,
and we have some big enemies. They
know that the group we have support
ed have smashed this market, and
they've set out to fight the devil with
fire. They're determined to force a
money is behind us. We can pull
through If we stand together"
Bivens sprang to his feet, exclaimine
6ercely:
Until hell freezes overt"
The banker smiled feebly for thu
6rst time in week.
'"Then it's all right, Mr.. Bivens
Well pull through. They'll start :
run on us tomorrow. Five millions IL
cash will meet it, and We'll win hand:
down. We have powerful friends
Our only sin is our association witt
your group. We must have that fiv'
millions in the safe before the door
are opened tomorrow"
"You shall have it," was the firm an
swer
With cheerful pressure of the han
the president of the Van Dam Trus
company left, and Rivens called hi
secretary.
I'VE turn the market tomorrow-o1
ders to all our men. Knock the bottOl
out of It until the noon hour, the
turn and send it skyward with
bound"
=
When DR.. Woodlnan returned hon
that night from one of his endles
tramps among the poor Harriet opene
the door.
Something about the expression I
his face startled her. For the tr'
time in her life she saw In its gau,
lines the shadow of despair.
what is it. papa. dearT" she aske
tender]y. slipping an arm about n
neck as she drew him down into h
favorite chair.
"What. child?' he responded vaguel
You look utterly worn out. Tell II
what's the matter. I'm no longer
child. I'm woman now-strong ar
well and brave. Let me help you"
"You do help me- baby!' he laughe
with an effort at his old time joyo,
spirit. Every time I touch your lit
hand you give me new life. Some d.
your voice will thrill thousands as
now thrills my heart. You'll win fan
and wealth for your father. You shs
care for him in old age. I'm not mi
cradle. I've really had good da
I've spent the whole afternoon supe
Intending the distributing of flowe
among the hospitals. ! saved kit
life with a flower. His father used
work for me in the old days. Tn
asked me to come to see him. The
was no hope. He had been given
to die. I gave him fragrant VIII
pink. His thin. feyerish, timers gras
~ 81