The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-29


 then" said Kelvin, laughing. "You want to be careful, though, that he doesn't steal Lucy from you"
 Lucy! Huhw grunted Sam, brush ing the last speck of dust from Kel- vin's pumps. "Ef that wuthless coon eveh tuhns up the whites O his eye. t'wahd Lucy, Ans goan t breck ev'y bone in his body. Heh-heh! Lucy" and Sam grinned.
 "You don't want to be too sure, Sam," cautioned Kelvin. Do you think you could whip him?"
 "Whip 'mv' repeated Sam. 'Why, Mistuh Phillip, wid them two hans Alb kin lick ary man in all this worPp'
 Kelvin, however, hring of the ban ter, had strayed to the table in the corner of his dressing room, where lay spread out an outline map of the United States, with figures here and there contiguous to large cities-so many troops massed here, so many there, so many in that other place, at stations scattered thickly from coast to coast and from lakes to gulf, grand total so many. He nodded his head in satisfaction, sweeping his eye over his diagram. The little points upon his map were regiments of stalwart men clad in the khaki of the United States government. He could hear the tramp of their feet, the click of their guns, the clank of their sabers. The ground shook under their rhythmic tread, while nations heard and trem- bled. And these, all these, were of his dominion!
 An insatiate ambition had taken possession of him. It had always been there, he realized now, but it had grown with his years and his op- portunities. It had grown until 1t en- compassed the seas and the land be- yond until 1t encircled the earth. At the porte cochere he found wait ing a limousine, with an open car be- fore and behind it, each of these ex- tra cars carrying four silent and alert members of the secret service. Peavy already sat beside the chauffeur of the limousine, and Sam followed Kel- win into it, upon which all three of the autos moved away. Just beyond Du- pont circle they were delayed by a congestion of carriages, and Kelvin saw Elsie White in the doorway of the house occupied by Rollins and his mother. Elsie was now Mrs. Rollins i companion. She had loved him, this girl; loved him, he knew, with an un- selfish heart ever since he had been a penniless prospector years before; , loved him yet, he was sure, and he had neglected this gift, had thrown it away.
 She was talking to her father and George Blagg. Kelvin from within his closed car saw White start away with Blagg and Elsie apparently striv- | ing to coax him back. She even came out to the edge of the walk and put her hand upon his arm. Blagg. how ever, stepped roughly between then, and, taking Whites arm, walked away l with him.
 Kelvin stopped before a magnificent residence recently vacated by noto- rious railroad senator who had not been found available," and, leaving his secret service men at the door, Kelvin found awaiting him in the garishly decorated library Henry since Kelvin had last seen him, and his bald head exhibited a slight tend ency to nod rhythmically.
 well, how goes it, my boyw he asked in his senile old voice, rubbing his withered hands together.
 Beyond our expectations, think," i" replied Kelvin. ''The country is com- | ing to exactly that state of chaos where it can be handled. There is not a city nor a village but is in a state of turmoil and panic and ready for anything just so 1t is a change. The enlistment is proceeding even more | rapidly than I had hoped. Within three months more I shall have the largest and most efficient army ever placed under the control of one man." "Excellentr said Breed. Excellent! And then, Kelvin, things must be set tied very quickly, very quickly in- deed. My cash supply is not increas' | ing. It stands now but trif1e over a | billion and a half. Why, even the gov ernment could, if it chose, control nearly as much cash as I can. This unsettled condition, of course, is a means to an end, but in the meantime it is very bad for business, very bad" l ''I don't think we'll attempt to ac. cumulate much more cash for long time," announced Kelvin. "In fact, think that after things are settled down we'll let go of some of it.''
 ''Let go of itr' protested Breed, be- coming instantly excited. Impossible impossible! Why, the very force that has made us is locked up in that i'm. pregnable vault beneath my cellar al Forest Lakes! And would you destroy this tremendous dynamo by weaken | ing it?"
 "No," said Phillip dryly. "I do not aim to destroy it. only aim to use it I can guarantee you that I shall pro pose nothing that would lessen my
 own grasp of public affairs"
 Breed was thoughtful for moment | and then he chuckled and nodded his head voluntarily, his parchment-like face breaking into leathern wrinkles
 'I guess you are right, my boy" he admitted. 'I haven't seen you do any thing yet that would lessen your owr power, nor mine," he added, "nor mine. You have been doing wonder fully well, Phillip-wonderfull well But come with me; I have a surprise for you"
 Tn into hfS own s11if ha 1ed Kelvin