The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-28
Continued.(


 'sNo trouble at au," was the easy answer "It only requires a little mon ey- and a little patience and little care in selecting the right men for the right job. Any man in the business world who thinks he can do as he rpleases in this town will wake some morning with a decided jolt The war for financial supremacy has developed secret service which approaches per lection. Not only do I systematically watch nay employees until I know ev cry crook and turn of their lives, but T watch with even greater care the -fheads of every rival firm in every de ipartment of the industrial world where my interests touch theirs. sat
 q not only watch the heads of firms; II watch their trusted assistants and fconfIdentfaI men. In that big safe thousand seeretsslie locked whose rev elation would furnish matter enough to run the yellow journals for the next lfive years. Modern business is war, ithe fiercest and most cruel the world ihas ever known. It is of greater, i'm lportance to a modern captain of fn- dustry to know the plans of his enemy than it ever was to the commanding general of an opposing army
 'I sec" Stuart responded thought fully ..sSss>
 s-fhere are men doWsh Sfh there, s,' in the street now," Bfvens went on dreamily. '~4Tho are wearing silk hats today for whom the prison tailor is cutting a suit l have their records in that silent little steel clad room It's a pidful thing, but it's life.
 "The scarcest thing in New York to- day. Jim. is the man who, can't be bought and sold The thing that's be- yond price in the business world is character combined with brains. That's why I made you the offer did once upon a time to come in with me. There are positions today in New York with salary of half a million year waiting for men who carsfi11T them. If I.could find one man of the highest or der of creative and executive ability who would stand by me in my enter prises I could be the richest man in the world in ten years"
 Stuart lifted his eyes from the rec ord he was casually scanning and smiled into Bivens' dark. serious face
 The look silenced the speaker. The little man knew instinctfvefy that Stu art was at that moment weighing his own life and character by the n1erciless standard he had set up for others. Judged by conventional laws, he had nothing to fear. He was, a faithful member of his church. He gave lib orally to its work and gave generous- ly to a hundred worthy charities. He loved his wife with old fashioned lOy aity and tenderness and grieved that she was childless. He stood by his friends and fought his enemies, asking no quarter anf giving none.
 at in bfa boar-f 0f hearts ho knew that. however loftily he might dis course at present about character" honor integrity and .fair deal ing he had stolen the formula from his big hearted employer, Woodman, with which he had laid the foundation of his fortune. It was the first half million that came hard. It was this first half million that bore the stain of shame.
 His other questionable acts on which the fate of millions had often hung he had no difficulty in justifying. Busi- ness was war. F4efs
 Bivens waited for Stuart to speak. The moment was one big with fate. Stuart was about to reach decision that would make history. No one knew so well it's impoEtahce as the keen intellect that gleamed behind the little hlack eyes watching with tire less patience. Below he could hear the roar of the cfty's life Men bought and sold with no fear of tomorrow Yet-a single word from the lips of the tall. clean shaved young officer of the law and a storm would break which might tear from the foundations insti- tutions on whose soidftt modern civ ilization seemed to rest.sstse gs
 "vell. Jim'' Bivens said at length '-you are going to act?' 70 s-s-
 Stuart rose abruptly. his rep1y sharp and Clear: -s = --' -i,s=
 ''Yes. I'm going to act.'s
 ~At oncef"
 "It's my duty"
 Bivens grasped his hand.
 "I congratulate you. Jim. You are going to do a big thing, one of the biggest things in our history. You are going to teach the mighty that the law is mightier. It ought to land you at the very top in politics or any other old place you'd like to chmb''
 That's something which doesn't in- rerest me yet Cal. The thing that Etuns me is that I've got to do so pain fuI thing. But my business is the enforcement of justice There's one thing I still can't understand-why you of all men on earth should have put this information in nay hands. The honor of the achievement, if good shall come to the country, is really yours. not mine'
 And you can't conceive of my act ing for the country's good P,
 Bivens' black eyes tvfnkied.
 "Not by the widest leap of my imag- nation
 The twinkle broadened into smile