Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-10-31
CHAPTER ~.
The Forgotten Man.

y NlE ueAl udy STUART called q
messenger and sent a note to
Nan asking her to forget the
ugly memory of the night be-
fore and fulfill her promise to go to
the country when the rain ceased. If
it continued to rain he would call at s.
He told the boy to wait for an answer.
The messenger returned promptly and
handed back his note unopened.
Of course she was bluff1ng. She
knew she had the whip hand for the
moment and meant to use it.
"Well two can play this game" be
muttered. we'll see who wins"
He turned to his work with grim
resolution.
For two weeks the battle between
pride and love ragged in silence. Each
day he rose with the hope Of some
sign from Nan, and each day hope
died in a more desperate and sullen
despair. At last he began to question
the wisdom Of his course. Should he
not fight his battle at closer range?
What If he were In reality engaged in
a mortal combat with Bivens' millions
for Mans soul and body! The idea
was too hideous to be thinkable.
And yet the more he thought of the
scene Of their parting, the more sick
ening became the conviction that her
anger at his use of an ugly word was
merely a subterfuge to break their en-
gagement. The peridy and cruelty Of
such an act was too hideous for belief
yet if the thing were possible!
One evening he made up his mind to
go at once and fight for his old place
beside her on any terms she would
grant. He seized his hat and opened
the door. To his amazement Bivens
was leisurely ascending the steps.
Stuart stepped into the parlor and sat
down with resignation to await his
entrance.
To his amazement he heard the maid
say:
'This way, sir. DR.. Woodman asks
you to wait for him in the library"
So Bivens was calling on his arch
enemy by appointment. Stuart replac-
ed his hat on the rack and returned to
LAG looAhS " uNo L LIN oAL
come of this extraordinary visit.
On DR.. Woodman's entrance Bivens
rose to greet him with unusual ANNA.
ton and unmistakable good will.
When the doctor grasped the out.
stretched hand a more striking con-
trast could scarcely be imagined-the
one big, bluff, jovial, sunny, powerful
and straight Of figure as he was al
ways straight in speech and manners,
the fnancier small and weak in body,
his movements sinuous, flexible, with
eyes that never looked at the man he
was talking to-, yet always seemed to
be taking in everything in the room.
"Well, Bivens, what can I do for
you? 1 understand from your note
that the matter is important"
"Of the gravest Importance to us
both, DOCTOR" he answered, with a
smile. For a peculiar personal reason
I want us to get together and settle our
differences"
care there any differences between
us? You go your way, and I go mine
You run your business to suit yourself,
and I'll do the same. The worlds big
enough for us BOTH
'That's just the trouble" Bivens in
terrupted. 1T isn't. We are entering a
new era Of combination, merger, co
operation"
Compulsory c~o-operation!" the doc
tor laughed.
1T may be so at last" the little mar
said soberly. Certainly the old idea
Of competition is played out. We nc
longer believe that business men
should try to cut each others throats.'
ooh, 1 see!' sneered the doctor
"They should get together, corral thelI
customers and cut their throats."
"You must recognize the fact that the
drug trade Is a business enterprise. no,