Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-10-24
CHAPTER ".
The Forgotten Man.

fore and fulfill her promise 10 80 to
the country when the rain ceased, Ii
it continued to rain he would call ut ).
He told the boy TO vult for an answer.
The messenger returned promptly and
handed back his note unopened
OF course she was bluthug She
knew she had the whip hand for the
moment and meant to use it.
well. two can play this game" he
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 IA more desperate and sullcn
despair At last he began to question
the wisdom of his course. Should he
not fight his battle at closer rangef
What if he were in reality engaged in
a mortal combat with BNenS' millions
for Mans soul and body. The idea
was too hideous to he thinkahlc
And yet the more he thought of the
scene of their parting, the more sick
eniug became the conviction that her
anger ut his use of an ugly word was
merely Il Subterfuge to break their en-
gagement The perhdy 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 tight 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 parIor 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
his room, determined to await the out
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 u more striking con
trast could scarcely be imagined-the
one big, bluff. jovial. sunny. powerful
and straight of figure as he was nj
ways straight in speech and manners,
the tinancier 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.
We'll. Bivens. what can | do for
you? | understand from your note
that the matter is important"
"Of the gravest Importance 10 us
both. Doctor" he answered. with a
smile For "a peculiar personal reason
want us to get together and settle our
differences"
Are there any differences between
us? You go your way, and | 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 VI IOllIDlllullOlI. SCl' Io
operation"
Compulsory cooperation" the doc
tor laughed
ut may be so at last" the little man
said soberly Certainly the old idea
OF competition is played out We no
longer believe that business men
should Try TO cut each others throats
"Oh. seer sneered the doctor
'"They should get together. corral their
customers and cut their throats."
You must recognize the fact that the
drug trade is a business enterprise. not
a charity organization"
Even so. still | happen IN know thar
swarms a population Of quarter OF
million human beings so poor that OILY
300 of them ever have access 10 bath
room. You ASK me to enter with you
into criminal conspiracy 70 suppress
freedom of trade and use fraud and
violence II necessary 10 vim
Fraud and violenceY' Bivens inter
rupted, smilingly.
Certainly What sort of merchandise
does the organizer OF modern in
dustry bring to market3 Tricks and
subterfuges in the form Of printed pa
per called stocks. which represent no
value. From the moment a 6nancier
once tastes this blood be becomes
beast"
Come. come. doctor. you must real
lie the fact that in the drug business
We are bringing order out OF chaos
and at last putting the trade on a pay
ing basis
But al what a price, You have
closed mills instead Of opening them
thrown out OF work thousa nds. lower