River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-27

with all your brain and will and per-
| sonality without a single reservation
and I'll give you partnership of one
| fourth interest in my annual income,
/ and I'll guarantee that it shall never
be less than million year"
Stuart sprang to his feet and stared
az BlveIs. gasping.
/ You mean this-are you serious: /
expected the offer of generous salary
Cal. but this is simply stunning
Il told you I'd make you a PROPOSE
ton so big and generous you couldn't
get away from it. But mind you. I've
the best reasons for making it. We
are entering the last phase OF world
! struggle for financial supremacy. This
country is to be the real center of
modern power We must become and
will become quickly the economic
masters of the world When that hap
| pens somebody is going to be master
| here"
Bivens rose and paced back and forth
| a moment
Somebody's going to be master here
Jim" be repeated, land it's not going
to be mob. the stupid bowling. slob-
| boring thing that clutched at your
throat that day in front of my bank"
"No'
Nor will it be a clumsy soulless cor
poration called a trust, either,
thing that can be badgered and hound
ed by every hungry. thieving politician
who gets into office. The coming mas
ter of masters. the king of kings will
be a mana man on whose imperial
| word will hang the fate of empires
| met the king of America the other
day in this panic He sent for me
You can bet | answered the call He
made me eat dirt and swear that
liked the taste of it. But I'll get even
with him YETI
Two livid spots suddenly appeared
on the swarthy cheeks and he choke'
into silence for a moment. continuing:
1.-THE world is waiting for it's real
master not multi-milionaire. but the
coming Millionaire. The king of kings
is yet to come. If had been ready
in this panic with the capital | have
/ /
With the power and experience | now
have and one such man as you on
whom can depend I'd double my
fortune every year That means that
I'm five years will be a Millionaire.
and only forty two.
"A billion dollars will double itself
in seven years At forty-tw I'd be
| ~;
nave two billions At fifty eight I'd
be worth four bllions-and just old
enough to really begin to do things.
Give me one billion answerable to
my will alone and ! can rule this
nation Give me four billions and
no king or emperor president or par
liampnt on this globe dare to make
peace or war without consulting me
How long could this republic stand
if such a man should see fit to change
its FORM Even now our petty million
aires buy courts and legislatures. and
the control of great cities. But the
new king would know no limitations
to this power If Europe now cringes
at the feet of our present millionaire
favor and princes wait at his door
what could the real ruler of the world
! do
Rivens' voice again sank into low
j passionate whispers while his black
| eyes again became two points of fierce
glpa ming light
When the crucial moment came for
Stuarts manhood to answer. the
speech of brave denunciatiop died on
mis- lips At the door of this yellow
empire mghtier than kings in purple
rule his conscience halted hesitated
and Stammered He found himself
| III spite of honor and character. for
the moment measuring himself with
| 3ivenS in the struggle for supremacy
which would sooner or later come be
| tween them if he should enter such
an alliance
lyon needn't rush your decision.
lin Take your time Think it over
from every point of view You're
hound TO accept in the end /"
Stuart flushed and his hand tremhled
Its no use in my quibbIing. Cal
vour offer is stirring one 1t tempts
me immensely feel the call Of the
old blood struggle in me I'm begin
ming to see now that the worlds battles
are no longer fought with sword and
gun
Take your time. Jim" Bivens broke
| in. rising I'm the meantime I've got
to see more of you Nan wants it. and
want it The politicians have turned
you down. but the big men who count
are afraid of you and they'll go out
| of their way to meet you. Come up to
dinner with us tonight want you to
make my home your home whether you
accept my offer or not"
Stuart heSitated
REALLY, Cal, oughtn't to go to-
night I'm afraid I've let you take
too much for granted I've got to fight
this thing out alone. It's the biggest
thing physically and morally I've ever
been up against. I've got to be alone
! for awhile"
"Oh, nonsense. be alone as much as
you like later Nan insisted on my
bringing you tonight, aud you've got
to come. to save me from trouble if
rotbi,,x 49, I've an ppOaUamont down