The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-09-11
Have you got that. Watkins: Then

Have you got that. Watkins? Then
you aud Paine fetch here all the Sc
cur;ties in the safe. Everything yon
can find Be quick"
Watkins obeyed. AS promptly and
unquestioningly as the soldier on the
field of battle obeys his superior Of.
ficer. AS he went he found time to
wonder how the impression had ever
got abroad that this man of instant de-
cislon, of crisp orders, was useless
victim Of the decrepitude of age.
"Wh-what." Sherrod quavered, ARE
you going to dor
Murchell shook his arm free. Il am
going to get you out of the muddle you
have got yourself into. you He left
the sentence uncompleted. as though
he could think Of no adequate epithet.
Sherrod gaped foolishly. trying to
comprehend the incomprehensible -
that the man above him. who least
Of all the world owed him service.
would lift him over the impasse
around which no way appeared Then
suddenly he broke into tears and
maudlin hahblings- xplanatiOns. con
TRITON. gratitude. promises mingling
dis~onncctedly.
Mnrchcll listened in cold contempt
"Y"n don't mean n word you say" he
interrupted the flow at last. You're
only coward frightened out of his
,,,:& L. k,.,~
hound whcp it's over-I'm not doing 1t
for you"
He turned and went out of the room,
not to return until Watkins and Paine.
tics
An afternoon train. rolling down out
Of the hills into the fiat lands bore
William Murchell to the city that had
Witnessed the last step in his over
throw. A cab took him. by appointment
to tho home OF Philip Wilder. where he
lay overnight Philip Wilder was not
a monarch. to be sure. but he was q
prince Of the blood, and he ruled over
y province Of street railways. Many
things did this princely gentleman de
sire. and for them he was willing Il
pay--the least price that must he paid
He. like Miss Roberta and Watkins
was astounded when he beheld. not &
shnfling. harmless shadow. but 4 maj
who showed the marks of ages bat
teriny. yet was clear minded, hale an(
hearty. who had not forgotten how tt
drive close bargain. who knew ex
actly what he wanted and who got 1t
So pleased was he by his discovery
that the next morning. breaking u sol
cmn promise to Murchell. he reporttt
it 70 Sackett ''Richard.' he dccIar
cd lis himself again."
But by that time Murchell was wei
on his way back to the capital.
4 rumor that the once great poll
among the passengers. and many o
them found OCCASION to stroll past hi
seat But there was no visible rippl
of emotion to betray to their curiOu
eyes the swelling sense Of trump
within him.
When. his energy sapped up by tn
sickness. the seriousness of which b
did not vet realize. he had confronte
Sacrett and declared his purpose
Quit, he had spoken in all truth: hu
the operation over and strength Greer
ing back into the body whose tissue
austere living had never devitafiZet
the hunger. the need for action rea'
serted itself.
Hence he planned. not cOnsciOusl
to reseek his old power and respons
biiitv. but from his castle in the fore!
to make sudden, unexpected forays
harass those who had deprived him {
his glory Then came the opportunit
20 wrcak the sweetest of all revenge
10 save those who had thrown hi
.:ver. to torture his enemy with Il
cense Of inferiority and obligatio
perhaps-the warrior soul leaped-
make of revenge also lever to opt
:, the gates iu the road back to s
premacy.
Under The stimulus of sharp. su
, cessful action he felt almost Il
strength of his prime. Whirril
wheel struck from rail an iron song
triumph in which his soul joined-tl
mad. -exultant shout Of the viking I
= turning victorious.
- But he found Sherrod who had b
/, time to think, to measure the situate
- who had recovered his nerve. And
= Snerrod this may be written: he W
- a great fighter. cunning and darir
Y conscienceless. proud. disloyal-yes
/ but even his treacheries were {
complished with certain reckle
grace and decision that gave the
the seeming of the born masters
stinctive strategy. And he had wi
Murcheil had not. personal magn
| ism that often won faith even wht
interest failed: though he lacked wi
| made MurchelI great, inf1exibility a
Il self control Coward he was not.
J most any man. beaten by the sa
4 knowledge of crime and imminent 4
~ n