River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-13

y
five years. Modern business is war,
the fercest and most cruel the world
has ever known. 1t is of greater i'm
portance to a modern captain of in
fustry to know the plans of his enemy
than it ever was to the commanding
general Of an opposing army"
Il see" Stuart responded thought
fully
'"rhere are men down there in the
street now" Bivens went on drea mily,
who are wearing silk hats today for
whom the prison tailor is cutting a suit.
| have their records in that silent little
steel clad room. It's pitiful thing.
bnt it's life.
1.-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 made you the offer | did
once upon a time to come in with me.
There are positions today in New York
with a salary of half a million year
waiting for men who can fill them. If
| could find one man of the highest or
der of creative and executive ability
who would stand by me in my enter
prises l 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 instinctively that Stu
art was at that moment weighing his
own life and character by the merciless
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 it's work and gave generous
ly to a hundred worthy charities, He
loved his wife with old fashioned 10y
atty and tenderness and grieved that
she was childless. He stood by his
friends and fought his enemies. asking
no quarter and giving none
Yet in his heart of hearts he 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. 1t was the first half
million thae came hard 1t 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. Bust
ness was war.
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 Importance as the
keen intellect that cleaned behind the
little black eyes watching with tire
less patience. Below he could hear
the roar of the city's life. Men bought
and sold with no fear of tomorrow.
Yet 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 solidity modern CIV
ilization seemed to rest.
"Well. JIM" Bivens said at length.
you are going to act?'
Stuart rose abruptly, his reply sharp
and clear:
Eyes, I'm going to acts
"At once?"
"It's my duty"
Bivens grasped his hand
81 congratulate you, Jim. You are
going to do big thing, one of the
biggest things in our history. You are
going to teach the mighty that the law
is mightier 1t ought to land you at
the very top in politics or any other
old place you'd like to climb"
That's something which doesn't in
terest me yet. Cal. The thing that
stuns me is that I've got to do so pain
full a thing. But my business is the
enforcement of justice. There's one
thing l still can't understand why
you of all men on earth should have
put this information in my 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 goodY'
Bivens' black eyes twinkled.
"Not by the widest leap Of my mag
nation"
The twinkle broadened into a smile
as the lawyer continued:
"Your code is simple, Cal There's
no provision in it for disinterested ef-
fort for others. This time you've got
me up a tree. You have rendered the
people a great service You have placed
me under personal obligations. But
how you are going to get anything out
of it is beyond me-"
"Oh, I'll have my reward, my boy"
Bivens answered jovially, as his dainty
fingers again stroked his beard, press
ing bis mustache back from the thin
lips. land l assure you it will not be
purely spiritual
The door had scarcely closed on Stu
art when Bivens pressed the button
which called his confidential secretary.
In moment the man stood at his ell
bow with the tense erect bearing Of an
orderly on the field Of battle. The