River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-13


@ with a sense of hopeless de-
preston What strange mad
ness had come over the woman
he loved? They had never discussed
money before. Bivens was the only
explanation.
A letter was on the hall rack which
had been sent by a messenger. He
broke the seal with nervous haste. 1t
was from Bivens asking him to call
his office telephone at II o'clock.
He tore the note into tiny pieces,
stepped into the parlor and threw them
into the CRATE Some one was play
ing an old fashioned southern melody.
and the tenderest voice accompanied
the piano He walked to the door OF
the music room.
It was Harriet Woodman. She look
ed up with a start.
.'Oh, Jim, / didn't know you were
therev'
ut was beautiful, little pal"
Eyes, knew you'd like that piece.
heard you humming it one day That's
why l got it."
"What sweet voice you have, child,
80 clear. so deep and rich and full of
feeling. didn't know you could sing"
Il didn't either until tried"
"You must study music" he said.
with enthusiasm.
The girl clapped her hands and leap
ed to her feet, exclaiming:
Twill you be proud of me. Jim. II
o0p SinO2"
Indeed l will" was the earnest an
swer.
The laughing eyes grew serious as
she slowly said:
.Then I'll do my level best. I'm off.
Goodby."
ON reaching his Office on lower Broad
way Stuart rang Bivens' telephone. and
the president of the American Chemi-
cal company made an engagement to
cali at once.
Stuart was grateful for the timely
call of a client who kept him in con
suItation for fifteen minutes while Biv-
ems patiently waited his turn in the re-
ception room.
The first view of Bivens was always
unimpressive. He was short, thin and
looked almost frail at first glance. A
second look gave the impression of
wiry reserve force in his compact
frame. His hair was jet black ana
thinning slightly on top. which gave
him the appearance of much greater
age than he could really claim. His
thin features were regular, and his
face was covered with a thick black
beard which he kept trimmed to
keen point on the chin. His most strik-
ing features were high massive fore
head, abnormalIy long for the size of
his body. and pair of piercing. bead
like black eyes
He rarely spoke except to a purpose,
and his manners were quiet almost
furtive. He had thus early in his
career gained a nickname that was pc
culiarly significant in Wall street. He
was known as the Weasel.
His whole makeup physical and men
tai. was curiously complex, mixture
OF sobriety and greed, piety and cruel
ty. tenderness and indomitable will,
simplicity of tastes with boundless
ambition.
His friendship for Stuart and his def
erence to him personally and socially
dated from their bOyhood in North Car
DINA, and particularly from an Incl
dent which occurred in their college
days. Bivens' father had been a no
torious coward in the Confederate army
and had at last deserted the service
On Bivens' arrival at college. a partic
ularly green freshman. Stuart had dis
covered a group of his classmates haZ-
ing him. They had forced the cow
ards son to mount box and repeat to
the crowd the funny stories about the
''valor" of his father. The boy. scared
half out of his wits. stood stammer-
ing and perspiring and choking with
shame as he tried to obey his tormen-
tors
Stuart protested vigorously, and a
fight ensued in which be was COM
PEELED to thrash the ringleader and res
cue the victim by force of arms. From
that day Stuart was Bivens' beau
ideal of a gentleman He had toerat-
ed rather than enjoyed this friendship.
Biyens shook hands quietly and took
scat beside Stuart's desk.
'Well?" said the lawyer at length.
i've come to make you an important
proposition. Jim. We need another at
tOrney. The business of the company
is increasing so rapidly our force can't
handle it. need a big man close to
me If you'll take the place I'll give
you a salary that will ultimately be as
big as the president gets in the White
House. Twenty thousand to start
with"
Stuart looked at his visitor curiosly.
Why do you want me. Cal? There
are thousands of lawyers here who
would jump at the chance. Many of
them are better equipped than l."
Because | know that you won't lie
to me, you won't swindle or take ad-
vantage of me-
Why not?" Stuart asked, with a
smile
Because it's not in YOU
II see. You want to capitalize my
character and use me to ambush the
other fellow?"
That's one way to look at it-yes."