The Detroit times., 1913-10-28

1''' ''.'.' .s...--7 49, u.
<copyrishs. lSl IA !. TIC Z Z a9a's- As''''
+cfApreR 4. --s~
',..''"'Ths' Crash. -~v-
"Faiicd!"n 'ejaculateA John Valiant
& hlsnkly, !, 'sndpthe hat he held dropped
gsto the claset-colored rug like huge
white splotch OF sudden fright. 1.-The
n Coepornxion--failed!"
VI The young man. was the glass OF
Y lhahion.. from the silken- ribbon on
y ne spotlca Panama to his pearlgray
maiters, and well favored-a 1.-THE
\ Gtalwurt figure, with wide-set hazel
eyes and strong brown hair waving
hack from a candid forehead. The
4 60ft straw. however, had been wrnng
70 . wisp between clutching fingers
and the face was glazed In askind OF
3 horrifed and assiduous surprise, as II
Jthe rosy peach Of life. bitten. had sud
denly revealed itself an unripe per-
4 aimmon The very words themselves
came with galvanic twitch and q
F0tAgger that conveyed a sense at once
s}of shock and Of protest, Even the
white bulldog stretched on the floor,
NOSE between paws and one restless
NNye on his master In a troubled won
4 Der that any one should prefer to for
Elnka the ecstatic sunshine OF the
HD<reet, with its thousand fascinating
accents and cross-tails, for q stuffy
/ kusiness once, lifted his wrinkling
Etonk nose ana snuffied with acute and
|Aopsful inquiry.
b. Never had John Valiants innocuous
md butterfly; existence known a sur
( prise more startling. He had swung
Into tho room with all the nonchalant
habits. the ingrained gertrude of the
0An born with achievement ready
made IN his hands. And single curt
3otaten1ent-like the ruthless blades Of
W. pair. Of shears-had shipped across
The one splendid scarlet thread In the
SWoof thaf constituted life as he knew
&c. He had khotted his lavender scarf
f1hak morning a. vicepresident OF the
IVnliAut Corporation-one OF the great
FNGt and most successful Of modern
1oy organisations: he sat now In the
~ ding afternoon trying to realize that
tAe huge fabric. without warning, had
\ topplel to it, tall.
With every nerve of his six feet OF
@Jnanhood. In rebellion. he rose and
Gtyode to the half-opened window,
EttrOueh which sifted the smell Of
growing things-for the great build
E1ng fr6ntAd the sQuare-and the soft
R allurink moistness Of early spring.
8ssThiled!~ he repeated helpleesiy, and
E1ho echo seemed to 60 differing
S.obout the substantial walls like q
6ofisive Indian-rubber bat on q spree.
The bulldog sat up, humping the
ktug with q vibrant tail. There was
Lby the door. not by the window! He
sstose, picked up the Panama in his
nOuth. and padding across the rug.
4 Vo&ed Il tentatively into his masters
& IND. But no, the hand made no re-
Bp6nseE Clearly they were not to 60
%&~E aid he dropped II and went pug.
lod1y back and lay down with prick.
5y14 earl, while his master stared out
Ni11D the foliaged day.
How solid and changeless II had al
ways BeAmed that great business
Fabric woven ~ the rather he could
~ dtmay remember! His own invest
E14 fortune Rad been derived from the
&Xroat ccppovakion.~the cider Valiant
E11A fo0nded and controlled until his
81 Qo4h.s With almost unprec edented
okninGS.. Il had. stood az =. r. very
SN1DfaIter. of finance, type and sign
EEk brilliant .Qrgauixatjon. Now, on the
1oels Of q trusts dissQlution which
would be . nine-days' wonder, the
%&aGt structure had crdmpled up like
M cardboard. The rains had descend
- ana the moods had come, and It
fh06 fbm0n 49, ts~-~~ser~ wcf,tvr
The man at the desk had wheeled
LA His revolving chair and was look
2l1g ak the trim athletic back plotting
&&1o daylight. with q smile that was lit
E11o short OF . covert sneer. He was
no Of the local managers OF the Cor.
operation whose ruin was to be that
Nny'B sensation, a colorless man who
od acquired middle age with his first
o0e trousers and had been dedicated
3 - the commercial treadmill before he
E1e4 bought . safety-razor. He despis-
A. xft ioiters along the primrose
Eyakhg. and John Valiant was but a
H4oCorA6ve hgurehead
The bulldog lifted his head. The
R1hogt of q furred throaty growl rum
#&3od ~ the silence. and the man at
E(ho desk shrank little, as the hair
.tlDpled up on the thick neck and the
E1nl(hful red-rimmed eyes opened a
Eon0de wider. But John Valiant did
&noe tutn. He was bitterly absorbed
with his own thoughts.
TIL this moment he had never real
~ known how proud he had always
Doon d the Corporation. OF the fact
l1nt he was It's founders son. His
SI0ctioa to high ONCE in the small
ctogieythat controlled It's destinies he
@o4 known very well to be but the
o1efn concrete expression OF his in
y1oua1 holdings, but It had neverthe-
1po deeply pleased him. The fleet
r1g sense OF power, the intimate
1oching Of wide Issues in a city of
n Things had nattered him; for a
G1Ie be had dreamed OF playing a
roat part, of pushing the activities
/k ne Corporation into new territory
INVADING foreign soil He might have
1no much, for he had begun with
~ Equipment. He had read law
~ even been admitted to the bar
~ - what had It come! A gradual
lpp(nt back into the rut OF careless