The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-03-13

Nan asking her to forget the
ugly memory OF the night be-
fore and fulfill her promise to 20 to
the country when the rain ceased. II
It continued to rain he would call at s.
He told the boy to wait for an answer.
The messenger returned promptly and
handed back his note unopened
OF course she was bluifing. She
knew she had the whip hand for the
moment and meant to use It.
We'll. two can play this game" he
muttered Wen see who wins
He turned to his work with grim
resolution
For two weeks the battle betwec..
pride and love ragged in silence. Each
day he rose with the hope of some
sign from Nan. and each day hope
died in more desperate and suilen
despair At last he began to question
the wisdom of his course. Should he
not fight his battle at closer range:
What If he were in reality engaged in
mortal combat with Bivens' millions
for Mans soul and body, The idea
was too hideOus to lie thinkable.
And yet the more he thought Of the
scene of their parting. the more sich
ening became the conviction that llcf
| anger at his use Of an ugly word WA:
merely subterfuge to break their eli
gagement The perfdy and cruelty u
such an act was too hideous for belief
yet if the thing We're possible.
One evening he made up his lnind 10
60 at once and fight for his old place
| beside her on any terms she would
| grant. He seized his hat and opened
| the door To his amazement Rivens
| was leisurely ascending the steps.
| Stuart stepped into the Iarlor and sat
| down with resignation to await his
| entrance.
| To his amaze,nent he heard the maid
say:
| This way. sir Dr. Woodman asks
you to wait for him in the library"
| So Bivens was calling on his arch
enemy by appointment Stuart replac
ed his hat on the rack and returned to
his room. determined to await the ont,
come Of this extraordinary visit.
On DR. Woodman's entrance Bivens
rose to greet him with unusual anima
ton and unmistakable good will
| When the doctor grasped the out
stretched hand more striking con
trast could scarcely be imagined-the
one big bluff. iovial. sunny, powerful
and straight of figure as he was al
| ways straight in speech and manners.
the iinancier small and weak in body
his movements sinuous. flexible. with
eyes that never looked at the man he
was talking to. yet always seemed tC
he taking in everything in the room
"Well. Bivens. what can ! do fol
you? understand from your note
that the matter is important
"Of the gravest Importance to "
both. DOCTOR" he answered, with .
smile For peculiar personal reason
want us to get together and settle ou'
differences
Are there any differences between
us! You 60 your way. aud | go mine
You run your business to suit yourself
and IN do the same The worlds biz
enough for us both
That's just the trouble" Bivens In
terrupted 1T isn't. We are entering (
new era of combination, merger, co
operation"
Compulsory cooperation" the doc
tor laughed
1T may be so at last" the little mar
said soberly Certainly the old ide;
Of competition is played out We n
longer believe that business mel
should try to cut each others throats
"Oh. | see!'' sneered the doctor
''They should get together, corral thei
customers and cut their throats.''
"You must recognize the fact that III
drug trade is business enterprise. no
charity organization"
Even so, still happen to know thu,
within stones throw Of my stOr
swarms population Of quarter of
million human beings so poor that onl
800 of them ever have access to a bntl
! room You ask me to enter with 30
into criminal conspiracy to suppres
freedom of trade and use fraud an
violence if necessary to win
Fraud and yiolencey' Biyens inte'
rupted. smilingly.
Certainly What sort of merchandis
does the organizer of modern II
dustry bring to market? Tricks an
subterfnges in the form of printed p:
per called stocks. which represent q
} value From the moment a financit
once tastes this blood he becomes
beast"
Come. come. doctor. you must rea
ze the fact that in the drug busine:
! we are bringing order out of cha'
! and at last putting the trade on pa
q ing basis
But at what price. You ha'
0 closed mills instead Of opening theI
thrown out Of work thousands, lowe