The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-05-08
HIS RISE
POWER
By HENRY RUSSELL MILLER,
AsthOs u
1.-The Mas Higher Up'
Copyright. lSli, BY he Bsbbs.Alessill
Csapasy

waiting III tnish my work. snid
Blake.
He ushered them into the cage
found chairs. offered cigars and. po
htely excusiug himself. retired into
the cashiers Office and settled himself
at the desk For few minutes he
worked. with speed that was not
nervous haste. transcribing figures
from the book before him and adding
up columns Then he wrote few
lines and carefully blotted them
This done. he seemed to have come
to the end OF his work But he did
not return to John and Hsig, He
seemed to have lost CONSCIOUSNESS OF
their proximity. The pen fell from
his fingers His folded hands rested
passively on the desk. He sat motion
less. staring straight ahead into moth.
ingness. Under the gaslight his face
showed very white A heavy. uncanny
( silence descended upon the three men
There came tap at the door
Az though he had been waiting for
Just that Warren rose. went to the
door and admitted the Dew visitors
They we're Hampden and Murchell
Hampden was the FIRST to notice the
presence Of John and Haig.
what are they doing here?" he de-
nanded suspiciously
"Come back into the office and we'll
explain" Warren answered. You
rome. too" be nodded to the mer ,lh
10 the cage
The Eve men gathered in the little
ONCE No one sat down or offered to
shake hands Warren broke the silence
calmly.
'Dunmeade wants to examine the
!, books"
well. he can't do It," Hampden said
quickly.
80 ] told him." Warren continued.
:"And he followed the request up by
serving me with subpoena TO appear
with the books before the grand jury
why are you doing this?" Murchell
demanded of John
Because I have Information that the
bank II carrying worthless I,olitical M.
per aud 10 rotten. have 1t from one
who has helped ma Manipulate such paper
from one. In fact. whose notes. sup.
posed to Ike unbelievable. the bank is
now trying to collect
And on general suspicion you would
take 40 action that might ruin the
soundest bank in the country7''
mot on general suspicion John re
turned. But on absolute knowledge
There" He pointed TO Blakes face
And there: Hnig's dry. shrill voire
was like the crack nf whip as hp
aimed long, lean forefinger az Hamp
den. The latter recoiled a. from a
blow.
Murcheli did not look at Blake or
Hampden. From under wrinkied brows
bis eyes were boring deep Into Johns.
seeking to test the strength Of the lat.
ter's determination. He saw only one
way out: boldly he took It.
"You can see the books Now?"
We may Us we'll begin now 1t will,
take some time. suppose"
Hampden. vainiy trying to regain an
appearance Of composure. trembiingly
cat down. For minute Warren said
nothing. When he did speak It was in
. low. lifeless voice
II can save you the trouble. The
statement have been preparing for
Senator Murchell contains what you
want. ! think. This il t." He pointed
to the papers lying on his desk.
Slowly. mechanically. o. one walking
10 sleep. he gathered up the books on
the desk and carried them from the
Office to the vault John saw Warren
put the books In their places. then fun,
BILE around In a corner Of the shelf
Warren seemed to feel his presence.
Tor. hand still resting on the shelf, he
turned to face John. Then the hand.
grasping black, shining thing. Ieaped
from the shelf to his head Johns cry
and the shot rang out together.
For an instant the body swayed
then crumpled In a heap on the floor
Four stunned men. held In a horrible
fascination. kneit by the CHASTITY thing.
dumbly watching the struggle Of that
which Is called life to free itself frum
IT'D prison Of flesh. OF these men,
three Of them. each In anguish. was
calling himself murderer
For nearly an hour-an eternity
shaken to the very center of their be
tngs, they kept the death watch. There
was q shiver that passed over the
whole bOdy-then stiffness
Haig was the first to recover himself
He caught John by the arm and drew
him away. Come back here" He
drew John into the office and forced
him to sit down And you two.
come"
AurchelI seemed to come out of his
dase He touched Hampden, who fol-
lowed him docilely and fell into q
chair.
II seem to be the only one with .
trace of sanity left. And l." said Haig
grimly, hopping his brow with shak
Ing hand. II am pretty far gone God.
I didn't know II could be SO awfut!
But we've got to decide whether we'll
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