The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-04-09

leaving tomorrow"
A dull red sprang into the younger
face. You mean"
Look at that crowd down there
you can hear them now. Therell be
legislative investigation, OF course.
And the devilll get the hindmost."
lie struck the desk.top with his hand.
Have you ever seen the bills for this
furniture? DO you know what that
rug under your feet cost? Twelve
thousand-it's an old Persian. What
do you suppose the papers will do to
that? DO you think such things will
seem amusing to that rabble down
there?" His hand swept toward the
window IT'S been going on for too
many years. tell you! And now
some onell pay the piper The light
ming won't strike me-rm not tall
enough. You're icepresident"
DO you imagine that | knew these
things-that | have been a party to
what you seem to believe has been a
deliberate wrecking?" Valiant tow
cred over him. his breath coming fast.
his hands clenched hard.
Your" The manager laughed again
an unpleasant laugh that scraped
the others quivering nerves like hot
sandpaper. oh lord no! How should
you? You've been too busy playing
polo and winning bridge prizes. How
many board meetings have you at.
tended this year? Your vote is prox-
led as regular as clockwork. But
you're supposed to know. The people
down there in the street won't ask
questions about patent-leather pumps
and ponies: they'll want to hear about
such things as rotten irrigation loans
in the StonyRiver Valley-to market
an alkali desert that is the personal
property OF the president OF this cor
poration."
Valiant turned a blank white face.
"Sedgwick?"
Yes. You know his principle: It's
all right to be honest, II you're not
too damn honest He owns the Stony.
River Valley bag and baggage. 1t was
a big gamble and he lost"
Valiant was staring at the other
with strange look. Emotions to which
In all his selfindulgent life he had
been a stranger we're running through
his mind. and outre passions had him
| by the throat Fool and doubly blind!
| A poor pawn, catspaw raking the
chestnuts for unscrupulous men whose
| ignonfiny he was now called on, per
force, to share! In his pitiful egotism
he had consented to be a figurehead
and he had been made tool. A red
rage surged over him. No one had
ever seen on John Valiant's face such
look as grew on 1t now.
He turned and without word
opened the door. The older man took
a step toward him-he had a sense oI
dangerous electric forces in the air
but the door closed sharply in his face
He smiled grimly. Not crooked" he
said TO himself: merely callow. A
well-meaning, manicured young for
wholly surrounded by men who knew
what they wanted" He shrugged hi
shoulders and went back to his chair
Valiant plunged down in the eleva
tor to the street. lie pushed past thu
crowd, made toward the curb, wher'
his bulldog. with bark OF delight
leaped upon the seat of burnishe,
car, rumbling and vibrating with pent
up power. There were those in tn
sullen anxious crowd who knew who's
was that throbbing metal miracle, tn
chauffeur spick and span from shining
|
and recognized the white face tina
went past, pelted 1t with muttere
sneers. But he scarcely saw or hear
them. as he stepped into the seat, too
the wheel from the chauffeur's han
and threw on the gear.
lie drove mechanically past a huI
dred familiar things and places, but b
saw nothing, till the massive marbl
fronts OF the upper park side cease
their mad dance as the car halted b'
fore tall iron-grilled doorway wit
wide glistening steps, between viii
dows strangely shuttered and dark
He sprang out and touched the bel
The heavy oak parted slowly; the col
. tidential secretary OF the man he ha
4 come to face stood in the glooml
r doorway.
j. 81 want to see Mr.. Sedgwick."
e You cant see him, Mr Valiant"
r But | Will" Sharp passion leape
10 the young voice. He must spea
3 TO me-"
4 The man in the doorway shook h
J. head. He won't speak to anybod
any more" he said. "Mr SedgwiC
|. shot himself two hours ago"
o CHAPTER II.