The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-04-16
good living abroad. There's q boat
laa vIn4 inmnrrnmn

A dull red sprang into the younger
face. You mean"
Look at that crowd down there
you can hear them now. There'll be
a legislative Investigation, OF course.
And the devilll get the hindmost."
He 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, I tell youl And now
some one'll pay the piper. The light.
ming won't strike me-l'm not tall
enough. You're a vice-president"
DO you imagine that I knew these
~things-that I have been a party to
what you seem to believe has been n
deliberate wrecklng?" 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 ~qulverlng nerves like hot
s%andpaper. "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 10 prox-
led as regular as clockwork. But
yntt'rA anpnnuaR 60 EnA~ ThA nnpnta
down there In the street won't ask
questions about patent.leather pumps
and ponies; they'll want 10 hear about
such things ms rotten irrigation loans
In the Stony.River Valley-to market
an alkali desert that IL the personal
property OF the president OF this cor.
poration."
Valiant turned q blank white face.
"~Sedgwick?"
Yea. You know his principles: IT'S
all right to be honest, II you're not
too damn honest He owns the Stony.
River Valley bag and baggage. II was
q big gamble and he lost"
Valiant was staring ut the other
with a strange look. Emotions TO which
in all his sel~f-indulgent life he had
been a stranger were running through
his mind. and outre passions had him
by the throat. Fool and doubly blind!
A poor pawn. a catspaw raking the
chestnuts for INSCRIPTIONS men whose
ignominy he was o called on. per.
force. to share! In his pitiful egotism
no had consented to be q figurehead.
and he had been made q tool. A red
rage surged over him. No one had
ever seen on John Valiant's face such
a look as grew on II now.
ne turned and without a word
opened the door. The older man took
a step toward him-he had q sense OF
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 fop
wholly surrounded by men who knew
what they wanted" He shrugged his
shoulders and went back to his chair,
Valiant plunged down in the eleva'
tor to the street. He pushed past the
guarded door. and threading the
crowd. made toward the curb, where
his bulldog, with a bark OF delight,
leaped upon the seat OF a FURNISHED
car, rumbling and vibrating with pent
up power. There were those In the
sullen anxious crowd who knew whose
was that throbbing metal miracle. the
chauffeur spick and span from shining
~cap.visor to polished brown puttees
and recognized the white face that
went past, pelted II with muttered
sneers. But he scarcely saw or heard
them. as he stepped into the seat. tool
the wheel from the chauireur's hand
and threw On the gear.
He drove mechanically past a hun
dred familiar things and places. but hs
saw nothing. till the massive marble
fronts OF the upper park iide ceased
their mad dance al the car halted be
fore a tall iron.griiled doorway with
wide g~listening steps. between win
dows strangely shattered and dark.
lie sprang out and touched the bell
The heavy oak parted slowly: the con
iidential secretary OF the man he hat
come to face stood In the gloomy
doorway.
IL want to see Mr.. Sedgwick."
You can't see him. Mr.. Valiant"
But | will" Sharp passion leapet
into the young voice. He must speal
to me-"
The man in the doorway shook hi
head. He won't speak to anybod,
any more" he said. "Mr. Sedgwicl
shot himself two hours ago."
CHAPTER n.