River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-01-29

faces had burned the midnight oil!
The older man had turned back to
the desk to draw narrow typewr1t-
ten clip of paper from pigeonhole.
Here, he said, lis list of the bonds
of the subsidiary companies recorded
in your name. These are all, OF
course, engulfed in the larger failure.
You have, however, your private for
tune. If you take my advice, by the
way" he added significantly, you'll
make sure Of keeping that"
What do you mean?" John Va
liant faced him quickly.
The other laughed shortly "A word
to the wise" he quoted. ITS very
good living abroad. There's a boat
leaving tomorrow"
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-its 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. l tell you! And now
some one'll pay the piper. The light
ming won't strike me-Tm not tall
enough. You're a vice-president."
do you imagine that l knew these
things-that / have been party to
what you seem to believe has been
deliberate wrecking?" Valiant tow
cred over him, his breath coming fast,
his hands clenched hard.
"You?" 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
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 Stony-River 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, if 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 self-indulgent life he had
been a stranger were running through
his mind, and outre passions had him
by the throat Fool and doubly blind!
poor pawn, a catspaw raking the
chestnuts for INSCRIPTIONS men whose
ignominy 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 Valiants face such
a look as grew on it now.
He turned and without a word
opened the door The older man took
a step toward him-he had a sense of
dangerous electric forces in the air
but the door closed sharply in his face.
He smiled grimly. mot 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
leaped upon the seat of FURNISHED
car, rumbling and vibrating with pent-
up power There we're 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 it with muttered
sneers. But he scarcely saw or heard
them, as he stepped into the seat, took
the wheel from the chauffeurs hand
and threw on the gear.
He drove mechanically past a hun
dred familiar things and places, but he
saw nothing. till the massive marble
fronts of the upper park side ceased
their mad dance as the car halted be-
fore tall iron-grilled doorway with
wide glistening steps, between win
dows strangely suffered and dark.
He sprang out and touched the bell
The heavy oak parted slowly; the con-