Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-11-27

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l need that. I've got a hold in Wall
street. / can tighten my hold. But
I'm out Of place there. Pm a builder,
not a money-grubber. I've got to see
things growing under my hand. What
I'm at now is just a game. This would
be a work, the kind l need. VIII you
consider it"
Are you offering it,"
I'm offering IL as a possible alter,
. native to putting you out OF business.
There may be magic in these hills,
but II the thing works out on study
as l believe now IL will. III do 1t. What
do you say?"
"And you say" Mark insisted. "it's
the only possible alternative to fight
ing you?"
ITO being" Henley corrected grimly.
put out of business"
1t was Marks turn to go to b win.
dow. He stood there silent, for many
minutes, looking not upon the city
that might be but upon the little vii
lage hat was.
What do you say?" Henley demand
ed impatiently.
at doesn't tempt" Mark faced him
steadily. "You were mistaken. !
don't want battle. don't want OBJ
stacles. But 1 do want to put that
through" He nodded toward the viii
lage and the mills.
"Humph! You'll find plenty of OBJ
stacles and battles over there"
yes. But there would be-com-
pensations."
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Do you mean," Henley demanded, you
choose to hobble along with a little
one-horse plant and philanthropy
when you might go with me into some
thing really big? Compensations!
You'll end in losing all you have"
"All the money l have" Mark cor
rected. That is possible. But I'm
not worrying about the poor farm. |
expect. when that happens, / can find
a good job somewhere"
Then" Henley fired his last gun,
gruf1y, then you choose those people
over there against me-who made
your"
"They helped to make me-to make
you, too.-You," Mark answered qut-
city, don't tempt.
"I'd like you to understand" he con-
tinued after a little pause, since
you've mentioned friendship, l don't
like to think of you as an enemy. But
this plan, this idea, is worth a good
deal to me, even though the chance Of
success is small. 1t came to me be-
fore the strike. And at first It was
only the shallow sentimentality you
think 1t. Then 1t became a refuge. I
came here because there was a
passed over his face-'a thing I want
ed to forget, something ! needed to
earn. But now it's grown beyond that.
It has a value Of It's own. It's my
niche, the thing l must do. You've
helped me to make that clear.
"You ought to understand it, for you
had 1t. It's what saved you from be-
ing like the other money grubbers,
You came close to being m Of them.
Why, once when Quinby cracked his
whip you you cringed like a
whipped dog before the cid blather-
skite because you loved your money.
You remember that, don't you? And
then you ran afoul of him again, over
liz 6J1AhC, WACA ~ ! - q AoAA6
over you. and you didn't cringe. You
beat him down. Why?"
II couldn't let"
mo, you couldn't. You believed op-
posing him would cost you much. The
strike you forced did take hundreds of
thousands from the value of your
stock. But you didn't think of that
then. And now-you've claimed my
friendship. How much does it mean
to your"
"A good deal, Truitt," Henley an
swered slowly. tits the only friend
ship l ever wanted. It was my reason
for making you what you are"
Friendship means obligation =
you've just reminded me Of that.
Would it add to your obligation If l
told you that you got away whole
from Quinhy because Of me?"
What! What's this? You never
told me"
TT wasn't l who did it but-a wom-
an" Henley saw the shadow again.
But she did it for me. / took for you
an advantage I wouldn't take for my
self. Does hat square what you did
for me?"
yes. ! don't understand. But it
does. It more than squares it."
"Then-my success here can't hurt
you-will you stand aside and let me
fight it out with the others?"
You're asking me to let o undo
the best thing I've ever done!"
There was a long. silence in the little
room. Henley sat stifiy, staring at
the man who had passed out of reach
Of his influence. And the pain was
unmistakable now.
81 See" he said at last. as II reluc-
family. Il guess I'm the only one of
the money grubbers who could under
stand. 1t seems to be your idea
against mine. I'm sorry"
1T seems so. I'm sorry, too"
my city guess 1t was just the
magic of the hills, after all. l don't
want to do it without you-I'm sorry"
There was a heavy pause. Then
Henley drew a long breath that was
almost a sigh, glanced at the clock
and rose
"TIl take another cigar" he said.
grimly facetious, III you don't mind
giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Then I'll 90 back to my money grub
bing."
When they were standing on the
station platform he asked abruptly,
Can you tell me about that woman
business? rs
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