Alma record., 1914-02-05

4
many years, tell you! And now
some one'll pay the piper. The light
ming won't strike me-I'm not tall
enough. You're a vice-president."
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 scrapec
the others quivering nerves like hot
sandpaper. "Oh. lord MOI 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 Stony-River Valley-to market
an alkali desert that Is the personal
property Of the president of this cor
poration."
Valiant turned blank white face
"Sedgwick?"
Yes. 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. 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 unscrupulous men whose
ignominy he was now called on. per-
force. to share! In his pitiful egotism
he had consented to be fgurehead.
and he had been made a tool. A red
rage surged over him. No one had
ever seen on John Valiant's face such
a look as grew on it now.
He turned and without a word
opened the door. The older man took
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 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 it with muttered
sneers. But he scarcely saw or heard
them, as he stepped into the seat, took
the wheel from the chauffeur's hand
and threw on the gear.
He drove mechanically past 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 a tall iron-grilled doorway with
wide glistening steps, between win
dows strangely shuttered and dark.
He sprang out and touched the bell |
The heavy oak parted slowly; the con-
fidential secretary of the man he had |
come to face stood in the gloomly |
doorway.
Il want to see Mr.. Sedgwick."
You can't see him, Mr.. Valiant"
But l will" Sharp passion leaped |
into the young voice. He must speak
TO me-"
The man in the doorway shook his
head. He won't speak to anybody
any more" he said. "Mr. Sedgwick
shot himself two hours ago."