The Ordway new era., 1914-05-01
good living abroad. There's . boat

leaving tomorrow.
A dull red sprang into the younger
face. you mean III
Look at that crowd down there
you can hear them now. Thsre'n be
. legislative investigation. Of course.
And the devil1l get the hindmost" I"
He struck the desk-top with his hand.
Have you ever seen the bills for this
furnituref Do you know what that
rug under your feet costf Twelve
thousand-it's an old Persian. What
DO you suppose the papers win do TO
thatf Do you think such things will
seem amusing to that rabble down
theref" His hand swept toward the
window. ITS been going on for too
many Year,, tell you! And now
some one'n pay the piper. The light
ming won't strike .me-I'm not tall
enough. You're q vicepresident"
do you imagine that 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.
"Youf" The manager laughed again
-an unpleasant laugh that scraped
the others Quivering nerves like hot
sandpaper. "Oh. lord moi How should
youf You've been too busy playing
polo and winning bridge prizes. How
many board meetings have You at
tended this ysarf Your vote \ PROF.
led ~ regular a. clockwork- But
you're supposed to know. The people
L. hA uyNntt AAk
questions about patent-leather pumps
and ponies; they'll want to hear about
such things ~ rotten irrigation loans
in the stony-River valley-to market
an alkan desert that II the personal
property Of the president Of this cor.
poration."
Valiant turned . blank white face.
''6sdgwickf"
"Yes. You know his principle: It's
all right to be honest, u you'rO Ast
too damn honest He owns the Stony
River Valley bag and baggage. It wss
. big gamble and he lost" ~,
Valiant was staring at the other
with strange look. Emotions to which
In all his self-indulgsnt life he had
been . strapssr were running through
his mipA. and outre passions had him
By Ahe throat Fool and doubly blind!
x poor pawn. . catspaw rakang the
.cAestapts tor Vnscrupulous men whose
ianominy n was now called on. par
force. to share! In his pitiful egotism
he had consented TO be . fgurshsad.
and he had been made . tool. A red
rage surged over him. No one had
ever seen on John valiant's face such
. look ~ grew on II now.
He turned and without . word
opened the door. The older man took
step toward him-he had 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
wellmeaning. manicured young fop
wholly surrounded by man 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 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. a. he stepped into the seat. took
tho wheel from the. chauffeur's hand
and threw on the gear.
He drove mechanically past . hun
dred familiar things and places. but he
ssw nothing. till the massive marble
fronts Of the upper park side ceased
their mad dance ~ the car halted be-
fore 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-
fldential secretary Of the man he had
come to face stood In the gloomly
doorway.
'T want to see Mr.. sedgvick."
"You can't see him. Mr.. Valiant"
But I 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. ssdgwick
shot himself two hours ago."
CHAPTER u.
Vanity Valiant,