Morgan County republican., 1914-03-05
CHAPTER u.
Vanity Valiant.

Vanity Valiant.
| "The witness 10 excused"
| In the ripple that stirred across the
court room at the examiners abrupt
conclusion, John Valiant, who had
withstood that pitiless hail Of ques-
tions, rose, bowed to him and slowly
crossed the cleared space to his coun-
sci. The chairman looked severely
over his eyeglasses. with his gavel
lifted, and a statuesque girl, in the
rear Of the room, laid her delicately
gloved hand on a companions and
smiled slowly without Withdrawing her
gaze. and with the faintest tint Of COL
or in her face.
Katharine Fargo neither smiled nor
flushed readily. Her smile was an in
dex Of her whole personality. languid.
symmetrical. exquisitely perfect. The
little group with whom she sat looked
somewhat out of place In that mixed
assemblage. Smartly groomed and
palpably members Of set to whom
John Valiant was a familiar, they had
had only friendly mods and smiles for
the young man at whom SO many there
had gazed with jaundiced eyes.
To the general public which read its
daily newspaper perhaps none OF the
gilded set was better known than
Vanity Valiant" The new Panhard
he drove was the smartest car on the
avenue, and the collar on the white
bulldog that pranced or dozed on its
leather seat sported diamond buckle.
To the spacewriters Of the social col.
umns, he had been a perennial inspira-
ton. The patterns Of his waistctuts,
and the splendors of his latest bache-
lors' dinner at Sherry's-with such
items the public had been kept sufi-
ciently familiar. To 1t, he stood per-
feet symbol Of the elder ease and In
solent display of inherited wealth.
And the great majority of those who
had found place in that roomy cham
ber to listen to the ugly tale of squan.
dered millions looked to him with a
resentment that was sharpened by his
apparent nonchalance.
Long before the closing session It
had been clear that, as far as indict-
ments were concerned. the investiga-
tion would be barren OF result. OF
individual criminality. flight and sui
| eide had been confession, but more
sweeping charges could not be brought
home. The gilded fool had not brought
himself into the embarrassing purview
Of the law.
The tostling crowd flocked out into
the square, among them fresh-faced
girl on the arm OF gray-bearded man
In black frock coat and picturesque
broad-brimmed felt hat. She turned
her eyes to his.
so that" she said, 'Is John Valiant!
Id almost rather have missed Niagara
Falls. ! must write Shirley cambridge
about 1t. I'm SO sorry lost that
picture Of him that cut out of the
paper"
Il reckon he's not such bad lot"
said her uncle. He hailed cab.
Grand Central Station" he directed.
with glance at his watch. land be
quick about 1t. We've Just time to
make our train.'
.
Some hours later, In an inner Office
OF downtown sky-scraper the newly
appointed receiver of the Valiant Cor
poration. a heavy, thick.set man with
narrow eyes. sat beside table on
which lay a small black satchel with
q paddock on its handle, whose con.
tents--several bundles of crisp papers
-he had been turning over in his
heavy hands with a look OF incredu.
lous amazement. A sheet containing
a mass of figures and memoranda lay
among them.
The shock was still on his face when
a knock came at the door. and a man
entered. The newcomer was gray.
haired. slightly stopped and lean
jowled, with humorous expression on
his lips. He glanced in surprise at
the Uttered table.
Fargo" said the man at the desk.
do you notice anything queer about
met"
His friend grinned. mo. Buck" he
said 1udicially. unless it's that neck
tie. 1t would stop q Dutch clock"
Hang the haberdashery! Read this
from young Valiant" He passed