The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-07

Der to listen TO the ugly tale Of sQuan.
dorcd millions looked 90 him with q
resentment that was sharpened by his
apparent nonchalance.
Long before the closing session it
had been CLEAR that, as far rs indict-
mcnts We're concerned, The investiga.
ton would be barren of result. OF
individual criminality, fight and sui.
eide had been confession, but more
sweeping charges could not 0e brought
home. The gilded fool had not brought
himself into the embarrassing purview
of the law.
The jCstling crowd focked out into
the square, among them a fresh-faced
girl on the arm of gray-bearded man
in black frock coat ana pict, esQue
broad-brimmed felt hat. she turned
b. eyes TO his.
So that" she said, 'is Jcln Valiantl
I'd almost rather have missed Niagara
Falls. l must write Shirley cambridge
about it. I'm SO sorry l lost that
picture of him that | cut out of the
paper"
Il reckon he's not such a bad lot"
said her uncle He hailed a cab.
Grand Central Station" he directed,
with a glance at his watch. "and be
quick about it. We've just time to
make our Gain"
Some hours later, in an inner Office
OF a downtown sky-scraper, the newly
appointed receiver of the Valiant Cor
poration, q heavy, thick-set man with
narrow eyes, sat beside a table On
which lay a small black satchel with
q paddock on its handle, whose con-
tents-seyeral bundles of crisp papers
he had been turning over in his
heavy hands with a look of incredu-
lous amazemont. A she containing
a mass Of figures and memoranda lay
among them.
The shock was still on his face when
knock came at the door, and a man
entered. The newcomer was gray
haired, slightly stopped and lean
jowled, with a 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
me-"
His friend grinned. mo, Buck" he
said judicially, unless it's that neck
tie. It would stop Dutch clock"
Hang the haberdashery! Read this
from young Valiant" He passed
over a letter.
Fargo read. He looked up. "Securi-
ties aggregating three millionsi" he
said IN a hushed voice. why, unless
I've been misinformed, that represents
practically all his private fortune"
The other nodded. Turned over to
the corporation with his resignation as
Vice-president, and without a blessed
string tied to EN-! What do you think
of that?"
Think! It's the most absurd,y
idiotic thing l ever met Two weeks
ago, before the investigation y
but now. when it's perfectly certain
they can bring nothing home to him
He paused. "Of course 1 suppose it'll
save tho corporation, eh? But it may
he ten years before it's securities pay
dividends. And this is real money.
Where the devil does he come in
meanWhile?"
The receiver pursed his lips. "I
knew his eather," he said. He had
the same crazy ouiXotic streak"
He gathered the scattered docu-
mcnts and locked them carefully with
the satchel in a safe Spectacular
young ass." he said explosively.
i should say SOL" agreed Fargo.
Do you know ! used to be afraid my
Katharine had a leaning toward him.
But thank God, she's a sensible girl"
St
Dusk had fallen that evening when
John Valiant's Panhard turned into q