Alma record., 1914-02-05


had only friendly mods and smiles fol
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 waistcoats,
and the splendors of his latest bache-
lors' dinner at Sherry 's-with such
items the public had been kept suffi-
ciently familiar. To 1t, he stood a 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.
Der 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 Il
had been clear that, as far as indict-
ments were 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 be brought
home The gilded fool had not brought
himself into the embarrassing purview
of the law.
The jostling crowd flocked out into
the square. among them a fresh-faced
girl on the arm of a 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 it. I'm so sorry l lost that
picture Of him that l 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,
quick about it. We've just time to
make our train"
Some hours later, in an inner Office
or a downtown sky-scraper the newly
appointed receiver of the Valiant Cor
poration a heavy, thickset man with
narrow eyes, sat beside a table on
which lay small black satchel with
a 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
me?"
His friend grinned mo, Buck" he
said judicially, unless it's that neck
tie 1t would stop a Dutch clock"
Hang the haberdashery! Read this
from young Valiant" He passed
over letter.
Fargo read. lie looked IN "Securi-
ties aggregating three millions!" he
said in a hushed voice. "Why, unless
I've been misinformed, that represents
all his private fortune"
The other nodded. Turned over to |
the corporation with his resignation as |
a vice-president, and without a blessed |
string tied to EN-! What do you think !
of that?"
Think! It's the most absurdly |
ldiotic thing / ever met. Two weeks |
ago. before the investigation
but now, when it's perfectly certain
they can bring nothing home to him"
He paused. "Of course / suppose it'll
save the corporation, eh? But 1t may
be ten years before its securities pay
dividends. And this is real money.
Where the devil does he come In
The receiver pursed his lips. II
knew his father" he said. He had
he same crazy quixotic streak"
He gathered the scattered docu-
nents and locked them carefully with
he satchel in a safe. Spectacular
young asst" he said explosively.
Il should say SOL" agreed Fargo
Do you know | used to be afraid m
had a leaning toward hin
But thank God. she's sensible girl!
Dusk had fallen that evening whe.
Iohn Valiant's Panhard turned into
ross-street and circled into the yawn-
ng mouth of his garage.
A little later. the bulldog at his
Ieels. he ascended the steps of his
lub where he lodged-he had dis