Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-09-16


body had to take care of him"
Like the doctor. Raymer asked the
inevitable question. who is he. Miss
Margery?" and, like the doctor again,
he received the same answer, Il
haven't the smallest notion OF an idea
But that doesn't make the slightest
difference" she went on. "He is o
fellow human being, sick and helpless
That ought to be enough for any of us
to know"
Raymer stood watching her as she
tripped lightly into the bank, and when
he went to catch his car the conserva-
tive minority had lost whatever coun-
tenance or support he had ever given
1t.
True to her latest characterization
of herself, Margery had nod and a
pleasant smile for the young men be-
hind the brass grilles as she passed on
her way to the presidents room in the
rear. She found her father at his
desk, thoughtfully munching the un-
burned half of one of the huge cigars.
and named her errand.
81 want a safety deposit box big
enough to hold this" she said briefly,
exhibiting the paper-wrapped packet.
Jasper Grierson, deeply immersed in
a matter of business to which he had
given the better part Of the forenoon,
replied without looking up: go and
tell Murray; he'll fix you out"
AS on any other business day, Presi-
dent Grierson was solidly planted in
his heavy armchair before desk well
Uttered with work. He nodded absent
ly to his daughter as she returned,
and knowing that the nod meant that
he would come to the surface Of things
her surface-when he could. she
turned aside to the window and wait
ed.
Though she had seen him develop
day by day in less than three of the
thirty-odd years of his western exile,
her father offered constant success
sion of surprises to her. When she
opened the door to retrospection, which
was not often, she remembered that
the man who had stumbled upon the
rich quartz vein in Yellow Dog Gulch
could scarcely sign his name legibly to
the paper recording his claim; that
In those days there was no prophecy
of the ambitious present in the man,
half drunkard and half outlaw, whose
name in the Yellow Dog district had
been a synonym for-but these were
unpleasant memories, and Margery
rarely INDUCED them.
Just now she put them aside by turn
ing her back to the window and taking
credit for the tasteful and luxurious
appointments of the private office, with
its soft-piled rug and heavy mahogany
furnishings. Her father was careless
of such things; totally Indifferent to
them in business hours; but she saw
to 1t that his surroundings kept pace
with the march of prosperity. Here In
Wahaska. as elsewhere, little judi
cious display counted for much, even
IL there were few bigoted persons
who affected to despise It,
She was in the midst of a meditated
attack upon the steamship Autographs
on the walls-sole remaining land
marks Of the ante-Grierson period
when her father wheeled In his pivot
chair and questioned her with lift
of his shaggy eyebrows
Want to see me, Madgie?"
Just a moment" She crossed the
room and stood at the end of the big
desk. He reached mechanically for
his checkbook. but she smiled and
stopped him. mo; it isn't money this
time; it's something that money can't
buy. l met Mr.. Edward Raymer at
the front door a few minutes ago;
Jasper Grierson's laugh was grimly
contemptuous.
1.-THE bank isn't making anything
out of him. The shoe is on the other
foot"
what is the matter? Isn't he max
ing money with his plant?"
"Oh, yes; his business is good
enough. But he's like all the other
young fools, nowadays; he amt con-
tent to bet on sure thing and grow
out and build and put in new machin.
cry and cut bigger dash generally.
Thinks he's been too slow and sure"
Are you going to stake him?" Mar.
gerry waged relentless war with her
birthright inclination to lapse into the
speech OF the mining camps. but she
stumbled now and then In talking to
her father.
81 don't know; I guess not. Some
how, I've never had much use for
him"
why haven't you any use for him?"
"Oh, / don't know-because. until
Just lately he has never seemed to
have much use for me, guess. It's
stand-off, so far as likings go.
offered to reincorporate his outfit for
him six months ago. and told him I'd
take fifty-one per cent of the reorgani.
zation stock myself; but he wouldn't
talk about It, Said what little he had
was his own. and he proposed to keep
It,"
"But now he is willing 10 let you
help him."
"Not much; he don't look at 1t in
that light. He wants to borrow money
from the bank and put up the stock
Of his close corporation as collateral.
It's safe enough. but don't believe
I'll do It."
The chatelaine Of Mereside came
abruptly to the point.
II want you to do It," she said. de-
cisively.
THE devil you dol" Then. with the