The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-03-12

Does Billy Conrad stiI keep store
at stagbonef
Samson started and his gaze fell in
amazement. At the mention OF the
name he law a crossroads store with
rough mules hitched to fence pallngs.
Il was a picture Of home. and here was
a mar who had been therel With
glowing eyes the boy dropped neon
sciously back into the v%ernacular OF
the hills.
'Hev ye been thar. Stranger"
The writer nodded. and slipped his
whisky.
Not for some years, though" he
confessed, as he drifted into remlnis.
cenoe, which to Samson was like wa
ter to a parched throat.
When they left the cafe the boy
felt as though he we're taking leave
Of an old and tried friend. BY homely
methods, this unerring diagnostician
Of the human soul had been readiHg
him. liking him, and making him feel a
heart-warming syr9pathy.
It vas not until much later that
Samson realized how these W really
great men had adopted him as their
little brother" that he might have
their shoulder-touch to march by. And
II was without his realization, too,
that they laid upon him the imprint
Of their own characters and philoso-
ply.
q have come. not TO quarrel with you,
but to try to dlssuade you" The Hon.
Mr.. wickllfe bit savagely at his cigar
and gave a despairing spread to his
well.manicured hands. You stand in
danger Of becoming the most cordially
hated man in New York-hated by the
most powerful combinations in New
York"
Wilfred Horton leaned back in a
swivel chair and put his feet up on his
desk. For a while he seemed interested
In his own silk socks.
IT'S very kind Of you to warn me-
he said, quietly.
The Hon. Mr.. Wicklihe rose in ex-
ASPIRATION and paced the floor. The
smoke from his black cigar went be
fore him in vicious puts. Finally he
stopped and leaned glaring or the
table.
Your family has always been con-
sentative. When you succeeded to the
fortune you showed no symptoms OF
this mania. In Gods name. what has
changed you?"
"a hope | have grown up" explained
the young man, with an unrufied
smile. "one can't wear ~swaddling
clothes forever. you know"
The attorney for an instant softened
his manner as he looked into the
straight. gazing. unafraid eyes of his
client.
i've known you from your baby.
hood. | advised your father before
you we're born. You have, by the
chance OF birth. come into the control
Of great wealth. The world of finance
is OF delicate balance. Squabbles in
certain directorates may throw the
Street into panic. Suddenly you
emerge from decent quiet and run
amuck in the china shop, believing
and tossing your horns. You make
war on those whose interests are your
own. You seem bent on hari.kari.
You have toys enough to amuse, Why
couldn't you stay putt"
They weren't the right things.
They were, as you say, toys" The
smile faded and Horizons chin get
itself for a moment as he added:
III you don't think I'm going to stay
put-watch me-
why do YOU have TO make war
TO be chronically ~insurgent?"
"Because"-the young man, who had
walked up, spoke slowly am read.
ing a certain writing on the wall The
time is not far of when. unless we
regulate a number OF matters from
within we shall be regulated from
without"
Take for instance this newspaper
war you've inaugurated on the police,
grumbled the corporation lawyer ITS
less dangerous to the public than
these financial crusades, but decidedly
more so for yourself. You are re
garded as a dangerous a~gitator, a mar
plot, | tell YOU, Winfred, aside from
all other considerations the thing Il
perilous to yourself. You are riding
for a fall, These men whom you ar,
whipping out Of public life will turn
on you"
80 I hear, Here's a letter ! got thil
morning-unsigned. That is, | though
Il was here. Well. no matter. /
warns me that have less than thre,
months to live unless | call on m!
dogs"
II Is said that the new convert 4
ever the most extreme fanatic. vii
fred Horton had promised to put OF
his working clothes. and he had don
I Il with reckless disregard for conse
Quences. Al hrst. he was simply obey
ing Adrienne's orders. but soon n
found himself playing the game 70
, the games sake. Political overlordi
! assailed as unfaithful servants, showeI