Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-10-28
would be dealt with as traitors and

VI 'ne raTmerS n MSrCnautS puHh'
Since It was long past the closing
hours. the curtains were drawn In the
bank doors and street.facing windows,
Blu there was a side entrance and she
went straight to the door of the pri'
vate room, entering without warning,
Her father was not alone. In the
chair at the desk-eud sat a man torid
OF face, hard-eyed and gross'bodied
His hat was on the back OF his head,
and clamped between his teeth under
the bristling mustaches he held one OF
Jasper Grierson's fat black cigars. The
conference paused when the door
opened; but when Margery crossed
the and perched herself on the
deep seat Of the farthest window. it
went on In guarded tones at a silent
signal from the banker to his visitor.
There was u trade journal lying In
the window.seat. and Miss Grierson
took 1t up to become idly immersed in
a study Of the advertising pictures. II
she listened to the low-toned talk 1t
was only mechanically, one would say.
Yet there was a q%uickening of the
breath now and again, and a pressing
Of the white teeth upon the ripe lower
lip, as she turned the pages Of the ad-
vertising supplement-; these. though
only detached sentences Of the talk.
drifted across to the window-seat:
You're fixed to put the entire re-
~sponsibility for the ruction over on to
the other side of the house?" was one
Of the overheard sentences: 1t was her
fathers query, and she also heard the
answer. We're goin' to put EN- in
bad. don't you forget it. ThereHl be
some broken heads, most likely, and
If they're ours, somebody'll pay for
EN-" A little farther along it was her
father who said: You've got to quit
this running to me. Keep to your own
side of the fence. Murray's got his
orders, and he'll pay the bills. II any.
thing breaks loose, | won't know you.
Get that?" I'm on" said the red.
faced man; and shortly afterward he
took his leave.
When the door had closed behind
the man who looked like a ward heller
or 4 walking delegate. and who had
been both, and many other and more
questionable things, by turns, Jasper
Grierson swung his huge chair to face
the window.
"Well?" he said. "how's GaIbraith
coming along?"
The smoldering fires in the daugh.
ter's eyes leaped up at the p%rovocation
lurking in the grim brutality; but they
were dying Down again when she put
the trade journal aside and said: Il
didn't come here to tell you about Mr..
Galbraith. l came to give you notice
that 1t is time to quit. When ! asked
you to put Mr.. Raymer under obliga.
tons to you, l said Id tell you when
1t was time to stop"
The president of the Farmers and
Merchants tilted his chair to the
lounging angle and laughed; a slow
gurgling laugh that spread from lip to
eye and thence abroad through his
great frame until he shook like a gro-
tesque incarnation of the god Of mirth.
Il am to turn around and help him
out Of the hole. am 1? Oh, no; l guess
not" he denied. ITS business now,
little girl, and the tea-fghts are barred.
I'll give you a check for that span O.
blacks you we're looking at, and we'll
call 1t square,"
Does that mean that you intend to
go on until you have smashed him?"
she asked, quietly ignoring the puta-
tive bride.
I'm going to put him out of bust
ness-him and that other fool friend OF
yours-if that's what you mean"
Again the sudden lightning glowed
in Margery Grierson's eyes; again
there was a struggle, short and sharp.
between the leaping passions and the
indomitable will. Yet she could speak
softly.
What is the reason? Why do you
hate these two so desperately? she
asked.
Jasper Grierson famed away the
nimbus Of cigar smoke with which he
had surrounded himself and stared
gloomily at her through the rift.
who said anything about hating?"
he derided. That's a fool woman's
notion. This is business. and there
amt any such thing as hate In bust
ness"
81 hate it," she said coldly. Then
she dragged the talk back to the chan.
mel 1t was leaving. Il ought to have
broken In sooner; l might have known
what you would do. You are respons-
ible for this labor trouble they are
having over at the iron works. Don't
bother to deny 1t; | know. That was
your 'heeler'-the man you had here
when / came. You don't play fair with
many people; don't you think you'd
better make an exception of me?
Griersol vas mounting his cigar
again and the smoky nlmbus was
thickening to its customary density
when he said: You're nothing but a
spoiled baby, Madge. II you'd cry for
the moon. you'd think you ought to
have 1t. I've said my say. and that's
all there is to II. Trot along home and
tend to your tea parties; that's your
part of the game. l a play my hand
alone"
She slipped out Of the window-seat
and crossed the room quickly to stand
| before him.
"Ill go when you have answered one
question:" she said, the suppressed
passions finding their way into her
voice. i've asked for bread and
you've given me a stone. I've said
please to you, and you slapped me for
1t. Do you think you a afford to
| shove me over to the other side?"
81 don't know what you're driving