Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-10-16
would be dealt with as traitors and

OaSket pnaetOn, made stop IN 'front.'
of the Farmers and Merchants bank
Since it was long past the closing
hours, the curtains we're drawn in the
bank doors and street-facing windows
But there was 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-end sat a man fiorid
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 room and perched herself on the
deep seat of the farthest window, it
went on in guarded tones at silent
signal from the banker to his visitor.
There was a trade journal lying in
the window-seat, and Miss Grierson
took it up to become idly Immersed in
a study of the advertising pictures. Ii
she listened to the low-toned talk it
was only mechanically. one would say.
Yet there was a quickening of the
breath now and again. and 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; it was her
fathers query. and she also heard the
answer. Were goin' to put EN- in
bad, don't you forget it. There1l 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. If any
thing breaks loose. l 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 ward heller
or a 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 Galbraith
coming along?"
ter's eyes leaped up at the provocation
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. 1 came to give you notice
that it is time to quit. When 1 asked
you to put Mr.. Raymer under obfiga-
tons to you. 1 said I'd 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
gurgiing 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 L? Oh, no; / guess
not" he denied Its business now,
little girl, and the tea-fights are barred.
I'll give you a check for that span O.
blacks you were looking at, and we'll
call it square,"
Does that mean that you intend to
go on until you have smashed him ?"
she asked, quietly ignoring the puta-
tive bribe.
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 = 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
'fWho 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 it was leaving. Il ought to have
| broken in sooner; I might have known
what you would do. You are respons-
IDLE for this labor trouble they are
having over at the iron works. Don't
bother to deny it; l know That was
your Theeler'-the man you had here
when 1 came. You don't play fair with
many people: don't you think you'd
better make an exception of me?"
Grierson was mounting his cigar
again and the smoky nimbus was
| thickening to its customary density
when he said: You're nothing but
4