The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-09
CHAPTER xxIi-continued.

1.-THE Federated Iron Workers, I
suppose"
Not in a thousand years! They
are only the means to an end" The
fitting chair squeaked again, and he
went on: IF I'm going to show you
how you can dodge this fight, I'll have
to knock down a door or two first.
If l blunder in where I'm not wanted,
you can kick me out. There is one
way in which you can cure all this
trou ble-sickness without resorting to
surgery and blood-letting."
Name it," said Raymer eagerly.
81 will; but first I'll have to break
over into the personalities. Have you
made up your mind that you are going
to marry Margery Grierson?"
Raymer laughed silently, leaning his
head back on the cushion of the lazy
chair until his cigar stood upright.
That's a nice way to biff a man in
the dark" he chuckIed. But if you're
In earnest I'll tell you the straightfor-
ward truth: I don't know"
You mean that Margery Grierson
doesn't measure up to the require
ments of the Wahaskan Four Hun
dred?" There was satirical scorn in
the observation, but Raymer did not
perceive it.
"Oh. 1 don't know as you would put
it quite that badly" he protested.
But you see, when it comes to mar
Tying and settling down and raising a
family, you have to look at all sides of
the thing The father, as we all know.
RI al
mother nobody knows anything about
save that-happily. in all probability
she isn't living. And there you are.
Yet won't deny that there are times
when I'm tempted to shut my eyes
and take the high dive, anyway-at
the risk of splashing a lot of good
people who would doubtless be prop
erly scandalized."
| p ttlis time Griswold was gripping
the arms of his chair savageIy and
otherwise trying to hold himself
down; but this Raymer could not
know.
You have reason to believe that it
rests wholly with you, l suppose? ?"
came from the fitting chair after a
little pause. Miss Grierson is only
waiting IoF you TO speak,?
That's a horrible question to ask a
man, Kenneth-even in the dark. If
say yes to it, it can't sound any other
way than boastful and-and caddish
Yet l honestly believe that Oh,
hang 1t all! can't you see how impos-
sible you're making it, old MANI"
mot impossible; only a trife diff
the <sTS
is easier from this on That is the
peaceful way out of the shop trouble
for you, Raymer. When you can go to
Jasper Grierson and tell him you are
going to marry his daughter, the trou.
BILE will be as good as cured. This
labor trouble that is threaten.
ing to smash you is Jasper Grierson's
reply to the move you made when
you let me in and choked him of. He
is reaching for you"
Raymer held his peace and the at
mosphere of the room grew pungent
with tobacco smoke.
I'm feeling good bit like yellow
dog. Kenneth" he said, at length
After what I've admitted and what
you've said, I'm left in the position Of
the poor devil who would be damned
If he did and be damned if he didn't
You have succeeded in fixing it so thai
can't ask Margery Grierson to be MI
wife. however much I'd like to-
THAT isn't the point" insisted Girls
void half savagely. How you ma,
feel about it, or what your people MAJ
say, is purely secondary. The thing t.
be considered is. what will happen t.
Miss Grierson?"
why see here. old man; if yol
were Madge's brother, you couldn't b.
putting the screws on any harder
What's got into you tonight"
Griswold was memorable.
Miss Grierson hasn't any brother