The diamond drill., 1915-08-28

tEiuk ike tuul IN the urst neat OF IL
said the young ironmaster. ITS a
stout fighting word. and guess. under
the skin. you're stout lighting man.
Kenneth-which I'm not. Where arc
| your convictions about the map-to-
man obligations? We've got TO take
them into the account. haven't wer'
Damn the convictions!" snapped
Griswold viciously. IF I've been kIS.
Ing you the impression that I'm an ia.
practicable theorist. forget II. Than
fellows want night: say give them
. fght--all they want Of II and 4 lit.
tie moro for good measure"
Raymer did not reply at once. This
latest 0riswold was pushing him. and
with the puzslement there went cor
rowful regret: the regret that has
been the recanter's portion In sll tho
ages. When he spoke II was out az
the heart OF common sense and san.
fly.
II know how you feel about it. II
don't dare to pull down light which
may not only shut us UP for "A In.
definite time. but might even 60 far
,tuoukH W omhbu ut.
Griswold took his turn OF silence.
rocking gently In the fitting chair.
When the delayed reIoinder came. the
harshness had gone out OF his voice.
but there was cynical hardness to
take It's place
TITS your affair: not mine." he said.
IF you've made up your mind not to
light. OF course. that settles II. Now
we can come down to the causes.
You've been stabbed in the back. DO
you know who's doing it?"
'The Federated Iron Workers,
suppose"
mot In thousand years. They
are only the means to an end" The
fitting chair squeaked again, and he
went on III I'm going TO show you
how you can dodge this fight. I'll have
to knock down a door or two first.
II blunder in where I'm not wanted,
you can kick me out. There is one
way In which you can cure all this
trouble-sickness without resorting to
surgery and blood.letting."
Name It," said Raymer eagerly.
Il 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 Griersonf"
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 bin man In
the darkW he chuckled "But II. you're
in earnest I'll tell you the straightfor-
ward truth: don't know"
"You mean that Margery Griersop
doesn't measure UP TO the require
ments OF the Wahaskan Four Hun
dred?" There was satirical scord Ia
the observation. but Raymer did not
perceive II.
"Oh, don't know as you would put
IL quite that badly" he protested.
But you see, when II comes to mar
rying and settling down and raising a
family. you have to look at ALI sides or
the thing. The father. as we all know.
is q cold.blooded old werewolf; the
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 tines
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 rscandalized."
BY this time Griswold was gripping
the arms OF his chair savagely ana
otherwise trying TO hold himself
down; but this Raymer could not
know
You have reason to believe that II
rests wholly with you. I supposef"
came from the fitting chair after a
little pause. Miss Grierson is only
waiting for you to speak7"
That's a horrible question 10 ask q
man, Kenneth In the dark. n
say yes to II, Il can't sound any other
way than boastful and-and caddish.
Yet ! honestly believe that Oh.
hang II ALL can't you see how Impos-
sible you're making II. old man?"
mot impossible: only triie din
cult" was the qualifying rejoinder "It
is easier from this on That is tho
peaceful way out OF the shop trouble
for you. Raymer. When you can 90 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 Ia threaten
ing to smash you 10 Jasper Grierson's
reply TO the move you made when
you let me In and choked him on He
is reaching for you"
Raymer held his peace and the at
mosphere OF the room grew pungent
with tobacco smoke. -
I'm feeling a good bit like a 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
II he did and be damned IL he didn't
You have succeeded In fixing II so that
n ~ n.