The Monticellonian., 1916-11-09

why one so vitally interested in the welfare of the manufacturers should not be d member. Information of d most exhaustive nature should be giy- en him. Even the minutes of the meeting and copies of addresses should be put at his disposal. He should meet all present.
 So Agent Gard loafed about the Waldorf for four days. He was re- garded, not merely as a master of finance who was the equal of any of the manufacturers attending the con vention, but as the man of them all who held the whip hand Morning and night he cultivated these men, talked business with them, asked them questions. They told him all that went on in the convention, al lowed him to read it's minutes. He was the most courted man at the hotel when the word got well circulated that he was the pulp king of the Canadian northwest.
 Gard, of course, had an average number of acquaintances scattered about the country and many of these knew of his association with the de- partment of justice. In New York hotel there is always a chance of meet ing friends from any place in the world. Gard was therefore not sur prised when, on the evening of the manufacturers banquet which brought the convention to a close. to pass in a corridor two od-time friends. men whom he had known in college. They hailed him vociferously as Gard, old man" It was against just such an emergency that he had used his own name.
 The special agent was at the time going in to dinner with Randolph. the secretary, and member from Buffalo. Nothing would have come of this chance greeting had it not been that a paper manufacturer was standing be- side the two friends of Gard when the latter passed One of these young men turned to the other and asked:
 What is Gard doing now? haven't seen him since I left college"
 He is with the department of jus tice., said the second friend. He is a special agent, detective working on big trust investigations.
 And the manufacturer heard it all. He immediately communicated his in- formation to President Van Dorn. That official lost his urbane equani- mity and futtered about in much con fusion, consulting with others in au- thority He did not approach Gard, and that young man was all unsuspici- ous that anything had gone wrong un- til the time came for after-dinner speeches.
 Before we proceed with the toasts on the program" said President Van Dorn who was master of ceremonies, T would like to call the attention of the members present to one matter not regularly scheduled. We have all met, during the week, Mir Gard, of the Ca nadian northwest MT. Gard has fur nished many of us with facts that seemed to be vital to the interests of wood pulp business. We, ineexehange, have given to Mr Gard much informa- tion with relation to the pulp and pa per business. l would like to present Mir. Gard to this gathering, if may"
 President Van Dorn paused and looked expectantly in the direction of the young man in question. The situ- ation was such that Gard was required to arise and receive the introduction and, as he expected, make a bit of a speech. He rose to his feet.
 This, gentlemen. continued Van Dorn, lis Ar. Gard As the repre- sentative of the Canadian Northwest Timber company you have unbosomed yourselves to him. He is, in reality, a detective of the department of jus tiee You, gentlemen. are under in vestigation Will Mir. Gard be so good as to tell us whether or not we are a trust.
 The young representative of Uncle Sam was taken completely by sur prise. He had gone so far with his work without being suspected that he had thought he would get all the way through. But he had all the time dis counted the possibility of being found out and was therefore entirely pre- pared.
 T plead guilty as charged" he said lowing profoundly and grinning some what sheepishly and boyishly. You,