Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-06-21
CHAPTER xIx-con.Inued.

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willing to buy it with the coin of con-
fdence," he said at length. adding:
1t is just as well. perhaps. l doubt
very much If am the person to give
# to you"
why do you doubt it? Isn't it a
part of your job?"
Not always. am not your con-
science keeper, Brouillard Don't mis-
understand me. | may have lived a
year longer than you have. but you
have lived more-a great deal more
That fact might be set aside, but there
is another: In the life Of every man
there is some one person who knows.
who understands. whose word for that
man is the one only fitting word of in
SEPARATION. That is what mean when
say that am not your conscience
keeper Do make II clear2"
Granting your premises-yes. Go
on"
Il will Wen paste that leaf down
and turn another. Though | can't
counsel you. can still be your faithful
accuser. You have committed a great
sin. Brouillard. and you are still com
hitting it, If you haven't been the
leader in the mad scramble fer riches
here in this abandoned city. you have
been only a step behind the leaders.
And you were the one man who should
have been like Caesars wife. the one
whose example counted for most"
BrouiIlard got up and thrust out his
hand across the desk.
You are a man, Castner-and that
is better than being a priest" he as
serted soberly I'm take back all the
spiteful things I've been saying I'm
down under the boots OF ne horses,
and it's only human nature to want to
pun somebody else down. You are one
OF the few men in Mirapolis whose
presence has been a blessing instead
of a eurse-who hasn't had a purely
selfish greed to satisfy"
Again Cashier shc1k his head
There hasn't been much that could
do. BrouiIlard. IL Is simriy dreadful
she hard. reckless, haI@demouiac spirit
of this place! There is nothing to ap.
zeal to; there is no room or time tor
anything but the mad money chase or
the still madden dissipation in which
the poor wretches seek 10 forget.
can only try here and there to drag
some poor soul out of the fire at the
last moment. and it makes ME sick
sick at heart!"
You mustn't look at it that way"
said Brouillard. suddenly turning com
forter You have been doing good
work and a lot Of it-mOre than any
three ordinary men could stand up IN
der. l haven't got beyond seeing and
appreciating. Cashier; truly l have
not. And I'll say this: III l had only
half your courage but it's no
use, I'm in too deep. can't see any
farther ahead than man born blind
There is one end for which have been
striving from the very first, and it IS
still unattained I'm past help now.
have reached a point at which I'd pull
the whole world down in ruins TO see
that end accomplished
The young missionary took another
turn up and down the room and then
came back to the desk for his hat At
the ieave-taking he said the only help
ful word he could think Of.
Go to your eonfessor, Brouillard-
your real confessor-and go all the
more readil. if that one happens to be
a good woman-whom you love and
trust. They often see more clearly
than we do--the good women. Try It.
and let me help where a man can
help"
For long hour after Cashier went
away Brouillard sat a. his desk. fight
ing as those fight who see the cause
lost. and who know they only make
the ruin more complete by strugglins
on.
Cortwright's guess had found IL.
mark He was loaded to break will
front feet" and options and corners.
In the least speculative period he haC
bought and mortgaged and bough
again. plunging recklessly with tn,
sole object of wringing another hun
dred thousand out OF drying spong,
against the time when David Massin
gale should need 1t. At first the under
taxing seemed easily possible. Blu
With the drying of the speculative
sponge il became increasingly diff
cult. More and more he had been con
PEELED to buy and hold. until now til
bare attempt to unload wo1d hav
started the panic which was only wal
ing for some hedging seller to fire tn
train.
The sweat stood out in great drop
on his forehead when he finally DIRE,
a pad of telegraph blanks under hi
hand and began to write a messag,
Painstakingly he composed it. refel
ring often TO the notes in his f1elC
book, and printing the words neatl
in his accurate, clearly-defined hanS
writing.
When it was finished he translated
laboriously into the department cod,
But after the copy was made an
signed he did not ring at once for
messenger. Instead. he put the tw,
the original and the cipher, under
paper weight and sat glooming at thel
searching blindly for some alternatiy
to the final act Of treachery whic
would be consummated in the sendin
of the wire
Since. by reason of Cortwrlght's tan