Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-10-19
CHAPTER XVII.

u
,i Hannibal. Wharton arrived in, New
York mt five O'Clock aud went directly
to Merkle.s bank. At eight O'clock
Jarvis Hamm0ns died. During / the
afternoon and evening. other financiers,
summoned. hurriedly from New Eng
land. shores and Adirondack camps,
were busted In prepare lions for the
struggle they expected on the morrow.
During the closing hours of the-market
prices had slumped to an alarming de-
gree; a terrific raid on metal stocks had
begun, and conditions were ripe for u
panic.
Harmon hsd bulked large in the
steel world, and his position in circles
OF high finance had become prominent;
but alive he could never have worked
one-half the havoc caused by his sud-
den death. That persistent rumor Of
suicide argued, IN the public mind. the
aexistence of serious money troubles,
and gave significance to the Hunor that
for some time past had disturbed the
street. lannon's enemies summoned
their forces for crushing assault.
In this emergency Bob's father found
himself the real head of those vast en-
terprises in which he had been an as
ssOciafe, and until a late hour that night
he was forced to remain in consultation
with men who came and went with
CONSERVATION written upon their faces.
The amazing transformation which
followed the birth OF the giant steel
trust had raised many men from we'll
to-do obscur1ty into prominence and
undreamed-0f wealth. Since then the
Older members Of the. original clique
had withdrawn one by one from active.
affairs, and Of the younger men only
Wharton and Harmon had remained.
Equally these two had figured in what
was perhaps the mOstreinarkatle chap
ter 0f American financial history. Both
had been vigorous, self-made. practical
men But the outcome had affected
them quite differently.
Riches had turned, jarvis Hammon'S
mind into new channels; they had
opened strange pathways and projected
/ him into life that was in every
way foreign to his early teachings.
Ills duties kept him in New York.
while Wharton's had held him i'll his
s'old home Harmon had become II
great financier; Wharton had remained
the. practical operating expert, and.
owing to the exactions of his position.
he had become linked more closely
than ever to business detail. At the
same time he had become more and
more unapproachable. Unlimited power
had forced him into the peculiar isola-
| ton of. chief executive; he had grown
hard. suspicious, arbitrary Even 10
his son he had been for years remote
I being.
1t was not until the last conference
I had broken up, not untiEthe last forces
had been disposed for the coming bat
\ tie, that he spoke to Merkle Of Bob's
marriage Nerkle told him what he
knew, and the old man listened silent
IL Then he drove to the Elegancia.
Haab and Lorelei HAD Just returned
from the theater, much. be 1t said.
against the backgrounds wishes. Bob
had been eager to begin the celebration
of his marriage in a fitting manner, and
/ &c had required the shock Of Hammon's
death added to Lorelei's entreaties to
dissuade him from night Of hilarity.
He was flushed with drink. and in con-
sequence more than little resentftll
when she insisted upon spending an
other night in the modest little home.
4 "say! I'm not used to this kind of a
place" ne argued I'm not cave
dweller It's lovely nat for mnr-
der-but it's.no place to live"
Don't be silly" she told him. eve
acted on impulse; we can't change
4 everything at moments notice
4 .sBut-people take trips when they
yet married.
4 Il can't quit the show without two
II weeks notice"
n 1.-TWO weeks" He was aghast
!. tsrwo minutes. Two seconds. won't
have you lodging around stage doors. :
Bergman won't let me go; II
wouldn't be right to ask him.
II But Bob was inslstent. II intend to
Icures you OF the work habit. You mus
.iilearn to seorn It. Look at.me. I'm ar
i example OF the unearned increment
EWe'll kiss this dinky nat a fond fare
I well-it's impossible. really-I refuse
{ to share such dark secret with you
IIATomofrow we leave It for the third: and
j s1ast time What d'ysu ~ to ~ sunAl