Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-03-17

| by a rebelliOus curiosity concerning
what she had seen happen on the dis
tant platform when, Storm crossed it
to pick up her glove. AS his frank eyes
returned again and again to her imag,
| nation, something seemed to call her
strongly, back to where he still was
detained. She resisted longer; then
surrendering to a sudden impulse, she
ran downstairs, while her guests were
disposing themselves, stepped into her
racing car, drove to the station and
alighting just as Storm came out OF
the telegraph Office, she herself began
to search at the edge of the platform
for something. The engineer, after
an interval, deliberately joined her.
"You have lost something"
Helen glanced up with affected sur
prise. Nothing of moment. [ missed
ring when l got home" she fabricat-
ed lightly, "and one of my gloves. l
thought [ might have dropped the one
with the other here"
Storms hand moved toward his
blouse, then regaining his composure,
he withdrew his hand, empty, and at
fected to search along the roadway
with her. It was brief duel of wits,
but one in which the railroad man was
no longer at a disadvantage. He was
quite willing to search as long as she
would linger and Helen, more than a
little interested was capricious and
did linger until Storms slow sentences
began once more to bear too directly
on the episode of the wreck and his
gratefulness; then with a hasty good
by she started for home and Storm,
climbing into his ~engine, pulled out
with his long train.
General Holmes, in the meantime,
with his two Jealous groups Of direc-
tors, was striving in his drawing room
to arrive with them at q mutually sat
fSfactOry settlement Of the proposed
stock issue. In reserving 10000 shares
of this for himself and his friends,
Holmes had allotted 10000 to Sea
grue and his Wall street associates.
This both Seagrue and Capelle had
bluntly refused to accept, since the
proposed line would work havoc with
the through and local traffic of the
Colorado and Coast road. Seagrue de-
manded instead an equal distribution
of the new stock. Holmes and Rhine
lander, after a long conference, put
the motion fatty to the eleven direc.
tors. Seven of them supported Presi.
dent Holmes proposal.
Seagrue, white with anger, rose.
Cancel our allotment, then. We VIII
fight"
Tut, tut, Earl" protested Rhinelan-
der. That's no way to talk"
1--WE will fight" echoed Capelle,
equally wrought up "Seagrue is right
II we are to be treated in this way
well parallel your tracks!"
Rhinelander, Holmes and their as
sociates tried in vain to pacify the
two; their efforts were useless.
Hard words passed and more threats
were uttered; the meeting broke up in
disorder.
Seagrue and Capelle retired to an
adjoining room. Helen passed before
at her and looked toward Seagrue His
face stretched into one of his hollow
grins.
Bad business for you, Seagrue," he
said to his companion. IF you can't
/ unload your Colorado and Coast hold
ings, this thing will put you pretty
near out Of the game
Unload" snorted Seagrue, wrath
fully. when that cutoff is announced
Colorado stock won't sell for waste
paper"
Helen repassed the hall Capelle
nodded toward her. There's your best
bet, Seagrue. Holmes would give his
son-in-law anything"
Seagrue looked glum. He limited he
had already tried that out, and fruit.
lessly, but spurred by his friends sug-
gestion, he determined on a further eff.
fort After luncheon he attempted to
renew his addresses.
But there seemed about the self.
willed girl a certain barrier of indie.
pendence, which, try as he would, he
could never penetrate. whats the
matter, Helen?" he demanded at last.
You seem to take everything I say
as a joke"
She repressed q little bubble of
laughter. That's the spirit it's meant
i'll, isn't it?'
( He was too irritated to be patient
Toward evening he assayed to be Sc
rious again; again she lightly evaded
his advances.
Late in the day, when walking past
the doors of the library, he saw
Holmes, finishing a conference with
Rhinelander, once more roll up an i'm
portant document and place it within
his safe, set inside the library wall.
Seagrue knew too we'll what it was
the survey of the cutoff, the building
of which, by Gripping him financially,
was likely to wreck his hopes of a