Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-05-26
CHAPTER xlx-continuea.


1t is just as well, perhaps, / doubt
very much II am the person to give
II to you"
why do you doubt it? Isn't it
part Of your job?"
Not always. | am not your con
science keeper, Brouillard Don't mis-
understand me. may have lived
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
spiration. That is what mean when
say that am not your conscience
keeper. DO l make 1t clear?"
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.
mitting it. II you haven't been the
leader in the mad scramble for riches
here in this abandoned city, you have
been only a step behind the leaders.
And you we're the one man who should
have been like Caesars wife. the one
whose example counted for most"
Brouillard 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 'I1l take back all the
spiteful things I've been saying I'm
down under the hoofs of the horses.
and It's only human nature to want to
pull somebody else down. You are one
of the few men in Mirapolis whose
presence has been a blessing instead
of curse--who hasn't had a purely
selfish greed to satisfy"
Again Castner shook his head.
There hasn't been much that could
do. Brouillard. II is simply dreadful
the hard, reckless, half-demoniac spirit
OF this placei There is nothing to APP
peal to; there is no room or time for
anything but the mad money chase or
the still madden dissipation in which
the poor wretches seek to forget. I
can only try here and there to drag
some poor soul out of the fire at the
last moment. and il makes me sick
sick at heartl"
You mustn't look at It that way,
said Brouillard. suddenly turning com.
forter you have been doing good
work and lot of it-more than any
three ordinary men could stand up un.
der. haven't got beyond seeing and
.appreciating, Castner; truly have
not. And I'll say this: III had only
half your courage but it's nc
use. I'm in too deep. can't see any
farther ahead than a man born blind
There Is one end for which have beer
striving from the very first, and it Is
still unattained. I'm past help now.
have reached point at which I'd ptl
the whole world down in ruins to SEE
that end accomplished"
The young missionary took another
turn up and down the room and ther
came back to the desk for his hat. A
the leave-taking he said the only help
ful word he could think of.
Go to your confessor. Brouillard-
your real confessor-and go all tn,
more readily if that one happens to b,
a good woman--whom you love an,
trust. They often see more clearl,
than we do--the good women. Try 1t
and let me help where a man cal
help"
For a long hour after Castner wen
away Brouillard sat at his desk, fight
ing as those fight who see the caus
lost. and who know they only max
the ruin more complete by strugglin
on
Cortwright's guess had found it
mark. He was loaded to break wit
front feet" and options and corners.
In the least speculative period he ha
bought and mortgaged and bough
again. plunging reclSlessly with tn
sole object Of wringing another hun
dred thousand out of drying spong
against the time when David Massii
gale should need it. At first the unde
taking seemed easily possible Bt
with the drying OF the speculatiy
sponge it became increasingly diff
cult More and more he had been con
PEELED to buy and hold, until now til
bare attempt to unload would hay
started the panic which was only wal
ing for some hedging seller to fire th
train.
The sweat stood out in great droI
on his forehead when he finally DIRE
a pad Of telegraph blanks under h
hand and began to write messag
Painstakingly he composed it. refe
ring often to the notes In his fiel
book and printing the words neat
In his accurate, clearly-defned han
writing.
When II was finished he translated
iahoriously into the department cod
But after the copy was made al
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 the
searching blindly for some aftermath
10 the final act OF treachery whi,
would be consummated In the sendn
of the wire.
Since. by reason of Cortwright's tai
perings with the smelter people al
the railroad. the Little Susan" had /
come a locked treasure vault, the e
gineer. acting upon his own initiatiy
had tried the law. AS soon as he hi
ascertalned that David Massingale HI
been given sixty days longer to II,
solely because the buccaneers eho
to take his mine rather than b
money. Brouillard had submitted 4
facts in the case to a trusted lawy
friend in the East
This hope had pulled in two like
frayed cord. Massingale must pay I
bank or lose all. Until he had {
tanned possession Of the promisso
notes there would he no crevice