The Ordway new era., 1916-11-10
-Your son nibbs.- seid he dscscs


life he ought to lead. Blindly. he's
been fighting for the chance to lead
it-he's obeylng something that begs
to stay alive within him; and. blindly.
he knows you'll crush II out. You've
set your will to do 1t. Let me tell you
something more. You're half mad with
a consuming fury against the very
self Of the law-the law that took Jim
from you. The very self of the law
took Roscoe from you and gave Edith
the certainty OF beating you: and the
very self OF the law makes Bibbs deny
you tonight. The law beats you. But
you've set yourself against II. to bend
It to your own ends, to WELD It and
twist 1t"
The voice broke from Sheridan's
heaving chest In a shout. Yes! And
by God, ! will!'
80 Ajax defied the lightning" said
Gurney. A'
i've heard that dam-fool story.
too" Sheridan retortcd, fxedly. "'De-
fed the lightning did he. the jackass!
II he'd been half man he'd n got
away with 1t. We don't go showin' on
defyin' the lightning-we hitch 1t up
and make 1t work for us like black
steer!"
well, what about Bibbs?" said Cur.
ncy. "Will you be really big man
now and"
| "Gurney. you know n lot about big.
ness!' Sheridan began to walk to and
/ fro again. and the doctor returned
gloomlly to his chair He had shot his
bolt the moment he judged Its chance
to strike center was best. but the tar.
get seemed unaware OF the marks.
man.
I'm tryin' to make big man out o.
that poor truck yonder." Sheridan went
on, "and you step in. beggin' me to let
him be Lord knows what don't! l
suppose you figure It out that now ]
got son-in-law. / mightn't need som
| Yes. got a son-in-law nova
spendcrr'
"Oh. put your hand back! said Cur
ney. wcarily.
There was bronze Inkstand upon
the table. Sheridan put his right hand
In the sling. but with his left he swept
the inkstand from the table and half
way across the room-a comet with o
destroying black tail. Mrs. Sheridan
shrieked and sprang toward 1t.
Let 1t lay" he shouted, hercely.
LET 1t lay!" And. weeping. she
obeyed. "Yes, SIR" he went on. In a
voice the more ominous for the sudden
hush he put upon 1t. "a got spender
for son-in-law! It's wonderful
where property goes. sometimes. There
was ole man Tracy-you remember
him Doc. Il. Tracy. solid banker.
He went Into the bank as messenger.
seventeen years old: he was president
at forty-three. and he built that bank
with his life for forty years more. Gilt
edge. that bnnk7 1t was diamond
edged? He used to eat n bag o. pea.
nuts and nm apple for lunch: but he
wasn't stingy-he was Just livin' in his
business. He didn't care for pie or
automobiles--hc had his bank. 1t was
IN institution. and 1t come pretty near
bein' the beatln' heart o. this town in
Its time. Well. that ole man used to
pass one O. these here turned-up-nose
and turned-up-pants cigarette boys on
the streets. Never spoke to him,
Tracy didn't. Speak to him? God!
he wouldn't "a coughed on him! He
wouldn't "a let him clean the cuspi.
dors at the bank! Why, II he'd "a just
seen him standin' in front the bank
he'd "A had him run of the street. And
yet all Tracy was doin' every day OF
his life was workin' for that cigarette
boy! Tracy thought he was givin'
his life and his lIfe-blood and the
blood of his brain for the bank, but
he wasn't. 1t was every bit-from
the time he went In at seventeen till
he died In harness at eighty-three--
1t was every last lick Of 1t just
slavin' for turned-up-nose, turned
up-pnnts cigarette boy. And Tracy
didn't even know his name! He died
not ever havia' heard 1t, though he
chased him of the front steps Of hi.
house once. The day after Trncy died
his old-maid daughter married the
cigarette-and there amt any Tracy
bank any more! And now"-his voice
rose ngnin-"and now I got cigarette
son-in-lawv
Gurney pointed to the hourishins
right hand without speaking, and Sheri
dan once more returned 1t to the sling
My son-in-law likes Florida this
winter" Sheridan went on. "That's
good, and my son-in-law better enjoy
It, because don't think he'll be there
next winter. They got twelve thou.
sand dollars to spend. and I hear II
can be done in Florida by rich sons-in.
law When Roscoe's woman got me to
spend that much on porch for their
new house, Edith wouldn't give me a
minutes rest till turned over the