Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-08
CHAPTER n.
low.

Once year the association closed
It's books. During all of the June be-
fore old Hilary's sudden death, Elnor
had been busy arranging figures. col
lectng data in the cryptic shorthand
she knew. Then, on the first of July,
Hilary gave his annual dinner.
The band, from twelve, was down to
five. BorOday, the Russian, glancing
around the table, shrugged his shout
ders. 1t was the chance of the game
they played, and percentages would
be larger. Nevertheless there was q
weight of depression over them all
Elln0r was at her fathers right,
simply dressed. The dinners were al
ways a trial to her. She was palpitat-
ingly anxious that the papers before
old Hilary be in order and actArate.
They were her work. The deeper sig
nificance of the meeting she was not
SO much ignorant of as profoundly in
different to- If her father did thing,
1t took on order, became law.
There were present Talbot and Leth-
bridge, the Engishmen; Boroday,
whose rescue from Siberia had made
him Old Hilarys henchman; and
young Huff. Huff was the mechani-
clan. He had been trained in the
Bleriot works; airplanes to wireless,
automobiles to automatic pistols, he
knew them--all makes, all grades. If
old Hilary was the brains, Huff was
the hands Of the band.
He sat beside Elinor, and watched
her with worshiping eyes. Perhaps it
was as well that old Hilary was intent
on his food and on the business In
hand.
The routine Of the annual dinner
seldom varied. Five Of them then,
that last dinner around the table. in
evening clothes, well set up. spare.
three of them young, all temperate.
honorable about women-as polished.
rs harmless in appearance as death
dealing as the cleaning proiectile of
n twelve-inch gun!
First old Hilary went over the books.
1t might have been the board meeting
of some respectable bank. He stood
Mt his end Of the table, and the light
from the chandelier fell full on him.
Il have to report, gentlemen" he
would say, "a fairly successful year"
This Is where 1t differed from bank.
The association had had no bad years.
while our expenses have been heavy,
returns have been CORRESPONDENCE So"
And so on, careful lines of figures, out
lays and returns, to the end. For old
Hilary was secretary and treasurer as
well rs president.
This time. when he had reached the
end of what was TO be his last report
he paused and cleared his throat.
unfortunately that is not all, gen.
tlemen. Nothing can we call our
own but death And it is my sad
duty to report, this last year, the loss
of three of our number. A caamltous
year, gentlemen"
He might have been trustee. la
menting the loss OF valued supporters
to Il hospital!
Afterward, in the library. with FL
inor embrodering by the fire, they
cashcd in. They dealt only in cash.
Securities were dangerous. Once or
twice Boroday had successfully nego-
tlated with fence IN Parts. but al
ways under old Hilary's protest.
The routine never varied. EllnOr
unlocked the door to winding stair
case, which led TO Il basement room
where the steel vault stood in It's CO.
ment walls. The five went down. re-
turning shortly with the cash-boxes.
The money was divided on the library
table. II went by percentages. Hill
airy drew 20 that last year, each of
the others 10--n total Of 60 per cent.
The 40 per cent remaining was d.