Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-07
Euening Story
THE STACKER.
BY Paul J. Fay.
Copyright. 1917. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Please. Mr.. Randolph, just let us
have few more days and we shall pay
you the rent. Father is still sick, but
mother and I are working as hard a;
we can. And 1t is so hard to take care
of father and work besides"
The girl, while speaking. covered
more and more under the glance of the
man. Every look Of scorn went straight
to her soul like a thrust of lance
Finally she fell on her knees before
him and burst into tears.
Gomez" her tormentor snapped. a
sheer distorting his face. "This nc
place for dramatics. That sob stuff
doesn't fool me bit. You've got
money to pay your rent and know IT.
II it's not paid by this noon out you
60. Get me?"
After this outburst the young mil
lionaire turned to his desk and paid no
more attention to his visitor. Soon she
staggered out. her eyes blinded with
tears.
Chester Randolph was not hard.
hearted man naturally. From his
father, who died few months before,
he had inherited a successful real es.
tate business and q square jaw. He
had been brought up to worship Bust.
ness, to let nothing interfere with
Business. Chester managed the blocks
Of tenements which he owned with the
same heartless, business-like manner
with which his father before him had
managed them. He was no better than
his father, no worse.
On the day after his argument with
the girl about the rent another girl
entered his office. She walked haught-
lily up to his desk and glanced at him
with an impetus, not timorous, light
flashing in her eyes. From her card
he saw that she was Eleanor Malette,
the daughter of prominent state Of
fetal. For a moment Chester sa.
stunned at her queenly beauty. Then
he arose and courteously offered her a
chair.
NO. thank you came on business,
not pleasure" The girl looked him
straight in the eye and spoke in low,
even tones. 81 came to ask you how
large subscription you will make to
the Liberty Loan"
An angry CLEAN came into the man g
eyes. Another charity seeker he
thought.
II am sorry" he answered But
I do not think will be able to donate
anything"
What" The girl looked puzzled
Donate? But this is not a donation.
It's an investment, the safest one You
can make. You get three and one-half
per cent. interest and no taxes. Why,
surely you've read about It. Every
other business man in the block has
subscribed. You certainly want to do
something for your country. Just think
Of the honor. You'll be helping Uncle
Sam win democracy for the world. The
whole world will be your debtor"
Miss Malette became more enthusi.
astic as she spoke. But the man grew
snettled.
81 said did not want any. and that
is all there is to it, Good-day' His
voice was little too sharp.
Slowly the red stained Eleanor's face
more and more deeply. Then suddenly
It dawned upon her that he had re-
fused, for he turned his back and sat
down. The color dropped from her
face like curtain.
"You-you Stacker" she said an
grily.
He sprang to his feet in fury
Leave this office at once" he COM
manded.
"Oh. yes, because I tell you your
duty you order me to leave. I'll leave
when ! get ready" Defiance sprang
from every muscle Of her rigid body.
She pointed an accusing finger at him.
Eyes, you're a Stacker and coward.
You're tearing your money out Of the
very souls of the people and then you
refuse to give up cent to your gov.
eminent. The government protects you
and gives you officers to put out your
penniless tenants. Then you even lie
about your property to escape taxation.
Yet you dare TO call yourself man. |
despise you, you Stacker"
Eleanor stared at him moment,
then turned and went out.
Chester ran to the door and slammed
it shut. He paced the floor rapidly I'M
til his face colored from a white to a
red heat Then he went to the tele-
phone and called up his lawyer.
81 want to bring suit against Eleanor
Malette." he said. She called me n
Stacker and coward right here before
my stenographer when refused to buy
a bond"
ut would do no good to sue her,
was the attorneys calm reply.
"Why?" snapped Randolph.
Because she spoke the truth"
The telephone dropped to the floor
with a crash
That night Chester Randolph slept
not wink The next morning he did
not go to his office. but remained at
home. There he had the biggest fight
he had ever fought in his life and he
fought with his biggest ensmy-him-
self. All day long he struggled. while
the sweat poured from his brow in
streams. Toward evening he called
Eleanor Malette on the telephone and
she refused to speak with him. Every
time the servants offered him food he
turned on them SO savagely that they
shrank from him in terror. Another
night passed in wakefulness and rest
less tossing. At dawn Chester was
completely exhausted. The struggle