The Huttig news., 1917-07-07


 ingly anxious that the papers before old Hilary be in order and accurate. 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 EngAshmen; Boroday, whose rescue from Siberia had made him old Hilary's henchman; and young Huff. Huff was the meehanl- 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, we'll set up, spare, three of them young, all temperate, honorable about women-as polished, as harmless In appearance, as death dealing, as the gleaming projectile of Q twelve-inch gun!
 First old Hilary went over the books. It might have been the board meeting of some respectable bank. He stood at 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 correspondingly so." And so on, careful lines of figures, out Jays and returns, to the end. For old Hilary was secretary and treasurer as well as 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 calamitous year, gentlemen"
 He might have been a trustee. la menting the loss of valued supporters to hospital
 Afterward, In the library, with El- inor embroidering by the fire, they cashed in. They dealt only in cash. Securities were dangerous. Once or twice Boroday had successfully nego. tiated with a fence In Paris, but al ways under old Hilary's protest.
 The routine never varied. Elinol unlocked the door to a winding stair case, which led to a basement roon where the steel vault stood in its G ment walls. The Ave went down, r' turning shortly with the cash-boxes The money was divided on the Hbrar, table. It went by percentages. HI ary drew 20 that last year, each of the others 10-a total of 60 per cent. The 40 per cent remaining was df- vided. or sent as a, whole, according to the sense of the meeting. Berlin got 1t all one year, for instance, to Borodays disgust. Russia generally received a large proportion. The Chi nese revolution; the defense of Berk- hardt, who killed Ecker the. pork packer; shipment of guns and am- intuition to Central America-thus 1t went
 Although they preferred only money, now and then the loot included jewels. By common consent, such gems, stripped of their settings, were put aside for Elinor. They meant nothing to her. Had anyone told her that for several years her share had been greater In actual value than all the money that had fallen to her father she would not have believed it. {.
 Four days or so after the annual meeting the rector of Saint Jude's was always asked to dinner. And although the reverend gentleman would under normal circumstances have been fish ing In Canada, he never went until this function was over. For old Hilary, de- testing his creed, respected the man. A certain percentage, then, of old Hill ary's share went over the library ta- ble, after the dinner, to the rector.
 "USe 1t where it will do the most good" he would say.
 ''The church organ"
 Not cent to the church organ. Buy the youngsters a playground, or build a lying-in ward in the hos pital."
 Elinor's mother had died in child birth.
 The last check had been unusually generous. The rector, who had been smoking one of old Hilary's choice cigars, put it down and faced his host resolutely. It took courage.
 "Mr. Kingston" he said, "the church needs men like you. Why be Chris tian in the spirit and-avoid the let ter?"
 "Tut." Old Hilary rose and looked down at him. 'I am like all gamblers. This annual check to your poor is the sop throw to luck. That's all. sir"
 And his tone closed the discussion. The word gambler" worried the rec