The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-05-03
p xv-cOntinusd.

Bill Wagstaff was not prone to jump
at rash conclusions. If he objected to
certain manipulatlons Of the Free Gold
Mining company, his objection was
likely TO be based on substantial
grounds, At any rate, she hoped moth
ing dlsagreeable would come Of 1t.
So she put the whole matter out Of
her mind. She dressed, and went
whole-heartedly about her own affairs.
Dinner time was drawing close when
she returned home. She sat down by
a window that overlooked the street
to watch for Bill. Six passed. The
half-hour chime struck on the mantel
clock. Hazel grew impatient, petu-
liant, aggrleved. Dinner would be
served In twenty minutes. Still there
was no sign of him. And for lack Of
other occupation she went into the hall
and got the evening paper, which the
carrier had just delivered.
A startling headline on the front
page stiffened her to scandallzed atten-
ton. Straight across the tops Of two
columns it ran, a facetious caption :
WILLIAM WAGsTAFF IS A BEAR
Under that the subhead:
Husky Mining Man Tumbles Prices and
Brokers. Whips Four Men in Broad
Street Office. Slugs Another on
Change. His Mighty Fists Sub
due Society's Finest. Finally
Lands In Jail.
The body Of the article Hazel read
In what a sob sister would describe
as a state Of mingled emotions.
william Wagstaff is a mining gentleman
from the northern wilds Of British Column
bia. He is a big man, a natural-born
fighter. To prove this he inflicted o black
eye and q split lip on Paul Lorimer, a
broken nose and sundry bruises on James
l. Brooks. Also Allen 7. Bray and Ed
ward Quincy Parkinson suffered certain
Commissions in the melee. The fracas oc-
CURED In the office Of the Free Gold Min
ing Company, 1854 Broad street. at $3.50
this afternoon. While hammering the
brokers a police officer arrived on the
scene and wagstaff was duly escorted to
the city bastiie. Prior to the general en-
counter in the Broad street office Wag-
stan walked into the Stock Exchange, and
made statements about the Free Gold Min
Ing Company which set oil the brokers by
the ears. Lorimer was on the floor, and
received his discolored optic there.
A reporter was present when Wagstan
walked on the floor OF the Stock Ex-
change. He strobe up to the post where
Lorimer was transacting business.
II serve notice on you right now" he
said loudly and angrily. "that II you sell
another dollars worth of Free Gold stock,
I'll put you out Of business"
Lorlmer appeared to lose his temper.
Some word was passed which further in
censed wagstaff. He smote the broker
and the broker smote the floor. Wag-
stars punch would do credit to a cham
mon pugilist, from the execution 1t
wrought. He Immediately left the Stock
Exchange, and not long afterward Broad
street was electrified by sounds Of combat
in the Free Gold office. II Is conceded
that Wagstaff had the situation and his
three opponents well In hand when the
cop arrived.
None OF the men concerned would dis
c,iss the matter. From the remarks drop
pei by wagstaff, however, II appears that
thu policy Of marketing Free Gold stock
was ~inaugurated without his knowledge or
consent.
l3e that as II may, all sorts Of rumors
are in circulation. and Free Gold stock.
which has beer sold during the past week
as high as q dollar forty, found few TAX
ers at par when Change closed. There
has been q considerable speculative move
ment In the stock. and the spectators
are beginning to wonder II there Is q
screw loose in the company affairs.
Wagstaff's case will come up tomorrow
forenoon. A charge Of disturbing the
peace was placed against him. He gave
a cash bond and was at once released.
When the hearing comes some OF the
parties to the AFFAIR may perchance di-
vuige what lay at the bottom OF the row.
ANY fine within the power Of the court
70 impose IL a mere bagateile, compared
TO the distinction Of scientifically man
handling four Of soclety's finest In one
afternoon. As n b~ystander remarked In
the classic phraseology Of the street;
"wagstar's a bearF"
The brokers concerned might CONSIDER
this TO have q double meaning.
Hazel dropped the paper, mortified
and wrathful. The city jail seemed
the very Pit itself to her. And the
iurid publicity. the lifted eyebrows OF
her friends. maddened her in prospect.
Plain street brawling, such as one
might expect from O cabman or a taxi
mahout. not from a man like her hus-
i. band. She inyoluntarily assigned the
blame to him. Not for the cause.-The
cause was Of no Importance whatever
to her-but for the act itself. Their
best frlendsi She could hardly realize
Il. Jimmie Brooks. jovial Jimmie, with
a broken nose and sundry bruises
And Paul Lorimer, distinguished Paul,
who had the courtly bearing which
was the despair Of his fellows. and the
manner OF a dozen generations OF cul-
ture wherewith to charm the women
Of his acquaintance. he with q black
eye and a split lipI So the paper
stated. It was vulgar. Brutal The
act OF a cave man.
She was on the verge Of tears.
And Just at that moment the door
opened, and In walked BID.
CHAPTER XVI.