Gunnison news-champion., 1918-07-05

I They were her work The deeper sig.
nificance of the meeting she was not
so much ignorant Of as profoundly in-
different 10. II her father did a thing,
IL took on order. became q law.
There were present Talbot and Lefh-
bridge, the Engiishmen: Boroday,
whose rescue from Siberia had made
him old HIlary's henchman: and
young Hut. Hun was the mechani-
clan. He had been trained In the
Bleriot works: airplanes to wireless.
automobiles to automatic pistols. he
knew theIn-all makes. all grades. II
old Hilary was the bruins. Hun was
the hands OF the band.
He sat beside Elinor. and watched
her with worshIping eyes. Perhaps II
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 Inst dinner around the table. In
evening clothes, well set up, spare,
three OF them young. all temperate.
honorable about women-as polished.
as harmless In appearance, as DEATH
dealing. as the cleaning projectile Of
a twelye-lnch gun,
First old Hilary went over the books.
II might have been the board meeting
Of some respectable bank. He stood
nj his end OF the table, and the light
from the chandelier fell full on him.
Il have to report. gentlemen" he
. ty-nfrfl 80 fuFrt.- nj -
This is where IL differed from a bank.
The association had had no bad years.
while our expenses have been heavy.
returns have been corrcspondihgly So"
And so on, careful lines OF figures. out
lays and returns. TO the end. For old
Hilary was secretary and treasurer MS
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 II is my sad
duty TO report, this last year, the loss
Of three Of our number. A calamitous
year. gentlemen"
He might have been n trustee, Ia
mentlng the loss Of valued supporters
to a hospital.
Afterward. In the library. with e.
lnnr embroidcring by the fire. they
cashed In. They dealt only in cash.
Securities were dangerous. Once or
twice Boroday had successfully nego-
tinted with fence In Paris. but al
ways under old Hllary's protest.
The routine never varied. Elinoi
unlocked the door to a winding stair
case. which led to a basement room
where the steel vault stood In Its ce
men, walls. The five Went down. re
turning shortly with the cash-boNes
The money was divided on the library
table. II went by percentages. Hi
ary drew 20 that last year. ench OF
the others 10-a total of co per cent
The 40 per cent remaining was di
vided. or sent ns whole. according
To the sense OF the meeting. Berliu
got II all one year, for Instance. to
Boroday's disgust. Russia generally
received large proportion. The Chi.
ncse revolution: the defense Of Berk.
hardt. who killed Ecker the pork.
packer; shipment of guns and am
munItion to Central America-thus II
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
H. ~
greater In actusl value than all the
money that had fallen to her father
she would not have believed 1t. :.
-Four days or 30 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 Hi.
ary's share went over the library Ia.
Bile, after the dinner, to the rector.
use It where 1t will do the most
good" he would say.
"The church organ"
mot a cent to the church organ.
Buy the youngsters a playground, or
build q lytng-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 1t down and faced his host
resolutely. 1t took courage.
"Mr. Kingston" he said, "the church
needs men like you. Why be a Chris
tian In the spirit and-avoid the let
teri"
tut" Old Hilary rose and looked
down at him. Il 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 dIscuesion