The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-07-04
CHAPTER Xv-Contlnued.

CHAPTER xV-contlnued.
il
tie rolled away In his car, and Hazel
watched him from the window, trlfie
puzzled. She recalled Blll's remark
ut luncheon. In the light Of Brooks
explanation, she could see nothing
wrong On the other hand, she knew
Fiji Wagstafr was not prone to jump
at rash conclusions. If he objected to
certain manipulations of the Free Gold
Mining company, his objection was
likely TO be based on substantial
grounds. At any rate, she hoped moth
ing disagrceable 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
10 watch for Bill. Six passed. The
.half-hour chime struck on the mantel
clock. Hazel grew impatient, petu-
,ant. aggrieyed. 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
aud got the evening paper, which the
carrier had just delivered.
A startling headline on the front
page stiffened her to scandalized atten-
ton. Straight across the tops of two
columns II run, 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 sob sister would describe
as a state of mingled emotions.
william Wagstaff is a mining gentleman
from the northern wilds OF British Column
bin. lie is a big man, natural-born
lighter To prove this he inflicted n black
eye and split lip on Paul Lorlmer,
broken nose and sundry bruises on James
l.. Brooks Also Allen T. Bray and Ed
ward Gurney Parkinson suffered certain
contusions in the melee. The fracas oc-
CURED in the office OF the Free Gold Min
ing Company. 1864 Broad street. at $3.50
this afternoon. While hammerlng the
brokers a police officer arrived on the
scene and Wagstaff was duly escorted to
the city bastile. 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 all the brokers by
the ears. Lorimer was on the floor. and
received his dlscolored optic there.
A reporter was present when Wagstaff
walked on the floor OF the Stock Ex-
change He strodL up to the post where
Iormer was transaoting business.
'T serve notice on you right now" he
said loudly and nngrily, that II you sell
another dollars worth OF Free Gold stock.
TIL put you out OF business"
LorImer 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-
staf's punch would do credit 10 cham
pIon pugilist. from the execution II
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 Wagstaf had the situation and his
three opponents well in hand when the
con arrived
None OF the men concerned would dis
cuss the matter. From the remarks drop.
ped by Wagstnff however. II appears that
the policy Of marketing Free Gold stock
was inaugurated without his knowledge or
consent.
BE that as II may. all sorts OF rumors
are In circulation and Free Gold stock,
which has been sold during the past week
as high as n dollar forty. found few TAX
ers at par when Change closed. There
mas been a considerable speculative move
ment In the stock. and the spectators
are beginning to wonder II there Is a
screw loose in the company affairs
WagstafI'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 d.
vulgc what lay at the bottom Of the row.
Any fine within the power of the court
10 impose Is mere hagatelle. compared
20 the distinction Of scientifically man
handling four Of socety's finest In one
afternoon. AS one bystander remarked In
the classic phrascology Of the street:
''WaCstaT's n bear"
The brokers concerned might consider
this TO have double meaning.
Hazel dropped the paper, mortified |
aud 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 brawllng, such as one |
might expect from cabman or taxi |
mahout. not from man like her hus-
hand. She involuntnrily 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 friends She could hardly realize |
1t. Jimmie Brooks, iovial 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 dozen generations of cul- |