Connecticut western news., 1919-11-13
CHAPTER VII.

years had been good to the firm of Conward & Elden; good far beyond the wildness of their first dreams. The transaction of the section bought from the English absentee had been but the beginning of bigger and more daring adventures. Conward, in that first wild prophecy of his, had spoken of a city of a quarter of a million people; already more lots had been sold than could be occupied by four times that population.
 Dave had often asked himself where it all would end.
 The firm of Conward & Elden had profited not the least in the wild years of gain-getting. Their mahOgany-fin- ished first-floor quarters were the last word in office luxuriance. Conward's private room might with credit have housed premier or a president It's purpose was to be impressive rather than to give any other service, as Con- ward spent little of his time there. On Dave fell the responsibility. of office management, and his room was fitted fol efficiency rather than luxury. It
 
 office where battery of stenographers and clerks took care of the details of the business of Conward & Elden. And Dave had established his ability as an . office manager. His fairness, his fear lessness, his impartiality; his, courtesy, his even temper-save on rare and ex- cusable occasions-had won from the e,%o Ivy ioh r6 wit h -al his abilities as good mixer, could never have commanded. 7, He had prospered, of course. His statement to his banker ran into seven figures. Dave was still a young man, not yet In his thirties; he was rated a millionaire; he had health, comeliness, and personality; he commanded the respect of a wide circle of business men, and was regarded as one of the matrimonial prizes of the city; his name had been discussed for public office; he was a success.
 And yet this night, as he sat in his comfortable rooms and watched the street lights come fluttering on as twi- light siIhouetted the great hills to the
 
 cess. He was called a success, yet in the honesty of his own soul he feared the coin did not ring true. He felt that the crude but honest conception of the square deal which was the one valuable heritage of his childhod was slipping away from him. He had little in common with Conward outside of their business relationship. He sus- pected the man vaguely, but had never found tangible ground for his suspi- cion.
 He was turning the matter over in his mind and wondering what the end would be, when a knock came at the door.
 "Come." he said, switching on the light. <. "Oh, it's you, Bert! I'm honored. Sit down."
 Roberta Morrison threw her coat over chair and sank into another. Without speaking, she extended her shapely feet to the fire, but when its soothing warmth had comforted her limbs she looked up and said:
 "Adam sure put 1t over on us, didn't he?"
 "Still nursing that grievance over your sex?" laughed Dave. 'T thought you would outgrow it.'
 "I don't blame him." continued the girl, ignoring his Interruption. "T am just getting back from forty-seven teas. Gabble, gabble, gabble. don't blame him. We deserve it."
 '"Then you have had nothing to eat?"
 !"Almost. Only insignificant indi- gestibles-"
 Dave pressed button, and Chi nese boy Gall male Chinese are boys) 1 entered.
 Bring something to eat. Go out for it, and be quick. For two."
 "You've had your dinner, surely?' i asked Bert.
 "Such a dinner as a man eats alone," l he answered. "Now for something real. You stick to the paper like the ink, don't you, BertY