Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-11-19

sailed the day before for Switzerland,
had taken the next steamer. only 10
miss her again. and for three months
had played battledore-anIshuttl
with two defenseless women over the
major part of the continent, often stay
ing In the same hotel. yet never catch
ing more than fieeting glimpse of the
one he loved
All efforts at communication were
likewise fruitless. His letters were re
turned unopened. His gifts too. Wheu
they returned home in the autumn h.
had ordered n box of violets delivered
10 Kathleen every morning. Tn,
florist was an honest man. and at the
months end he had rendered bill
only for carriage.
But Fitzhugh died hard. For three,
years he never gave up trying. The,
the last CLEAN of hope fiickered out.
She was abroad most of the time
now, returning to Chicago only at rar,
intervals. and then but for brief stay
He heard that Artie Sparkle was often
with her. and sometimes at the club
there were rumors Of
But he laughed loudly at these. He
refused to listen. The idea was pre-
posterous-absurd. Yet it was never
theless true that this gossip of Kath-
Teens engagement to Arte immediate
~ preceded some extraordinary per-
formance that kept the name of Fitz
hugh on the lips OF thousands for
weeks afterward. AS another man
would nave turned to drink. so he
turned to STACEY extravaganza. Un-
convent1onalfty was his dissipation.
and In his own way he became intoxI-
Gated.
Some four years after that day in
June-four years in which he had seen
Kathleen less than score of times
and had spoken to her less than thrice
-F'itzhngh laid the foundation of the
throne upon which he was to reign for
brief but blazing period as King of
wheat. These four years had bred IN
unwholesome change in the man. The
amassing of gold had become his re,
llgion. Its virus had entered his soul.
lie allowed nothing TO stand between.
crushing all opposition with an iron
hand. Everything was subservient to
nut one end, and that end was Money.
All his faculties, all his tireless energy
ana zeal and ambition were concen-
trated upon it. Waking or asleep. the
thought OF 1t was always uppermost
hunt. In the erratic meanwhile. had
courageously pilOted the deserted shin
knowing Its rightful captain would
again take the helm when she came to
himself" More than any other, Henry
Hunt enjoyed the full confidence of
his chief. He was one of the very few
who knew FitZhugh's real name and
family history.
At frregularly recurring periods
Fltzhugh entered the wheat pit. and
while these instances were generally
emblaZoned with burst of hstrion.
les, ne was never for a second blinded
by the glare. When he seemed most
ebullient he was really most cool head.
ed. He fooled the pit traders. They
could never quite penetrate his bluff
ing They perceived his propensity
for posing and made the mistake OF
thinking him too self-centered to be
alive to his surroundings. While they
were plying him for his rawness. his
crudities. and confidently expecting his
downfall. he would astonish them BY
executing some brilliant coup that sug.
gested deep-laid plans as splendid as
his daring.
| When in the conflict of the pit every
fiber Of his being was quiveringly
alert. Seemingly absorbed in thinking
of himself and the effect of his pos.
lures. he was searching his opponents
faces for the slightest trace Of mean
ing. Not tremor of that higgledy.
piggledy turmoil escaped him. Ear
and eye were quick to grasp every
variation. He was instantly alive tG
every trick. every subterfuge He was
swift to seize upon the merest open
ing. swift to attack the first unprotect
ed spot. He was the shrewdest oil
them all, and he played game none
could understand. Outwardly, the
greenest of bunglers at it. secretively
he Unanswered with a master hand.
1t was in the winter of this veal
that Fitzhugh went deepest into tn,
wheat pit. He plunged in farther ant
farther, and with such apparent reck
lessness that many times Hunt helt
back, counseling a slower and more
cautious gait. But the leader was OBJ
durate. He would listen to no advice
He rushed yet deeper into the pit
dragging his hestatng follower will
him. Ensued long months OF doub
and uncertainty-months that grount
down the nerve of one and tried tn,
mettle of the other. There were time
when it seemed they would be wipeC
out utterly. Their combined fortune
were tied up in the deal to the las
cent. All hung in the balance. I
was the biggest thing FitZhugh eve
engineered. If it went the wrong wa,
they would be crushed under ii an,
obliterated.
(TO BE CONTINUED
|