The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-05-27

swung round IN MS chair as t1tZhugn
entered, growled sullen 'HelIov' and
after mOmentary silence growIed an
unpleasant "Well?"
| Fitzhugh sat down and famed him
self ieisurely with his Panama hat. =
1T bids fair to be a warm day." he
observed.
You know what 1 want" snarled
Quigg, rapping his desk with his
knuckles. "Where's my money!"
"Oh"-Fitzhugh stopped tanning.
put down his hat-"you mean the po-
ker money!"
What about it? Where is it? What
have you done with it?"
Naturally. Quigg, played poker
with it."
And you doubled it tooP' The
CRATER leaned suddenly forward and
pointed one of his short fingers in
Fftzhugh's face. But if this maneuver
was calculated to brighten or confuse
its mission failed.
Fitzhugh smiled easily. ST more
than doubled it. 1 more than tripIed
it. I won eighteen thousand dollars .
Quigg jOtted a few figures on a cal
endar pad and held out his hand.
There's eleven thousand five hundred
coming to me. I'll take it now"
Fitzhugh shook his head smiIingly.
I'm sorry" said he; 'but I'm afraid
you'll do no such thing"
what d'yOu mean?" Ouigg half
rose from his chair, his puffy eyes
blinking rapidly. You've got this
money, haven't you?"
Got it," Fitzhugh laughed. "Why,
Lord bless you, Quigg, 1 haven't got
the price of ham sandwich
''What'd you do with that money!
roared Quigg, smashing his fist against
the arm of his chair. How could you
spend over twenty thousand dollars in
two days? You're lying to me-"
FitZhugh's breath whistIed through
his nOstrils. He stood up quickly. His
face was very white. For the first
time he seemed in deadly earnest.
Don't talk too much" he advised
quietly. There are some things 1
won't stand, and if you anger me I'm
liable to make that fat head of yours
look like a plum pudding. The mon
ey's tied up in speculation, If you want
to know. You have the choice of two
things: you can either take an equal
chance with me in the speculation, or
you can take my note for what owe
you. Which do you want?"
Neither i" exploded Quigg. 81
wouldn't give cent for any specula-
ton you'd make, or for your note
either. There's only one thing to do
with you. You've played me a dirty,
low-down trick, and I'm coming back
the best way I can. You're going to
work for me two months longer, and
you're going to work for nothing. I'll
see that you have a place to eat and
sleep, but I won't promise more. At
the end of those two months you're
going to clear out of my sight, and
Lord help you if ever see you again !"
Gentleman to see you, suh," an
nounced the uniformed negro"
"What name?" growIed Quigg.
Didn't give none, sub. Said he
wanted to see you about some Florida
orange groves"
'"Tell him 1 am very busy but viii
see him in five minutes"
Eyes. subj" The negro touched his
cap and departed.
The moment the door closed OuIgg.
keenly animated, swung round in his
revolving chair and spoke in a quick
voice TO his lieutenant: You're a
Fifth avenue resident Newport.
Villa in France. Cotillon leader, So
ciety swell-all that. Recently you
bought fifty thousand acres of Florida
land and turned them into a paradise.
You're tired Of 1t now and want to
sell at a great sacrifice. You follow
meF
I'm even ahead Of you" answered
Fitzhugh. Then his demeanor un-
derwent a complete change. His man
ner was now heavy with ennui. and
his voice simpering when it drawled:
"Aw, really, now, 1 cawn'ti 1 really
cawn't let 1t go for less than hawif
what paid for it. The thing cost me
haw1f a million, y'know. and I really
should get three hundred thousand,
because"
He dropped his mask as suddenly as
he had assumed it, and running the
thumbs and forefingers of both hands
into his lower vest pockets, turned
the lining inside out.
He smiled: Because" said he, 81
haven't a cent"
These were frenzied days in the
wheat pit Under the terrific, unre-
hitting pounding of Symington Otis
and his associates September wheat
descended with invincible force. With
every titanic swing of the bears ire
mendous hammer the foundation of
the bulls rocked and swayed beneath
their feet-and the dollars piled m
for Daniel Fitzhugh. Yet he knew he
was nothing in that mighty conflict.
He was unseen, unfeit, unknown-the
Veriest pigmy in a battle of giants.
Down, down went the price of
wheat. with q digging velocity that
made the pit totter. It touched sc.
81. 80. It fell to %, q, SO. And
then. in one gigantic crash, as the
bears put forth their last, supreme