Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-01-05

they returned home in the autumn he
had ordered box Of violets delivered
TO Kathleen every morning. The
florist was an honest man. and at the
mouths end he had rendered a LlH
only for carriage
But Fitzhugh died hard. For three
years he never gave up trying. Then
the last CLEAN of hope fiickered out.
She was abroad most of the time
now. returning to Chicago only at rare
intervals, and then but for brief stay.
He heard that Artie Sparkle was often
with her. and sometimes at the club
there we're 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-
teen's engagement to Artie immediate
ly preceded some extraordinary per
formance that kept the name of Fitz-
hugh on the lips of thousands for
weeks afterward. AS another man
would have turned to drink. so he
turned to STACEY extravaganza. IN
conventionality 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 a score of times
and had spoken to her less than thrice
-F1tzhugh laid the foundation Of the
throne upon which he was to reign for
a brief but blazing period as King of
Wheat. These four years had bred an
unwholesome change In the man. The
amassing Of gold had become his re-
ligion. Its virus had entered his soul.
He allowed nothing to stand between.
crushing all opposition with an iron
hand. Everything was subservient to
but one end, and that end was Money.
All his faculties, all his tireless energy
and zeal and ambition were concen.
trated upon 1t. Waking or asleep, the
thought Of It was always uppermost.
Hunt. In the erratlc meanwhile, had
courageously piloted the deserted ship.
knowing its rightful captain would
again take the helm when ''he 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 irregularly recurring periods
Fitzhugh entered the wheat pit. and
while these instances were generally
emblazoned with a burst Of histrion-
les, he 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
or 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 to
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 OF
them all, and he played a game none
could understand. 0utwardly, the
greenest Of bunglers at 1t, secretively
he unanswered with master hand.
1t was In the winter of this year
that Fitzhugh went deepest into the
wheat pit. He plunged in farther and
farther, and with such apparent reck-
lessness that many times Hunt held
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 hesitating follower with
him. Ensued long months of doubt
and uncertainty-months that ground
down the nerve Of one and tried the
mettle of the other. There were times
when II seemed they would be wiped
out utterly. Their combined fortunes
were tied up In the deal to the last
cent. All hung In the balance. It
was the biggest thing Fitzhugh ever
engineered. If 1t went the wrong way
they would be crushed under 1t and
obliterated.
The crisis was reached the following
summer. They met afterwards In a
cafe. Hunt was haggard. unkempt. He
had fallen of in weight, and his
sunken face, bloodshot eyes, trembling
fingers, were signs OF the terrific
strain he had undergone. Fitzhugh, In
marked contrast, never appeared more
fresh or more self-contained They
had ordered champagne. and when
they clinked their glasses he smiled
reassuringly at his whitefaced COM
panion. 1t was only the bare flicker Of
a smile that vanished as suddenly as
Ii came. Fitzhugh did not often smile
In those days
How much did you say we had net
ted, Huntf Tell me again. It's music
to my ear"
Three millions and over, Dan.
Three millions and over. Dan" Hunt
leaned impulsiyely across the table,