Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-13
CHAPTER /.
"Ninteenth floor"

l stepped from the cage into a narrow
hall where weary looking young man of
II pushed a pad toward me without
looking up. wrote, ''Mr. Jarndyce, ap
pointment," and, laying my card upon
the pad, waited while a fat youngster of
i disappeared inside a high doorway.
The fat youngster returned presently,
saying, Mr.. Gladney win come in and
wait; Mr.. Jarndyce is busy just at the
moment"
In the luxurious Longing room I had
plenty Of time for reflection.
And this man who now has offices
covering an entire floor Of q Wall street
skyscraper is my cousin" I thought. 1.-THE
same young man who used to visit us
when l was a kid and who could play a
mouth organ like an angel, and who used
to 80 to a country dance and dance all
night Well, he was a trader even in
those days, a trader and an organizer"
l remembered his buying an old heav-
ing horse for 81 and driving back to his
home county three weeks later with
fine team and buggy, the result Of about
six trades.
The door opened, and a tiny little man
with dark skin and crisp black hair
walked in. He was the daintiest, dandiest
little man ina ginable and made me think
Of Tom Thumb.
Mr. GladneyI 2" he said with a curious
rising accent, Mr.. Ja-arndyce Is waiting
your pleasure. win you please walk In 2"
I went into the inner office at the heels
Of the tiny little man. and there sitting
about great mahogany table were my
cousin, Henry Jarndyce, and three otner
men.
Hello, Dick greeted Jarndyce, rising
10 shake hands. "Dick, this is MI
Prothro: this IS Mr. Barnette; this is
Senior Aguaros, and this yest-pocket edi-
ton Of a man is Senior Mora Gentlemen,
Mr. Richard Gladney, my cousin from
out West Dick is an artist. or thinks he
is. and / have decided to let him accom-
Iany our expedition to Mexico in order
10 pick up what we can IN way of seen
cry and senoritas. Mr.. Barnette, as you
are in charge Of the personnel Of this
party, you win look after my cousin. See
that he has necessary expense money, but
keep a strict record Of every dollar you
let him have Mr.. Mora, you will show
him about all you can find time to and
Introduce him TO as many types OF beauty
as you can.
'Thck. I must tell you before You start
that this "a q serious business, involving
some POSSIBLE dangers, and that most OF
the members Of the party will be pretty
busy men and are not 20 be annoyed with
having to look out for your safety I'm
telling you this. old man, because hap
pen % know your penchant for mar
breadth esc8pades. ThereIl be hard
ships TO be encountered. but I know You
are not exnctly a tenderfoot; SO l guess
YOU won't mind that. The outht sails to-
morrow and all arrangements for your
passage have been made. Got your pass
portf'
Yes. sir
Heres a request to the Mexican con-
suIate here 70 have It vised- Ar Mora
will 20 with you TO the consulate. Good
luck. I may see you before you sail TO
morrow. Sorry I can: have you out to
dinner tonight. but Mrs. Jarndyce Is
dragging me out TO Mamaroneck to dine
with the Van Loans" My cousin once
more gave me his hand and then turned
and began to discuss some technical mat
ter or other with Prothro-
As I stepped Into the elevator with
little Mora I felt more than ever I'M
pressed with my cousins power as man
among men. In that interview he had
been perfectly cordial with me ana YET
Ind not wasted n single word or a sec
ond Of time It was a sultry July after
noon and while I had been waiting Tor
an interview a storm had Approached
RAPIDLY. I could see the bay far below
me riffled into sheets OF silver and ridges
OF shadow and the tiny, toyhke boats
scurrying in all directions. As we
reached the street below the rain broke In
q silver shower The gang that had
been trading on the curbs in Broad street
hollow Exchange place were scurrying
Itka ants 10 cover Somewhere high np
on the Sides Of that humanity built can
Won the wind caught hundred yards OF
ticker tame and trailed t. from the win
dow. We two hurried Ut Wall street and
into the doorway Of Trinity Church to
avoid the rain.
Great place, this lower New York, y
said INV guide 1T is-how do you say
the heart Of America. 1t Is tho great
tbrobbing heart of Au-America. 1t is
the nerve center for all markets"
Yes" I said.' dollars are the corpuscles
of the American likelihood and Wau
street is the blood pump"
But there is a certain romance In 1t
nll?" said Mora IN that rising infection
Of his as if he were asking me If l
agreed. "Wau street drew me from be-
hind the Beyond in central Mexico. 1t
drew Senior Aguaros from still farther
In the wilds. Wall street sends us back
to reopen a mine that is 400 years old,
maybe. older? Your cousin, he is the
true Caliph He is a sort of king. His
mandates are sight drafts on the Chase
National Bank; the seal of his check
protector Is a greater seal than that Of
many an Eastern emperor. In Wall
street the man who can write the great
est number Of little circles after a figure
is the overload Of them all. and your