Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-16
THE GOLD ONE

eurats picture Of your life you were
painting. IL Isn't . very human pie
turs,"
y haven't asked for your com.
ment."
20. ! Was just wondering. Irs
undoubtedly the way Il looks 10 YOU
now. All you care 10 remember OF
IL, Industry. thrift. perseverance,.
all that. Pussies me . little. though,
that should be such . bad lot
while you were 80 perfect. same
blood and ALL"
The tsisphens rang. One Of them.
The other Was . private line 20 the
office. Mr. Robert answered. crisp
~. and his face set firmly ~ he
listened.
tits Frank Hiidreth. Bob. That
person has been after me all day.
Yss-ihat one. ! finally let her set
through 20 me. It's . queer case.
Sorry 10 disturb you ~ such time.
but there's an unexpected turn. l
really think you'd better let me
bring her over. Yes-O. In half an
hour. don't want 10 go into II on
the phone"
Mr.. Robert turned sternly on his
son.
"You'd better 80 now. have no
more time for YOU"
ITO jail. chi"
"You made your bed. Lie In H."
Adrian rose. fumbied for a mo-
ment with an upholstered button
on tho arm OF the chair. and then
walked abruptly out and closed the
door.
A minute passed. and another.
Then Mr.. Robert rose. heavily. and
pressed the button beside the
mantei.
"pid Mr.. Adrian so out, s,eph-
ens?"
He did. sir"
"Mr. Hiidrsth will be coming
soon with-s lady. Show them right
up. That is ALL"
Thank you. sir"
Hs sank again into the chair;
lifted a paper. only to lay It down
again. He felt tired. which was dis
turbinE.
He lighted 4 cigar and rested his
head. and thoughtfuliy smoked. He
had gone the limit with Adrian. Any
fair r-minded man would agree to
that. For the boys own good. The
men he knew-the big men who d.
rected railways and banks and vast
manufacturing and shipping inter-
csts-didn't tire. They were strong
men, with hard, clear heads. who
could work all day and play poker
all night. and drink when 1t came
to drinking and smoke continuously
without q hint OF nerves. Trouble
appeared to be that the boy was
weak. Really weak: not Just In the
narrow moral sense; seemed unable
to give and take hard blows. You
had to Stand up to that, of course.
or go under.
Take his own case now; 1t had
been a consistent career: always the
same sort Of thing; always the Wig
orous, fortnight Robert Battle; sort
of man you could never have made
a mistake about; square, clean-cut.
Over that not unpleasant conclusion
he nodded deliberately. A consistent
life. o, a few contradictory Incl
dents; dim, half-forgotten episodes;
sidings here and there. yes, but al
ways a main track to IT.
But why was Frank Hildreth
bringing up that particular dim cpl
sode? A ghost that had been laid
long ago. And what unexpected
turn could there be?
His cigar was burned down to his
fingers. He lighted another, vaguely
deciding to smoke more deliberately.
No sense in behaving like q nervous
boy.
He had been absolutely right in
his attitude toward Adrian. Firm
ness.
II have no memory of such q pers
ems. Tim Mullane-h-m-m! I've air
rather seriously disturbed this evenil
II know, sir. And, while migl
quite equal to It alone. it occurred t
williams and I together might be a
him out. williams Is watching him n
20, II II should como to that, III ia
Of the matter myself"
THANK you, sir. Will you step q
sir?"
"No; just as whim, show him
ems"
But really, sir, il I might sugg'
you. SIR"
A little man stood in the doorwa!
Of countenance. furtive OF eye, comI
with legs slightly bowed and clad in
suit that had been once. perhaps. in {
smarter years, q light-colored fabr