Gunnison news-champion., 1923-01-19
CHAPTER 4
Publicity No, Wan,s<.


Basil Santolne dying, Blind MIL
no1sare lawyer taken Ill on train."
The alarm OF the cry came to
answer Eaton's question early the next
morning He threw up the curtain
and saw q vagrant newsboy. evidently
passing through the railroad yards
TO sell TO the trainmen Eaton. hall
ing the boy put ont his hand for .
paper. He spread the news~heet BE-
fore him and read that Sanfoine's con-
dition was very low and becoming
rapidly worse. But below. under
Montana dateline.s Eaton saw Il pro-
claimed that the blind millionaire was
merely sick: there was no suxEestioo
anywhere Of an attack. The paper
stated only that Basil Sanfoine. re-
turning from Seattle with his daugA-
ter and his secretary. Donaid Avery.
had been taken seriously III upon q
train which had been stalled for two
days in the snow In Montana. The
column ended with the statement that
Mr.. Santdne had passed through
Minneapolis and gone on TO Chicago
under care OF Or. Douglas Sinclair.
Eaton stared at the newspaper with
out reading. affer he saw that He
had not realized. until now that he
was told that Harriet Snntoine had
eone-for II her father had gone on,
Of course she was with him-the ex-
tent TO which he had felt her fair
ness. almost her friendship to-him At
least. he knew now that, since she had
spoken TO him after he was first ac-
cused of the attack on her father.
he had not felt entirely deserted or
friendless till now.
But why. II Santoine had been
taken away. or was dead or dying.
had they left Eaton all night In the
car In the yards? Since Santoine was
dying. would there he any longer an
object In concealing the fact that he
had been murdered?
He dressed and then paced back
and forth the two or three steps his
compartment allowed him. He
stopped now and then to listen; from
outside came the noises Of the yard:
but he made out no sound within the
car. If II Ind been occupied as on
the days previous. he must have heard
some one coming To the washroom at
his end. Was he alone In the car
now, or had the customary moving
about taken place before he awokef
Finally. TO free himself from his
nervous listening for sounds which
never came. he picked up the paper
again. He read:
THE news Of Mr. Santoine's visit
Of week on the Coast. II not known
already In grent financial circles, IL
likely 10 prove interesting there. For
years he has been the chief agent
In keeping peace among some Of the
great conflicting interests. and more
than once he has advised the deciar.
Ing Of financial war when war seemed
to him the correct solution. Thus.
1--WE years ago. when the violent death
of Matthew Latron threatened to pre-
eipitate trouble among western
capitalists. SantoIne kept order In
Whist might very well become
financial chm ,s. II Ills recent visit
to the Pacific ceast was not purely
for persOnal reasons but was also
to adjust antagonisms such as charged
BY Gabriel Warden before his deafh.
the loss of Sant0lne at this time may
precipitate troubles which. living, his
advice, and information might have
been able to prevent"
Having read and reread this long
paragraph. Eaton thrust the sheet
out the window. As he sat think
ing. with lips tight closed. he heard
for the first timr that morning foot.
steps at his end Of the car. The
door Of his compartment was un-
locked and opened. and he saw Doe
tor Sinclair.
"Mr. Santoine wants to speak to
yon." the surgeon announced quietly.
This startling negation Of ali he
imagined, unnerved Eaton. He
started up. then sank back for bet
ter composure.
'Sir. SantOine II here, thenr
"Here? OF course he's herer
"And he's conscious7"
'.He has been conscious for The
better part Of two days. Didn't they
tell your
Eaton looked toward the window,
breathing hard. heard the news
boys-"
Sinclair shrugged. Tho papers
print what they can get and b ths
way which seems most effective 70
them," was his only comment.
The surgeon led Eaton to the door
of the drawing room. showed him In
and left him.
Harriet Santoins was sitting On tie
little lounge opposite the berth where
her father lay. She was watching
the face II her father. and - Eaton
soood IN the door. he saw her lean
forward and gently touch her fathers
hand; then she turned and saw Eaton
Here Y Mr.. Eaten, Father" -
said.
.sit dewn.. santoins directed.