San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-07
Begin Here Today.

Calvin Gray is the enemy of Col.
Henry Nelson of Dallas. Gray falls
in love with Barbara Parker, daugh-
ter of Tom Parker. Nelson informs
Tom that Gray has been dishonorably
discharged from the army. Gray is
friendly with Gus Briskow, who
strikes oil, and the daughter, Allie,
and son, Bud, both think Gray is q
hero. Gray and Briskow buy enough
stock in the bank where Nelson's
father is president to give BriskOw
control of the bank. Gray and Bris-
kow attend a meeting Of the banks
directors. Gray shows the stock
which has been bought by Briskow
and himself. Now 90 on with story.
Henry made his way to his fathers
side; they withdrew to corner and
bent their heads together, murmur-
ing inaudibly. Gray watched them
with unblinking intensity; he nodded
to Buddy Briskow, and the latter,
as If needing some prearranged signal,
removed his hands from his. pockets
and stepped farther into the room.
He, too, watched the agltated pair.
"Why--look here." the secretary
gasped, after moment or two. This
this gives you control"
Bell Nelson raised stricken face.
"Control?" he repeated, family.
"Control!" he strobe to the end Of
the table and with shaking hands he
ran through the sheaf of, neatly folded
certificates. "Sold out, by God" He
fell to cursing certain men, the names
of whom caused Swope and Murphy
and Gage to prick up their ears.
Gray was still staring at the junior
Nelson: it was to him more than to
the father he spoke: sold out is
right! 1t came high, but l think 1T
was worth the price. We intend to
vote our stock"
by that / infer that you're going
to take the bank Over-take its man
agement away from Bell and Henry"
Bennett Swope ventured.
Naturally"
The elder Nelson voiced an unin-
tclligible exclamation.
That's a pretty tough deal. Bell
has put his life into it. 1t is an-an
institution, a credit to the commun-
ity. 1t would be misfortune if it
fell into the hands of-into the con-
troll of somebody who" The ranch
man hesitated. then blurted forth.
angrily: well. don't like the look
of this thing. l want to know what
it means"
"I'll tell you" Henry cried, I'M
EVENLY. iii tell you what it means.
Persecution! Revenge! Hatred! l
quarrcled with this man. in France.
He's vindictive; he followed me here
tried every way to ruin me--cOst
me thousands. hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. We had to real
ize some quick money to protect our
oil holdings-offsets and the like
and We sold lot of our stock with
the understanding that we could
that VIC would buy it back at a high
err figure. We only borrowed on il,
you might say--hypothecated it. We
thought we were dealing with friends,
but-Friends. My God." The speak
er seized his head.
"The stock was not hypothetical.
You sold it," Gray said, quietly, land
we bought it in"
at is all personal matter, a
grudge.'
Is that true, Mr.. Gray" Swopc
inquired.
Substantially. But I'm willing for
Colonel Nelson TO tell you more; to
tell you the whole story Of our an
tagonism.
Martin Murphy. who had been a
silent onlooker IN to this point, made
himself heard.
"Mr. Gray. I don't like the look
of this any better than Swope does.
You say you paid high for your
stock: do you intend to wreck the in
stitution, lose fortunc-?"
II had ventured to hope that you
three gentlemen would remain on the
board"
"He doesn't want the bank" Henry
Nelson exclaimed. hoarsely. "That's
all bluff. He wants his price. How
much. Gray? What'll it cost us?"
"Oh, there is n price for every
thing. Mine will surprise you, how
ever, it is so low. Can't you guess
what it ISL" The speakers inten,
gaze had never left Henry Nelson's
face; it was fixed there now, as cold