The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-19

He struck the table a great blow
with his thin fist, and shook the dam
aged knuckles in the air. II just want
to tell you, whatever I did feel, 1 don't
feel mean any more; not today, L
don't. There's a meaner man in this
world than I am, Mr.. lamb
"Oh, so you feel better about your
self today, do you. Virgil?"
You bet 1 do! You worked till you
got me where you want me; and I
wouldn't do that to another man, 10
matter what he did to me! I
wouldn't"
What you talkin' about! How're I
got you where I want your"
Amt it plain enough?" Adams
cried. You even got me where 1
can't raise the money to pay back
what my boy owes you! Do you sup.
pose anybody's fool enough to let me
have a cent on this business after n
look at what you got over there across
the road?"
No, I don't"
No, you DON'T" Adams echoed,
hoarsely. What's more, you knew
my house was mortgaged, and my"
Il did not" Lamb interrupted, an
grily. What do 1 care about your
house?"
What's the use your talking like
that?" Adams cried. You got me
where I can't even raise the money
to pay what my boy owes the COM
pany. soft I can't show any reason
20 stop the prosecution and keep him
out the ~penitentiary. That's where you
worked till you got mel"
What" Lamb shouted. You ac-
cuse me Of"
Accuse your What am I tell
ing you? Do you think 1 got no eyes?"
And Adams hammered the table again
Why. you knew the boy was weak
Il did not!"
Listen: you kept him there after
you got mad at my leaving the way
I did You kept him there after you
suspected him; and you had him
watched; you let him go on; just
waited to catch him and ruin HIM"
You're crazy the old man bel
lowed. Il didn't know there was any
thing against the boy till last night.
You're crazy, 1 say"
Adams looked 1t. With his hair
~disordered over his haggard forehead
md bloodshot eyes; with his bruised
/ hands pounding the table and flying
n a hundred wild and absurd ges-
| lures. while his feet shuffled on
| stantly to preserve his balance upon
| staggering legs, he was the picture
| IF a man with a mind gone to rags.
Maybe I am crazy he cried, his
voice breaking and quavering. May
| be I am. but I wouldn't stand there
and taunt a man with It if I'd done
20 him what you've done to me! Just
| look at me; I worked all my life for
/ YOU. and what I did when I quit
| harmed you-it didn't make ? cents
| worth o. difference in your life and
! II looked like it'd mean all the differ
| cnce in the world to my family-and
/ row look what you've lone to me
| for it, 1 tell you, Mr.. Lamb, there
| never was a man looked up to an
| ether man the way I looked up to
YOU the whole o. my life. but I don't
'ook up to you any more! You think
YOU got a fine day of It now, riding
10 in your automobile to look at that
sign-and then over here at my poor
| little works that you've ruined. But
/ listen to me just this n last ume.'
! The cracking voice broke into falsetto,
/ and the g-esticulatins hands tfurtered
urcontrOllably. Just you Hsten. he
/ tainted. you think / did you a bad
turn. and now you got me ruined
/ for it. and you got my works ruined,
and nv family ruined. and II any
/ ho6v's "a told me this time last year
| I'd ever say such a thing to you I'd
| called him a dang liar, but ! do say
il. I a you've acted toward me ike
like "a doggone mean-man"'
His voice. exhausted, like his body.
was lust able to do him this final
-~ervice; then he sank, crumpled, into
he chair by the table, his chin down
hard upon his chest.
CT tell you. you're crazy!' Lamo
said again. "I never in the world
r.ut he checked himself, staring in
.udden perpleyity at his accuser.
Look herer' he said. Whats the
natter of YOU? Have you got an
Their of those" He put his
and upon Adams's shoulder, which
erked feebly under the ouch.
The old man went to the door and
allied to the foreman.
Here" he said. run and tell my
hauffeur to bring my a over here.
Tell him to drive right up over the
idewalk and across the lot. Tell
i'm to hurryT'
So. it happened, the great ]. A.
.amb a second time brought his for
nanimate.
CHAPTER XIV