The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-01-25

me II he lets anything slip. Have you
seen him since YOU got homer"
mo" Henry said blankly. II thought
| would come straight to you first"
Glad you did" said John. getting
up by way Of ending the audience.
But you had better 90 over and hook
up with him as soon as you can. We
are depending on you from now on,
you know" This was genially. almost
humorously. said, but 1t ratified Henry
worse than ever.
Il don't think you ought to rely on
me-" he began, miserably.
But John, with laugh and a thump
on the back, cut him short. Don't
you worry about it," he said. did
you have good trip? How's Violet
looking? She wired me from New
York that she was feeling a whole lot
better She's coming home Friday. l
believe"
Evidently she did, for she tele-
phoned Henry Friday night. apparent
ly for the mere cousinly purpose of
saying "Hello" and Of telling him she
meant 10 fulfill tomorrow a promise
she had made Margaret to look over
his fiat and see what condition 1t was
in, after having stood housekeeperless
so long.
The meeting went Off with an ap-
pearance of unanimity and goodwill
which Henry found almost farcical In
the light of the bitter antagonisms he
knew were brstling about the board.
Prosperity of course is a wonderful
unguent, and Joe's report was so elo-
quent of the prospect of It that the
development OF any friction upon the
surface Of things would have been inn
possible. Nothing short of a volcanic
eruption could have broken through
and this didn't happen.
Joe was able to report the organiza-
ton of forty-two subsidiary companies,
with a normal capacity of four thou
sand tons OF straw each, which meant !
that nearly ten per cent of the entire |
straw crop Of the fiax-growing country |
would be processed next year under |
their patents. 1t wasn't possible, of |
vance, but with market conditions as
they were today, 1t would be very
large indeed
The formal routine of winding up
the business of the meeting was clicked
off under Jennie's practiced hand as
rapidly as possible. AS soon as the
adjournment was taken, John with
Gregory and Frank Crawford went
away. There was no disposition on
their part to linger for an informal
discussion Of affairs, or for the bottle
of ancient Scotch which Joe offered to
produce. They would be having a
confab of their own, Henry supposed,
and was glad they hadn't invited him
to take part in it. There was momen-
tarily thoughtful look in Joes eve
as he watched their broad top-coated
backs recedlng down the corridor.
He produced his bottle. Jennie,
though invited, declined to Join them
over it. She wanted to get her min
utes in shape, she said. Henry ex-
in frank establishment at the
enormous size of the drink Joe poured
for himself-an ordinary tumbler II
was, and he had filed 1t more than
two-thirds full. He got up as soon as
Henry had done slipping his drink, say
ing, 'If you're going home I'll drive
you up"
1t occurred to Henry that Violet had
spoken of running In for a few min
ties after lunch, but 1t was now well
litter four. Assuming that she'd car
led out her intention at all, which was
lot any too likely, she'd almost GER
ainly have gone by now. He'd have
o chance 1t.
Oddly enough, after the first horri-
led moment when he saw the two
coming face to face, he was enormous
v relieved that it had happened. Joe
to be standing where Violet
ouldn't see him as she came down
he corridor to the sitting-room, and
he called gayiy to Henry that she
ad him in her power now. She could
lackmail him with Margaret to any =
une she liked after this look about
he fiat.
She flushed like a schoolgirl at the
light of Joe, threw him a rather cav
lier nod Of greeting, and then, SEEM
~ TO change her mind about it, went
up to him and held out
er hand.
II wonder If you ever got a message
'om me" she said, compOsedly enough
ut without trying to make the words
)und completely casual. Il left one
18th your butler one day last winter =
hen you were hurt. / hope you're
ute all right again. I've known, the
st two or three months, how miser-
Die it is. to be ILL.,"
Joe remarked, without answering
sr question, that he'd heard she
admit been well, but that, apparent
her trip had done her good.
Il don't know whether it was going
way or coming back that did it," she
id, so lightly and swiftly that Henry
as not quite sure whether he'd heard
II Alright or not. She went straight
!, with a good deal more emphasis, \
mention tea. She thought she could 7
~. 4