The Winslow mail., 1924-02-22

instinct up the cement steps to the
second story. Upon a door in front
of him he saw the name of the Big
Malopo, painted in small lettering
among the names OF twenty other COM
panies, yet staring at him as if he
alone were there.
A man rushed at Winton from some
where in the passage and collared him.
Winton thought ne recognized him as
one OF the coach passengers. There
was no doubt that De Witt had placed
him there on guard. He was larger
than Winton and powerfully built, but
WintOn got the door partly open and
wedged himself there.
He saw number Of men, who had
been seated about table inside the
room, leap to their feet. At the head
was tall, lean old man with a short,
square white beard. Near him was De
Witt, still carrying on his face the
bruises of the fight. The others were
obviously nonentities.
Winton saw what was happening, and
his fury lent him new strength. He
struggled madly in the grasp Of his as
sailant, and the chief shareholder in
the Big MalOpo company, entangled
with De Wits spy, rolled INTO the
room at the feet of the astonished
small shareholders.
De Witt, who had been speaking,
smashed his fist down on the table.
Throw that lunatic out, and let's
put this business through |" he yelled.
'NThe proposition is that this company
go into voluntary liquidation for the
purpose Of reconstruction and the issue
of preferred stock. l declare the mo-
ton"
II oppose itl' shouted Winton, leap
ing to his feet and fighting off De
Wits man. II am WintOn Garrett,
owning 80 per cent Of the stock. My
certificate"
He tried to get his hand into his
pocket, but his assailant was dragging
him toward the door, There came a
scuffle of feet in the passage, and the
policeman, heading the mob, burst into
the room.
In another moment Winton would
have been flung down the stairs, and
the control Of the Big Malopo would
have passed into the syndicate's hands,
either forever, or pending complicated
legal processes. But sudden diver
sion completely changed the situation.
Out of the crowd stepped Ned Burns,
whlte-haired. white-bearded, waving
his arms furiously.
"YOu let MIR. Garrett go p he shouted.
II know him, and I know you, Mr.. De
Witt. Discharge me, will you, after
I've worked eight years for your
Bravo, Ned!" shouted the crowd.
"Go it, old cockl"
1.-THE motion is carriedI" shouted
De Witt
"That don't make no difference"
said Ned, planting himself before him.
''Maybe you think because | was fool
enough to work for you eight years
that don't know the law, Mr.. De
Witt! You may be purser but the law
of the Colony requires that all proposals
for liquidation must have the assent Of
a majority Mr.. Garrett owns the ma
jority, and he hasn't voted vet"
"Well done, Nedl' cried the mob.
Colony law don't run in MalopOp p
shouted De Witt "This is native
protectorate. You think because I've
put you out of your job for ineffi-
cheney that you'll come here and inter
fere with this meeting, do your"
Lets hear Mr.. GARRETT" cried the
crowd
A tall old man, looking much like
Judge Davis, stepped forward He was
Van Beer the head of an association
Of Independent claimholders, and at the
sight of him the noisy crowd became
silent.
Il don't know what this is about,
Mr.. De Witt, but / take issue with you
on the point you raise" he said. You
know that the credit Of the diamond
companies rests on the belief that
Colony law is valid here. If you are
basing any action upon negative of
this belief, it will send diamond shares
shooting down to Well, Judge Davis,
you know how low they'll fall if you
take away the security of Colony law
from Malopo. Is there any other basis
Of credit, here, judge?"
Gentlemen" cried Judge Davis in
a tremulous voice, what is all this
quarrel about? Whether or not Colony
law runs here has yet to be passed
on by the Colony courts We care moth
ing for that We act according to our
lights, believing in justice and fra
ternity."
''Then why don't you allow Mr.. Gar
rett's voter" shouted Ned Burns.
IF this gentleman is Mr.. Garrett, let
him produce proofs Of his identity"
Quavered the judge.
Winton took his certificate and letter
OF Introduction from his pocket, and
handed them to the judge, who donned
a pair of spectacles and examined
fhQm finally hopdinO thono ho fO