White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-07-08
The ReCluSe of Fifth Avenue

| cial collapse. He did not know tna|
his friend harbored no hard thoughts
Of him and would have made no com
plants After all, the friends loss
was very little compared with his
downfall"
Fleming Bradney, perhaps the clos
est observer of Milman's guests, was
becoming possessed with vast i'm
patience to know for what reason he
had been summoned. Bradney had the
analytical mind Of the scientist. There
were several things in Milman's mar
rative which needed calculation.
why" he asked suddenly, ibid you
subscribe to press-clipping agency
and put detective on Raxon's
track 2"
Because had learned through q
source entirely confidential that it was
Raxon who had ruined Mr.. Malet. l
was interested In Mr.. Malet. think
that marble group proves 1t. And l
have said ] was Interested In your
work too. If 1t had been possible to
clear you, should like to have done
SO. am not sure there was not some
thing Of childish vanity in it. l liked
to sit here in my lonely, unvisited
house and feel was learning day by
day, hour by hour, more about man
who believed himself above the law
and building up this knowledge into a
weapon against him. But found he
was so secure as to be able to boast
of things that no legal evidence could
charge him with. Neeland Barnes, for
example. A few hundreds spent in
bribery, or a few promises dropped
as to future patronage, and the thing
was accomplished.
Cali you have done," said Bradney,
who was suddenly assailed with
doubts as to Milman's ultimate pur-
pose, Ills to get us here and show us
what failures we are. That is not
kind, unless you have a remedy. Don't
you see it puts us in very poor light
A man may fail and still have self
respect left. I decline to consider my
self black sheep. You tell me Raxon
ruined my career. / shall make a
point of seeing the editors Of all the
great New York papers and telling
them what you have said. Too long a
certain type Of man has ruled our
cities in the name Of democracy"
There was no doubt now about Pc.
ter Milman's uneasiness as he listened.
II thought you understood" he said
quietly, "that this conversation was
privileged. If you go to. your editors
you will do two things: One will be
to convince them that you have brood
ed so long on your troubles that you
are mad. The other will be to dis
close the condolences a dead man gave
me-"
"But you want me to give up the
only chance / may ever have Of clear
ing my name," Bradney complained.
'You can never clear 1t that way.
l don't think you can ever hope to
defeat Paul Raxon that way" His
tone changed a little. "Tell me this
Mr.. Bradney. Which counts more
with you: the clearing Of your name
Of suspicion Of dishonesty actual
conviction Of it, remember, for your
case never came before a court of
law-or the opportunity to devote
your life to your chosen sc1ence?"
"The latter, of COURSE" Bradney
cried. at is only If establish my
innocence that 1 can hope to get an
other appointment. Such work as
mine is very costly. I must have large
funds of INV d{snnsel md elaborate
equipment"
'.And you?" Milman said, turning to
the sculptor.
'If enough mud Is thrown at man,
no matter how innocent he is, some of
it will stick. I have long since aban-
doned any hope Of being whitewashed.
In a sense, the equipment of the sculp-
tor is expensive. If were painter,
1t would be a different thing. There
is no institution to endow broken,
mdddle-aged men,"
ut is for that reason I asked you
all to come here" Milman answered.
"You don't understand? Gentlemen,
/ am a broken middle-aged man. In
Hazen Brewers failure my entire for
tune wents I mortgaged this house
to help him. Out of the wreck 1 may
save enough to live in a couple OF
humble rooms for the rest of my life.
We are all in the same boat, all four
of us victims to Paul Raxon's whims."
''You," Neeland Barnes cried. "You
had all sorts of money, l thought"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)