The Washington times., 1935-06-15

Udu d4Iu d SOOU' ~ do II
one that was most useful to
away. Stephen saw he was
There's nothing to worry
about" he said gently. Burn
hams all right" He felt invul-
nerable here, a mature man,
trusted by his company. Now
for the best work he had ever
put in, controlling that inferno
of poverty and war!
CHAPTER 81
The New Order took shape
quickly, more quickly than any
one had foreSeen. On they swept
over the valley floor, young rev.
olutionistS advancing to meet
seasoned war lords. Between the
two lines of soldiers the peas
ants worked, harvesting their
grain. Not one day could be
lost, with hunger so close on the
heels of production.
It was July when the first
rumors came to Stephen that
this new army was nearing the
border of his territory. No one
had thought the soldiers would
come so soon. Stephen was wor-
ried, for his agent in that dis
trict had large credits outstand-
ing. There seemed only one
thing to do, to out-travel the
advancing troops, reach the dis
trict first, collect the money
and get it exchanged into good
American gold, before the old
currency was declared useless
by the New Order. It was dan
gerouS. He might be caught in
the midst of battle, or retreat
ing troops, but he was going.
for he could not afford to fail
now. He'd leave Burnham in
charge. And he'd send his young
est assistant, a man just out
from home, in the opposite di-
rection, to collect another in
debtedness much overdue. He
wished he had a more expert
enced man to send. But he was
short of men and this griffin
would be perfectly safe So the
two started, Stephen toward the
fighting, the griffin away from
it.
Grim War
AS so often happened. the
rumor proved to be false. When
Stephen reached the border
everything was quiet and his
agent doing a good business. He
stayed until the money was in
his hand. It was on the morn
ing he was leaving that another
rumor reached him, the rumor
that one of the generals of the
war lord had undercut him and
taken rich city for his own
the city to which he had sent
the griffin.
Stephen hurried back to his
office. Here the rumors were
confirmed. But he could get no
real news. AS the days passed
and the young man did not re-
turn. Stephen grew quieter and
his mouth more stern. The men
in the office, watching him,
thought he was callous, though
Burnham knew otherwise.
On the seventh day, as Ste
phen was talking to two Brit
ishers who dropped in, there
was a cry along the bund, then
commotion at the gates of the
hong. The griffin, disheveled.
dirty, entered the office. the
men gathering around him.
what happened?" urged one.
my word, you need a BATH"
cried another.
They chaffed him, hiding
their emotions. But Stephen
stood apart. Feeling made his
voice flat when he spoke.
Flows the agent?"
Cray" said the griffin, fall
ing into a liStleSs silence.
mot really?" said Burnham.
eyes," said the griffin. And
then he began talking and no
one could stop him. II guess I
1 know more than you all do.
All of you put together" He
spoke with a belligerent bragga-
docio. II got caught right in
the middle of them. but I went
on as I was ordered. The boss
here sent me into it, didn't
her" Lifting only the thumb of
his hand resting on his knee,
he pointed toward Stephen.