The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-11-21
ct.AprrR TwENTY-oNE

CHAPTER TwENTY-oNE
Peter Fenwick sat in comfort
able leather chair. his feet propped
against the window sill and gazeo
out over the city Of Rawitor'
SPRAYING in all directions ior
miles.
He could see the heavily wooded
section far to the south which
marked the district in which he
lived. and by merely turning MS
head. the rolling hills of the coun-
try club, which looked smooth ana
velvety even from this distance,
came into view.
He remembered when the Fen
wick estate was considered to be
in the country, and chuckled APP
preciatively at his wisdom in &C
curing options on considerable
section of land surrounding 1t when
through his political connections,
he had Unanswered rapid transit
franchise which brought home
builders by the hundreds to the
district.
The one deal had netted him a
fortune, and ii was but one OF
many deals, some larger, some
smaller, that he had participated
in since he had gained a position
of power in politics and civic af'
fairs.
The large room where he sal
was luxuriously furnished and ap
peared more like the lounge OF ar
exclusive club than an office.
Hideout
In reality. it was his "hideout,
a room known to but very few o
his intimates where he liked to re
tire at frequent intervals to thinl
out new schemes and arrange new
deals, political and business, b.
which he increased his wealth an
his power in Rawlton.
1t was a tower room In the Fen
wick building, a prominent land
mark of the downtown district, an
was accessible only by a privat
elevator.
Even existence of the elevate
was known to very few person!
as the entrance was from sma
ante room opening off his innei
most private office.
Loaded Table
Here he could escape from tn
rigors of a man of position, a ma
to whom thousands came in scare
for political preferment, for finar
cial crumbs from his well loade
table.
In all the years since he ha
succeeded to the firm of MAJ
query & Fenwick he never ha
felt such security, such well bein
as h chad during the last fe'
months, since, in fact, he ha
picked up a paper one day an
seen a small item from Shangh;
chronicling the death of the or
man in the world he really feare'
Thomas Macquerry.
What a sucker Tom had beel
falling for Helen Fenwick's stor.
cutting loose all ties and fleein
the country under a cloud to say
htr and her child from disgrac,
Expecting her to follow later int
exile, only to discover, too lat
that he had been tricked.
Felt No Twinge
1t was characteristic of Fenwic
that he felt not the slightes
twinge of conscience about any
thing he ever had done.
His philosophy was simple, ge
everything you can. any way yo
can, and the world will honor you
1t was the philosophy he Away
had followed and the one he il
tended to follow as long as h
lived.
1t had brought results, hadn
it? Wasn't he the most powerfl
man in Rawlton, man who's
voice even was listened to in ma
tional affairs?
From here on, everything locke
serene. There was the slight star
that new maid had given him whe
Toms ring was found in her pc,
session.
He had puzzled over her stor
of finding it in the garden, at frs
doubling it, and yet wanting I
believe it.
That was the only explanatio
possible. She couldn't come by
in any other way.
His daughter was about to b
married to a fine, upstandin
young man. He'd investigate
Lands investment business an
found he had good connections.
Friendly Hand
He wasn't doing so much YET
but give him time. With a friend
ly hand from his father-in- law
he'd soon be prosperous.
He liked Brock Lands yer,
much, although he considered hin
a bit soft.
You couldn't be soft in business
You had to be hard, hard as nails
the way he always had been. Blu
he'd take him in hand, once h
was in the family, and show hin
the ropes.
He tossed his cigar into a larg,
brass cuspidor and reached in hi
pocket for fresh one. Just as h
was touching a match to it. Their,
was a buzzing sound from hi
desk. Granting impatiently at IN,