|
joes
(Continued from last week).
SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I.—Winton Garrett, twen-
ty-five and just out of college, calls by
pointment on Archie Garrett, his New
ork cousin and executor, to receive
inheritance of $100,000. Archie,
onest, an easy mark and a fool for
fuck, assures Winton that he is prac-
tically a millionaire, as he has invested
all but $10,000 in a rubber plantation
fn either the East or West Indies and
fn a controlling interest in the Big
Malopo diamond mine, somewhere or
other in South Africa, sold him as a
mamed De Witt.
CHAPTER IIL.—Winton, en route to
fis mine, finds the town of Taungs
wildly excited over a big strike _at
Malopo, including the 95-carat “De Witt
diamond.” Two coach passengers are
a disreputable old prospector, Daddy
Beaton, and his daughter Sheila. On
the journey a passenger, who turns out
to be De Witt himself, insults Sheila.
Winton fights De Witt and knocks him
out. Sheila tells him to turn back. She
Jaye that her father is a broken Eng-
ish army officer. who has killed a man
and is therefore in De Witt's power,
that De Witt is all-powerful. being
backed by Judge Davis, president of
the diamond syndicate and also the
resident magistrate and judge of the
native protectorate.
CHAPTER III.—Winton finds Malopo
fn a turmoil, both over the strike and
the theft of the De Witt diamond. Win-
ton foolishly discloses his identity to
Sam Simpson, a Jamaican negro, sub-
editor of the local newspaper. He more
wisely confides in Ned Burns, watch-
man at the Big Malopo, who tells him
that the syndicate has planned to take
eontrol of the mine the next morning.
CHAPTER IV.—Winton finds that
Bheila is cashier at the restaurant. He
ffers his friendship. She rebuffs him.
fan Vorst, a notorious diamond thief,
one of De Witt's men, slips the stolen
De Witt diamond into Winton’'s pocket
and two policemen club Winton and
arrest him. He escapes them and
when at his last gasp Sheila takes him
into her house, bathes his wounds and
saves him from his pursuers.
CHAPTER V.—The next morning
Sheila offers Winton help in escaping
from Malopo. He convinces her with
difficulty that he did not steal the De
Witt diamond and that he is president
of the Big Malopo company. Bruised
and blood-stained he runs across town,
breaks by force into the company meet-
ing, and aided by a popular demonstra-
tion proves his identity, blocks the re-
organization and takes control. Fe
asks Sheila to marry him. She laughs
hysterically and refuses him.
He went back, to find that the trap-
door had been closed and bolted be-
hind him. It was of hard oak, and re-
sisted all his furious efforts to force it.
There was nothing te do but to go back,
and Winton reached the second flight
Just in time to prevent a second trap-
door at the bottom of the wooden gal-
lery being shut on him by one of the
natives, who, seeing Winton, ran off as
fast as he could go.
The ludicrousness of the incident
might have tempered Winton’s anger,
but for the memory of Daddy Seaton,
lying unconscious on the floor. He
went back to Kash’s store. The little
storekeeper was standing where he had
been behind the counter, and still blink-
“I sell no drink!” he protested, fling-
ing out his hands. “If you beat me I
have you arrested. These men from
the compound, sair, they get their
drink from other mans.”
“What do you have a trap-door for,
Kash? And why did you shut it on
me?’
“The trap-door lead to the cellar,
salir, where I keep things cold. Those
native mans make tunnels everywhere.
I shut on you because I fear you beat
me, sair.”
“Your instinct was a sound one,
Kash,” said Winton grimly. “There
are few things I should like better.”
He leaned across the counter and
shook his fist very deliberately unde-
Kash’s nose. “Listen carefully,” he
said. “You'd better, because I don't
speak twice. If ever I catch you selling
liquor to any one from my claim, black
or- white, or yellow, I'll break every
bone in your carcass.”
Disregarding the little trader's vol-
uble protests he went back to his
claim, to find Seaton standing at the
door of the cottage. The old man
recognized him and came staggering
toward him.
“I'll be going, Mr. Garrett,” he said
thickly.
much you going to pay me?”
He stood swaying backward and for-
ward, smiling foolishly into Winton’s
face. Winton repressed his disgust
with a strong effort.
“How about the drink, Seaton?” he
asked.
' “What's the matter with drink?” de-
manded Seaton.
“I'll have no drinking in my com-
pound. What about your promise of an
hour or so ago? Is this the way you
intend to keep it?”
“That's all right,” mumbled Seaton.
“Just a drop, ole man. Last time,”
Suddenly he took fright at Winton's
look. “Gimme another chance,” he
begged. “For the Lord's sake, gimme
another chance.”
He laid his skinny, shaking fingers
on the lapels of Winton’s coat.
“Gimme chance for Sheila's sake,” he
begged. “You know Sheila. Fine girl.
Best girl in Malope. De Witt's been
after her ever since he saw her last
time. When he knew her before she
was too little for him. Now he's taken
fancy to her: Want save her from De
VICTOR
ROUSSEATL
“Report work tomorrow. How |
special favor by a Dutch promoter | their eyes.
COPYRIGHT 4y W.G.CHAPMAN
Witt. She dunno what I know. De
Witt dunno. Some day I'll tell ‘em.
Won't tell ’em now. Girl might leave
me. You like her, eh? Gimme chance
on count of her.”
The shrewd, old, odious face peered
into Winton’s.
“Gimme another chance. I want save
her from De Witt. He's got wife down-
country. Maybe two of ’em. Some day
I tell ’em all joke about her. Open
Yeu gimme another chance,
Mr. Garrett, and I'll have joke on De
Witt, and bring her here where he
can’t get at her.”
“That’s enough!” cried Winton, and
he was surprised at the hoarseness of
his voice. “I don’t went to hear any-
thing more from you about Miss Sea-
ton. I'll give you one more chance,
and only one. Report for work tomor-
row morning, and we'll get the com-
pound cleaned up.” : !
He watched the old man stagger
away along the road to Malopo, and his
thoughts tortured him. So De Witt
had a wife down-country, and it was
known, and yet he could annoy Sheila!
But whatever the nature of Seaton’s
slaying had been, however stringent the
penalty, it was not right that the girl
should submit to De Witt’s insults to
save her father.
Seaton was no guardian for her,
rather a care, too heavy to bear. He
dragged her down; it was to support
him that she was forced into her work
at the Continental.
Winton resolved to get her away
from that life. He thought of her with
a sudden rush of tenderness. Why had
he not refused to accept his dismissal?
He believed that he could win her love.
And he loved her.
But was it love or fascination? What
had they in common, he, of Harvard,
and this frontier woman of the harried
‘life?
As he pondered he saw a buggy,
which had been traveling along the
road, begin to turn in toward his claim.
The occupant was Judge Davis. He
saw Winton and shouted to him to
come, indicating that he could not
leave the horse.
He wrapped the reins about his right
wrist and took both Winton’s hands in
his.
“Mr. Garrett, my friend, I am the
happy bearer of a message of peace
and fraternity,” he began in his quaver-
ing voice.
Both these things were perfectly sat.
isfactory to Winton, who said so. As
he spoke the old man’s hard gray eyes
watched his face intently.
“I come from Mr, De Witt,” said the
judge. “He is sorry that there have
been misunderstandings. He feels that
he is to blame. We want every prop-
Al
go!
° ! |
Pp)
paid Van Dorst 8 “4
to put the diamond {
in my pocket and set
the police on me?”
erty holder in Malopo to have friendly
feelings toward all others in our great
fraternity of labor.”
“That's excellent,” said Winton.
“But how about Mr. De Witt's attempt '
to implicate me in the alleged diamond
robbery?”
The judge clasped Winton’s hands,
which he still held, more tightly.
“My dear friend, you shock me inex. |
pressibly,” he answered. “I know what |
you mean. I should be more than hu.
man if I did not. I assure you that
your suspicions wrong an honorable
man. If Mr. De Witt were not a man
eS the highest integrity I should not
permit my name to be associated with
his. Mr. De Witt is a littie hasty, but
his mind is incapable of such a scheme.
He has the loftiest views about hu-
manity and fraternity.”
“Who paid Van Vorst to put the dia-
mond in my pocket and set the police
on me?’ demanded Winton bluntly.
The judge released Winton's hands
and looked at him with an expression
of the deepest sorrow.
“My very dear friend,” he answered,
“listen to the experience of a man of
the world. Suspicion is a dreaqtl |
thing. It poisons the heart at the
source. R dries up the noble feuntain
. Malopo.
: that attitude on account of its duty to
of charity. You know what St. Paul
said about charity? And it does not
pay from a practical point of view,” he
went on in a natural tone.
Winton had begun to see that the
| judge's tremolo, in general, was used
i for moralizing; his second note, so to
say, was eminently level, shrewd, and
man-of-the-world.
“Believe in the goodness of every
man, Mr. Garrett,” quavered the judge,
“and you will reap what you have
sown.” Then, sharply, “You are mis-
taken. I suppose Van Vorst, whom we
mean to get by hook or crook some day,
found himself hard pressed, and tried
to divert suspicion from himself by
casting it upon you, a stranger. And
now, young man, will you accept Mr.
De Witt’s fraternal approaches?”
“I'm ready,” answered Winton, “pro-
vided I encounter no further hostility
from Mr. De Witt. And now that the
syndicate has acknowledged my rights
there need be none.”
“The Diamond Fields Syndicate
would not now take your property as a
gift, Mr. Garrett,” answered the judge
decisively. “We were prepared to bup-
den ourselves with the responsibility
of it only in order to prevent a financial
crisis upon the fields. Shares were go-
ing up to five times their value, and we
wanted to smother the boom, which
was artificial and would, in the end,
have proved injurious. The finding of
one large stone signifies nothing. The
public is beginning to realize this, too,
for the rush is slacking. Mr. Garrett,
how are you going to raise enough cap-
ital to work the property, unless you
discover some large stones immediate-
ly? I presume that you are not a man
of unlimited means?”
“I'll tace that problem when I have
to,” said Winton.
“You will have to very soon,” an-
swered the judge. “You have enough
working capital for less than three
months at the outside, and the share-
holders will not permit the develop-
ment of the Big Malopo to be hampered
by lack of means, when the syndicate
stands ready to back you. I should my-
self issue a court order for a receiver-
ship if I were confident that you con-
templated holding up the work here.
Malopo’s interests are now yours, and
yours are Malopo’s. Having constituted
yourself purser, in spite of your inex-
perience, you will find yourself com-
pelled, at a very early date, to call
upon the stockholders to put up fur-
ther capital.”
Winton reflected. He saw Judge
Davis’ point. His duty to the stock-
holders would compel him to keep ade-
quate funds in the bank; under the
laws controlling a cost claim company
any necessary subscriptions could be
called for, but four-fifths would have to
come out of his own pocket.
“What is your proposition, Judge
Davis?” asked Winton, after pondering
over the situation for a few moments,
and coming to realize that the judge
held the trumps after all.
“My dear friend,” answered Davis,
“I have found, in the experience of a
long life, that our material and moral
ends are curiously and providentially
interwoven. It is not from any ma-
terial considerations that I wish to give
you a piece of advice, though I confess
that a suspicious man might misread
my motive. You have cast doubt upon
the good faith of the syndicate in the
doubts that you have cast upon Mr.
De Witt’s good faith. Believe that we
all, as fellow citizens of Malopo, are
interested in the promotion of fraternal
feelings.”
“Yes, but your proposition, judge?’
asked Winton, beginning to feel re-
volted by the old man’s hypocrisy.
He came to the conclusion that this
quality, which was so gross that Davis
must have known it to be patent to
. everybody, had become so much a part
of his nature that he could not help
assuming it.
|
But Winton was quite startled by the
swiftness of the judge's lapse into the
business man.
“My very dear friend, Mr. De Witt's
offer of fraternity is contingent upon
your accepting the syndicate’s co-opera-
tion,” he sald. “You will want cap-
ital.
without exacting onerous terms, and
without demanding a controlling in-
terest. It will not look with com-
plaisance upon any attempt on your
part to bring foreign interests into
It feels itself bound to take
Malopo. Otherwise—"
“Yes? inquired Winton, feeling that
the lid had at length been taken off.
“You will have te reckon on the hos- !
tility of the syndicate,” purred the
Judge. “It has immense resources, Mr.
Garrett, and powerful friends in the
Colony legislature, who could make it
very hard for any external interests
that did get a footing on the fields.”
“I see,” said Winton. He liked the
judge much better unmasked; at least,
he disliked him considerably less.
“You threaten, then, that if I seek
outside capital, the syndicate will use
| every means of thwarting the develop-
ment of the claim?’ he asked.
“Yes, my friend. Not in our indi-
vidual capacities, but purely in the
business sense.”
“Suppose I came to you for a loan,
offering the security of the diamond?”
The judge waved the suggestion
1side as incredibly trifling.
“The diamond means nothing at all
to us,” he answered.
“It has a monetary value.”
“We are not in need of small profits,
Mr. Garrett.”
“Pardon me, but if you ara so pros-
perous and influential, what is the | ur-
pose of your resolve to get the control
of the Big Malppo by means outside
the ordinary run of business?’
The judge smiled, looked thoughtful,
and then, to Winton's surprise, showed
a tkird phase of his nature--absolute
frankness.
“The purpose ef our resolve?’ he
The syndicate will assist you '
|
|
{asked. “I suppose to gain power, Mr,
Barrett. To please the stockholders
and to gain power. There, sir, we
touch upon the fringe of philosophy.
What is the driving motive of human
life? Each of us has some secret, rul-
ing passion that he holds secure from
the eyes of his fellow men.”
His voice shook as he spoke, but this
‘ime it was not the quaver of hypocrisy.
Judge Davis seemed on the verge of
pome intimate disclosure. Then the
mood passed, the eyes grew hard again,
“The syndicate will assist you to the
full extent of the company’s needs, in
50 far as these have a legitimate ex-
ristence,” he said. “It will guarantee
i its co-operation. But it must be as-
sured that no competitive interest shall
pe brought into Malopo, or admitted
from Malopo. Therefore the terms
are these: you will transfer thirty-
three shares to me in blank, on which
the syndicate will advance you four-
fifths of their par value for three
months. At the end of that term, if the
money is repaid, you resume possession
of your shares. If, on the other hand,
the claim has not proved remunerative,
the syndicate will reimburse to you
personally all portion of this money
spent on development, and the shares
will become its property. In the latter
event you will hold forty-seven shares,
which will make the independent share-
holders the decisive voters, and all in-
erests will be protected. In the former
event you will continue to hold your
eighty shares. And I think, Mr. Gar-
rett, that no fairer offer could be
made. It gives you an opportunity to
make & success of the company, and if
you fail, protects us against external
interests tuking up the control to our
detriment.”
Winton thought hurriedly over fhe
proposal. If he agreed, he would still
hold forty-seven shares at worst, while
the syndicate and its men would hold
an equivalent amount. The balance of
power would lie with the independent
shareholders: but these, of course,
were in Davis’ power. If the claim
proved to be what he and Ned Burns
believed it was, the repayment within
the period would be a mere trifle.
But why should he consider the pro-
posal when he could realize working
capital on the sale of the diamond?
“It seems to me,” said Winton, “that
I am not compelled to face the problem
you raise. The diamond can be legiti-
mately sold in the interests of the com-
pany. When the time comes for con-
sidering your proposition I may come
to you, or I may go elsewhere, accord-
ing to where I can get the best terms—
in the interests of the company.”
Judge Davis whistled softly and
gathered in the reins; then he turned
to Winton.
days capital cannot be raised, except
in America, upon a diamond claim that
has only produced a single diamond.
As for the sale of the De Witt stone—"
“Hardly an appropriate name,” sald
Winton hotly.
ridding the presence of strange natives
in the compounds. Winton did not
feel in a position to be a stickler for
the present, but the manner in which
the Hottentot passed him without
recognition struck him as odd. :
Blue ground had been struck, the
matrix of the diamond. The news
spread all along the reef, and crowds
flocked out from Malopo to see. Ned
was hopeful that the main pipe would
se found on the Malopo claim. Every-
‘hing depended on its location. As the
Big Malopo was in the center of the
ields, Winton shared Ned's enthusiasm.
The capital of the claim had been
largely exhausted in the outlay for
machinery, construction material, and
laborers. Davis had given Winton
three months, but Winton realized that
ne would have to choose between two
things. He could work in a sniall way,
discharging the greater part of his
men, and hope to meet expenses by the
finding of stones; or he must throw
himself heart and soul into the de-
velopment of the claim, and call for
move capital in a month’s time.
this he himself would have to furnish
or
30 per cent, unless he accepted Davis’ |!
proposal.
Outside capital could not he raised
quickly. There was the big diamond.
He had it valued by a local man.
was not of a pure white, but, being
erable suin in the market. The expeut
announced that in his opinion any of
‘the jobbers would be willing to ad-
vance fifteen thousand on it.
Another fifteen thousand would go
far toward solving the difficulty of ob-
taining immediate capital for develop-
ment, and would make it unnecessary
for Winton to call on the shareholders
for an assessment—and subscribe five
times as much himself as the rest put
together. The great problem, whether
the claim was the mouth of a volcanie
pipe, filled with diamonds, or merely a
diamond ground, having its origin else-
where, could only be solved by work-
ing. This meant a large expenditure.
Winton took his troubles to Burns, tell-
ing him of the judge's offer.
“I've seen the other shareholders,”
he said, “and I'm satisfied that they are
all in the syndicate’s pocket. They
are all tenants, or bound in one way or
another. If I accept Davis’ proposition
it may mean parting with my majority
share, in which case De Witt will come
back as purser and you'll lose your . flections upon the enemies of the syn-
job.”
“Let's see what the Book has to
say,” suggested Burns. He opened his
Bible and began to read:
“Ezekiel, thirty, sixteen. ‘And I will
set a fire in Egypt; Sin shail be in
great anguish, and No shall be broken
up; and Noph shall have adversaries
“My dear friend,” he said, “in these |
“The Garrett stone, I mean,” purred |
Judge Davis. “Of course so long as
you retain your controlling interest,
you are at liberty to sell it. You mis-
understand me, my young friend. I
did not come here to discuss your
ability to avoid fraternal co-operation
with us, but to offer you the choice be-
tween that co-operation, with frater-
nity, and the syndicate’s hostility—of
course in a purely business sense. Till
your decision is made, that fraternity
must be withheld. Give faith and trust,
deur sir, and they shall return to you
a hundredfold. Give enmity, and’—
he leaned out of the buggy—*“we’ll
smash you, you damned young fool, and
you'll richly deserve it.”
CHAPTER Vil
For Sheila's Sake.
“What's your opinion, Ned?’ askea
Winton, two or three evenings later.
Much had transpired during the brief
interval. The gangs of natives had ar-
rived at the compound and started op-
erations, under the immediate charge
of Seaton, who had turned up sober at
the appointed time. The old man
worked diligently and showed that he
knew his business. He had not touched
a drop of liquor. But Sheila had not
accompanied him to the cottage, and
Winton had asked no questions.
What surprised Winton was the fact
that the natives seemed to regard old
Seaton with an exaggerated deference
which they did not extend to him. Old
Seaton, staggering under his load of
liquor, was very different from Seaton,
standing erect in the center of the com-
pound, shouting commands to his
ohsequious workers, who flew to obey
him,
“You couldn't have got a better man
than old ‘King’ Seaton, if he’ll stay
sober,” said Ned. “But it’s hard on his
girl—"
“Why do you call him that?” asked
Winton, interrupting because he could
not endure any reference to Sheila.
There was something in his tone that
checked Burns on the threshold of his
disclosures. .
“Why, I supposed you knew. Mr. Gar-
rett. The old man used to he a sort of
chief among these Kafirs. Lived among
‘em for years they say. [ suppose
there ain’t much te that stor-. though,”
1e added refiectively.
Winton realized that there wis prob-
tbly more behind the story than Ned
wished to disclose. And it came to
nim with a sudden shock that Ned
inew of his episode in Sheila's house
on the night of the chase,'and was un-
willing, on that account, to be as frank
'as he might have been.
On the night of the natives’ arrival,
when there was confusion and some-
thing of an uproar over the allocation
of quarters, Winton was a little sur-
prised to perceive the Hottentot Bot-
tlejohn in conversation with his com-
pound manager. There was a rule for-
in the daytime.’ ”
He closed the Book and looked at
Winton in great dejection. “Did you
get that, Mr. Garrett?’ he asked, “It
refers to the diamond. You can’t raise
the money by selling it. The decision’s
against us there. Whether or no you
ought to go to Judge Davis isn't given
to us to know.”
“But how do you make out that it
has reference to the diamond?” asked
Winton.
“It’s easy, sir. And unmistakable. '
Egypt's Malopo. Sin is yourself, who's
to be in great anguish.”
“I should think that Sin might be !
meant for Mr. De Witt,” suggested
Winton.
“No, sir. Sin is yourself im this case. |
And No’s the diamond, which is going
to be broken up. That may mean that :
it's going to be cut into smaller stones,
or maybe it’s going to pass out of your
hands, sir. But you can’t sell it.”
“And Noph?’ asked Winton.
“Noph is Judge Davis, Mr. Garrett.
He’s to have adversaries in the day-
time, and I guess he's got all the ad-
versaries that he wants already.”
“Ned,” said Winton, “I don’t know ;
how you arrive at your interpreta-
tions. Of course I don’t deny that they |
may be correct, but I'm going to try to
sell the diamond before I go to the syn- !
dicate or elsewhere.”
“Aye, sir, and you'll be in great an-
guish over it,” responded Ned.
He looked at Winton in a hesitating
way, and added: i
“Mr. Garrett, would you take it
amiss from an older man if I was to
offer you some advice, sir?”
“No. Go ahead,” said Winton.
“It’'s—well, sir, it's this. If you are!
out to fight the syndicate you'll want |
to give your whole heart to it. There's!
a lot of women in Malopo, Mr. Garrett,
whom a man ought to steer clear of.
And now I'm going on duty. Good '
night to you, sir.” |
He left Winton fuming. The young
man knew that Ned had referred vo
Sheila. He could not understand how
her position at the Continental should
make her an outcast. He was more |
than ever resolved to take her away |
i
from her surroundings, to make her
his wife and save her father, too.
He had hoped and believed that she
would keep house for “daddy” at the
cottage. She was staying away, he.
thought, because of the ambiguity of '
their relationship. He had been pru
dent, but now he resolved to cast
“ prudence to the winds; he felt that he
would lose her unless he went to he:
at once.
On the morrow, he planned. But on
the morrow trouble developed with
the water compary. The flow dwin-
dled; yet the adjacent claim, owned
by the syndicate, and supplied by a
separate pipe, had a full discharge.
Winton went up to the company’s |
offices.
He knew that the syndicate con-
trolled the water company, He was
sure this was Davis's work. He saw
nobody of consequence, but the timid '
clerk received his vigorous objections
and promised to speak to the manager.
Winton departed with threats, to dis
cover, on arriving at the claim, that
the water was running again. The
ed
i free from flaws, would fetch a consid- |
| incident disturbed him a good deal,
and made him realize that the syndi-
cate had a good many cards to play.
On the next morning he started
down town with the intention of
catching Sheila on her way to the
Continental. At the corner of the
market square he came upon Sam
making his rounds.
Simpson, The
Sam!” called
Winton, “Got a
paper for me”
negro had a great heap of papers
under his arm.
“Good morning, Sam!” called Win-
ton. “Got a paper for me?”
“Good morning, Mr. Garrett. I
must supply my regular customers
first,” responded Sam evasively.
“No spare copies, eh?”
“I'm afraid not, sir,” said Sam,
looking about him uneasily.
“All right. I'll get one somewhere
else,” said Winton, wondering a little
at Sam’s appearance, which was that
of a man extremely anxious to get
into other company.
He strolled over to a small general
store with a pile of papers in front of
it, and picked up a Chronicle. He
scanned the cable and telegraphic
news, and turned to the personal col-
umn. This was a feature of the paper.
It began with authentic news, and
: records of arrivals and departures,
gradually tailing into gossip and re-
' dicate, which afforded intense amuse-
+ ment to those acquainted with what
| crowds,
i opinion working toward good came to
, was going on in town. Near the end
of the column Winton read:
“Rumor reports that one of the fair.
est of the employees of the Continental,
whose home was formerly open to a
certain would-be financial light from
overseas long beyond the conventional
hours, has now transferred her inter-
ests to another. Those in the know
declare that the self-constituted mag-
nate in question, being mistaken on
one occasion for a certain notorious
law-breaker, was hidden by the lady
in question In her own home, under
circumstances that furnish both amusc-
ment and chagrin to those furmerly
_ among her friends.”
Winton stood perfectly still, staring
at the paragraph. Then Le ivoked up.
; The busy market square swam before
i his eyes.
The cruelty of life lere, the
selfishness and self-absorption of tlie
the absence of any public
him with vivid realizatiom. Then he
felt a pulse hammering in his temple,
and a mad rage in his heart that con-
centrated all his thoughts, with terrific
energy, upon the desire for vengeance.
Across the square, presented to him
with vivid delineation, as if a finger
had picked it out, he saw through the
crowds the figure of Sam Simpson en-
tering the Chronicle office.
He pushed his way through the mob
and made for the building. It was a
single story brick edifice, consisting of
two rooms, the pressroom and the edi-
torial office. Through the one window
of the former Winton saw the single
linotype at work, under the charge of
Malopo’s single operator,
Through the doorway he saw the ed-
itor, Hanson, seated at a table, bent
over a pile of proofs, and Sam Simpson
standing beside him. Winton entered
and slammed down the paper upon
the table.
“I'm looking for the man who wrote
that,” he said.
Hanson looked up, saw his face, and
sprang to his feet quickly. “Now, now,
Mr. Garrett, it was only a joke,” he
protested. “You must not take it se-
riously.”
“Did you write that?” inquired Win-
ton witle ominous calm.
“No!” shouted Hanson with timid
ferocity.
“Did you write that?” asked Winton,
wheeling upon Sam.
“Mr. Garrett,” responded the negro
with dignity, “the Chronicle is an
entity, not an agglomeration of per-
sonalities. It claims and exercises the
privileges of anonymity as—"
Winton’s fist smashed into Sam's
face, and he toppled over.
He picked himself up and ran inte
the street, screaming at the top of his
voice. A crowd collected quickly,
Wintor found himself the ‘center ot
it. with Sam facing him accusingly,
blood streaming from his lip. Ther
Judge Davis came bustling througch the
throng. ;
“This is your doing, you miserable
old scamp!” raved Winton, holding out
the paper. “Is this what you cull fra-
ternity, attacking a woman who earns
her living in a decent way? You in.
fernal old hypocrite, thank your stars
you are too old te be thrashed!”
“Hooray for the judge! How about
it, judge?’ yelled one of the bystanders.
Judge Davis took the newspaper
from Winton’s hand, put on his glasses,
and read the passage aloud.
(Continued next week).