Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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wy' ■ Site New Mayor R*aod mm 6JT. Broad hurst’s Successful Play THE MAN TBE°m BY ALBERT JAYSON ERHUNE COPYRIGHT,1907BY GEORGE H.&ROADHURST With all the advantages of youth, education and good looks and no vocation other than the enjoyment of wealth, the hero of our present story chose rather to sacrifice his ease and com fort on the altar of his duty as a citizen. His city called him to save her from spoliation and corruption, and he responded to the call. To lure him from the path of right came the seduc tions of love and the claims of a revered parent’s memory, allied with the mighty forces at the command of political and finan cial malefactors. The Jirmness with which “the man of the hour ’ singled out for the high est post in a great municipality by those who saw in him only a weakling and a tool, resisted the very forces that had elevated him for their own purposes to official power v;ill be an inspi ration to the reader, as it has been an uplifting force in the minds of thousands who have witnessed its theatrical repre sentation. tan - , with a promptitude that had something almost slavish in it. “Keeling all right?" went on Wain i wright. “You need more exercise. Why | don’t you get out of doors oftener?" | “The work, sir’’— “(let another man to help you do the telegraph part of It, then. I”— "Thank you, sir. You are very kind Indeed; but, if it’s just the same to you. I’d rather handle it all myself. I hope the work’s perfectly satisfactory, sir?" “Perfectly, Thompson. You’re the jnly employee I have who seems to love work for work’s sake. Seen any thing of Mr. Gibbs this morning?’’ “No, sir. I don’t believe he’s up yet. doming bv such a late train last night, you know. sir. and”— “I was up ns late as he was. and 1 was at work by 8. Rut w’hen a man j takes his tirst holiday in six years, as { lie is doing. I suppose oversleeping is : part of the fun. There’s a man to pat- [ tern yourself after. Thompson! I re- : member when he started out he hadn't a penny- nothing hut the resolve to j get money and then to get more of it. | And now look at him! At thirty-live ! lie's the head of one of the busiest i brokerage houses in”— j “Good morning!” broke in a voice from the foot of the broad stairway ; across the hall. “Sorry to be so late. I>o you know how the market is?” “It's opened even stronger than 1 hoped.” said WaiuwTlght. "Take a ! look at these dispatches and see for ; yourself Had your breakfast?" i “Yes, thanks.” answered the new j ’omer. a well groomed, stockily bniit : man. lounging into the rooms, with a j nod at Thompson, who discreetly i withdrew into the adjoining office. | ‘Seems queer to have a whole day lawny from the office. I hardly know i what to do w i h so much spare time." “It’s the everyday hard work that’s put you where you are today, Gibbs, And for CHAPTER I. nr HE country house of Charles Wainwright. financier, topped the ridge overlook i g the water *• in a climax of arc! uectural hid- coiisti ss and extravagai t cost The grounds of Charles Wain vrlght, finan cier. stretched out into c mutless acres of landscape gardening. The whole es tate of Charles Wainwright. financier, eel if ed those of his neighbors in the fashionable suburb, even as the name of Charles Wainwright, financier, <Kdipsed almost every other in the city world where, money ruled as undis puted and absolute monarch. Even when he turned from the bus- tie of city and fellow money builders and sought for a space the simple life ou hi: V.'b.OOO country place, with its modest equipment of forty-one serv ants, Mr. Wainwright so far carried Into the wilds the atmosphere of busi- “Perhnps that’s how 1 know. ■he doesn't care for any one else.” “You’re sure? There’s Bennett. Instance.” “Alwyu Bennett? Why. absurd! Bhe’s known him all her life. They’re just good friends: nothing more. He’s our nearest neighbor here, and it’s i Mr. Horrlgan.to only natural. Besides, be isn’t the sort of man she wants. He’s an idler. Bhe likes men who have made some thing of themselves—like yourself, for Instance. So make yourself easy on that score. If Bennett loved her, he’d have proposed long ago.” “Not necessarily. He’s not a man to get started easily, but once start him ind”— "Then don’t start him. Go In and win. What is it. Thompson?” The secretary entered from the of fice with a dispatch. “There’s an answer, sir,” said be. “Here’s a blank.” Wainwright read the message, scrib bled a few lines and handed the reply to the secretary, who hurried out with it. “So Thompson is not only a secre tary, but a telegraph operator as well,” remarked Gibbs as the clicking of a Morse instrument sounded from the office. “He's everything,” replied Wain- wright. “He’s a w’onder. He heard me say I wished I had a good operator up here whom I could trust, so with out a word to me he goes and learns telegraphy. I've had him nine years now and tested and tempted him fifty ways, but he’s as true as steel, the one employee I ever had that I could trust By the way, the message he just brought me ought to interest you. It tells me Borough Street railway stock Is offered now at <>o. I’ve given orders for your office to take all they can get hold of at that price quietly and with out making any bids or attracting at tention. That’ll be the biggest deal of my career if I can carry it through. You understand your part perfectly— to take for yourself 20 per cent of the deal, handle the whole affair on the floor and not buy any of the stock for your own private account? Stick to that and there’s just one thing that can possibly block us.” “You mean the defeat of the present city administration this fall?” “Just that, and I don’t believe it will be beaten. The organization’s solid as a rock. They have the police, the of ficeholders and”— “But the people at large?" ean*t realize what it means to hare four on married"— “No, I cannot." assented Wainwright quickly, “and from present signs I’m not likely to. 1 hope Mrs. Newman is welir The little Judge’s face grew doubly important. “Extremely well, thank yon,” said he. “A wonderful woman! You've met her, Mr. Gibbs? No? But of course you have often heard— By the way. Charles, it was ■be who told me to drop in on you tills morning. Y o u see — I — she — Mrs. Newman is most anxious for me to come np for re-elec tion this fall. “ / thought you might min a word to Mr. Hor rigan in my be half." whom I broach ed the subject, doesn’t quite seem to see it that way. He doesn’t want to have me renominat ed. I thought perhaps, as a personal favor to so old a friend, you might say a word to Mr. Horrigan in my behalf.” “Of course I’ll do what little I can. Horrigan will be here today. Drop in a little after noon and I’ll tell you how my intervention turns out” “Oh, thank you so much!” cried the judge, positively wriggling in his de light. “Mrs. Newman will be so pleas ed. And. by the way. won’t you ask Perry why he never comes over to see , my daughters? Please ask him if he won’t. I’m sure Mrs. Newman would j be glad if he did. Well, till afternoon, ; then. Good morniug.” “Queer little rat!” observed Gibbs as ; the judge bowed himself out “Mrs. i Newman must be a marvel if all he says is”— j “She is a wonder as a husband train er. She’s tamed him so he doesn’t i know his soul’s his own. A good little ; man because he’s never had a chance to be otherwise. I’ll speak to Horrf- gan about him. though. It’s always well to have a friend on the bench. ; One never can tell when”— But Gibbs was not listening. His heavy face had lighted with a sudden glow f eagerness. Turning to note the cause, Wainwright saw his niece .Dallas descending the stairs. Involun- I tarily she halted as she reached the threshold and saw Gibbs. Then, her ( sense of hospitality triumphing over , impulse, she came in and greeted her uncle's guest with some show of cor diality. “Remember, Dallas,” said Wain wright as he prepared to go into his office, “Gibbs is here only for the day. I count on you to make hfs holiday as pleasant as you can.” He glanced cov ertly at Gibbs, who had strolled to the I window. Then the financier lowered his voice and said rapidly: “Please he nice to Gibbs for ray sake, Dallas. I do a great deal for you, and ; I don’t often ask anything in return.” He patted her on the shoulder with a ; gesture meant to he affectionate and i hurried into the adjoining office. picking up a paper, turned to the sport ing sheet and became immersed in Its contents, oblivious of all else. “Mr. Gibbs is only spending one day with os,” admonished Dallas, trying to soften her yonng brother’s rude ness. “Hope he’ll enjoy It.” came In absent tones from the depths of the paper. Gibbs rose. “I’m going out for a cigar on the terrace.” said he. “I’ll join you a little later.” “Perry,” scolded Dallas as soon as the broker disappeared through the long windows, “how could you treat a guest of uncle’s so rudely?” "I don’t like the fellow. And I don’t like what I read in the paper today about him and you Gee. what a measly paragraph! It’s enough to make a white man want to dash out his brains with a cigarette. You’re go ing to deny It in time for the retraction to get Into tomorrow’s papers, aren’t you?” “I—I’m not quite sure.” “Good Lord!” gasped Perry, slump ing down in the nearest chair. “Are you crazy? Say, if you are looking for a real good, exciting match why don’t you marry a Wall street stock report? It’d be better ’n Gibbs. If yon marry him you’ll only be an ’also ran’ with the ticker tape and the market news. Oh, keep out of it. old girl! You owe something to your intelligent and dis tinguished little brother. If you’ve got to commit matrimony, marry some one I like, can’t you?” “I haven’t given him a definite an swer yet,” admitted the girl, a little touched by the real feeling that under lay her brother’s flippant words. “That’s good medicine. Confidence restored and the run on Brother’s Emo tions is cheeked. Next time you get the marry bee I have a dandy candi date to suggest for the job.” “Who?” laughed Dallas, amused in ■pite of herself. “Alwyn Bennett!” “How silly!” “Not on your life! Words of wisdom from the young—that’s what it is. Go ahead and marry Bennett. Be a sport and say ‘Yes.’ Why don’t you want to marry him?” “For any one; of a million reasons. First of all. lie never asked me to.” “Maybe he’s scared to. But if he ■take me solid with her, ah? Well, I guess. Al! I ask is n start and you’ll find a whole lot of cripples slower than I’ll be. If they’re walking over I might wander out, sort of aiiuless-llke and happen to meet ’em. Maybe that’s a bom Idea? Good old me!” Full of his Machiavellian scheme, the lad bolted through the long win dow and was gone. “Dallas," began Bennett, without preamble, “you must surely know why I'm here today. You’ve seen that para graph In the"— “I have seen It.” she answered quietly. Taken aback by her manner, Bennett hesitated as instant; then asked nerv ously: “The—the rumor isn’t true, Dallas? Tell me It Isn’t” "Why shouldn’t It be true?” she coun tered perversely, as though not wholly sorry to witness the new look her words called to his face. The look deepened us Bennett continued: “You don't love Gibbs? Burely you don’t love him?" The French windows swung wide, breaking off her teply. CHAPTER IL LWYN BENNETT turned aharp- ly toward the window, angry at the interruption, but Perry Wainwright, ushering two la dies in from the veranda, met bis scowl with a wink of triumph. “Not so bad. eh?” called the boy. "Met them as they were turning into the drive. You see’’— "Oh,” observed the younger of the two women—a pretty, flower faced girl who since her entrance into the room had been engaged in exchanging de lighted greetings with Dallas. “So you came to meet us? You said you just happened”— “Did I?” asked Perry in deep amaze ment. “Well, well! The fact is, 1 i wanted to do something startling in i honor of meeting you, so I told my first lie. I"— “Don’t mind him, Cynthia!” laughed i Dallas. “He's taken that way quite i vften.” “Ob, it’s his usual pace, then?” j queried Miss Garrison innocently. "I thought perhaps he was just warming wasn’t stuck on you he wouldn’t be ; up.” hanging around here every day and ! “And now, going everywhere with you the way he does. I’ll bet $9 he’s"— “Mr. Bennett!” the butler announced. Brotlier and sister stared guiltily at each other. “Speaking of angels”— muttered Per ry. But Dallas had already turned to welcome the visitor. Alwyn Bennett at first glance bad little to distinguish him from the av erage good looking yonng man about town. But a closer observer would have noticed a firmness about the shapely mouth, an honesty and strength of purig>se about the eyes, a general pursued Dallas, taking possession of Cynthia, much to Perry’s disgust, '"tell m<* all about yourself. Have”- “Thero isn’t much to tell. But there’s going to be. I’m going to work.” “Work? What for?” "For a living, of course.” “Not really.” “Yes. isn't it ridiculous?’ broke in Mrs. Bennett, a sweet little old lady who now found her first chance to edge in a word amid the general vol ley of talk “But Cynthia is set on doing it." “Why shouldn’t l? I haven’t a dol- air of latent power that lay unawak- j ftr au( j there’s a theory that one must ened beneath the jolly, purposeless ! jj ve Stott (Jiblm. ness and the burden of other men’s amj that's interested me in you. For wealth as to have a very complete lit tle stockbroker room fitted up adjoin ing uis big library and to keep a man night and day at his private wire. Charles Wainwright, financier, was a bachelor. No obese or statuesque wife carried about with her a portable ad vertisement of his wealth lu the shape instance, that deal of yours in South | Sea copper”— "Yet that was the deal the papers all"— “All denounced you for? What do you care? You were within the law. [They’ve been hammering me for years and attributing all sorts of low mo- of fabulously valuable jewels or made lives to me. As long as the law doesn’t his name renowned In opera box. New’- interfere I’m going to get all I can. So port casino or I.enox cottage. His only are you. So Is every sane man. As brother had died years before, leaving u mere he; ;arly million dollars or so and two children to divide It. These children — Dallas, a strikingly pretty and still more strikingly independent girl of twenty-four, and Perry, a de lightfully lazy, lovable lad of twenty- one—lived with their uncle, who man aged their affairs, let them go pretty much as they chose and—as they were more or less ornamental and enter taining and decidedly popular —was rather fond of them. The trio had passed a pleasant, un eventful mouth at the big house on the hill early In the summer of 19—, when a day dawned whereon fate booked a number of decidedly Interesting fateful hap(»enlngs to occur. Wainwright himself was up betimes and at work in his library, poring over market reports, cipher telegrams and a dozen other details of deals which his simple life cult did not prevent him from operating at long range. With him was his secretary. Thompson, a pallid, earnest looking young, fellow, whose unobtrusive efficiency had long since won the financier’s admiration. This morning affairs in the financial world had gone more than ordinarily to Mr. Walnwiigbt’s liking. Moreover, a paragraph In one of the city papers that had caught his eyes bad set bis lean gray face to twitching with as near an approach to a smile as the great man ever permitted. Altogether he was in an unwontedly genial mood, and some of his good nature so far ex panded as to include bis busy secre tary. / ‘•Thompson.” be remarked as the last batch of correspondence was cleared away, “you’re looking pair. Do I work you too bard?" “No, indeed, sir,” replied the secre- |Io:ig as it can be done without any j fuss or shouting. A mosquito could : bite twice as often If only he didn’t sing u song about it. By the way, ! have you seen the papers?" "No. Anything new?" “One thing at least that ought to in terest you. Listen to this: ‘The engage ment of the niece of a world celebrated financier to u prominent young broker is about to be announced. The young lady and her brother are orphaus and are not only their famous uncle's wards, but also the sole heirs to his vast wealth. They are summering at his magnificent country [dace, where the fortunate broker is said to spend every one of the very few moments left vacant by his daring stock manip ulations.' No mistaking that, eh, Gibbs?” * “It—it ought to bring matters to a head, I should think." “It certainly should,” assented Wain wright. "In fact, it’s such an auda cious master stroke that I’ve a notion you may possibly have been at the bottom of it. Now. confess. Weren’t you?” “Well, of course I didn’t exactly write it. But”— “Clever boy! Dallas will have to show her hand now or never. Sbe’a kept you on the anxious seat too long as it is. That’s the reason I asked yon up here for the day. She must settle It today if I can manage It She knows how anxious I am for her to accept you.” “But I’m sometimes afraid aba does not care for me.” “Then make bar cars. As long aa she cares for no one Mao yon can psr- suade her to holler# aha adoraa yon.” “How do yon know! YooYs a bach elor” Scarcely had the door closed when “The people at large are sheep that Gjkij S turned from the window, crossed like to be driven by the strongest shep herd. If they weren’t, they’d have broken loose a qentury ago and run the city and the country to suit themselves. Just uow Dick Horrigan happens to l>e the ‘shepherd’ who can make them go wherever he says.” “Shepherd and ’crook’ combined, I should say.” commented Gibbs, chuc kling at his awn feeble joke. “I wouldn’t let a speech like that get back to Horrigan if I were you,” returned Wainwright dryly. “Your career might suffer. Nothing (except maybe, gratitude) Is so bad as humor for spoiling a man’s chances in busi ness or politics A laugh costs more than people think. But. speaking of the election this fall, a reform wave or any change of city administration would smash our Borough Street rail way deal. To offset that Tve joined hands with Horrigan. If I can bring him to see things my way, he shall have cash enough to buy all the honest voters he needs. He’s coming here this noon to talk things over with me. Phelan’s coming too.” “Phelan? You mean the alderman of the Eighth? You'll have a pleasant little gathering. Perhaps you didn’t know that Phelan and Horrigan have had a rov and”— “And that’s why I’m bringing them together hrre today. I want to patch up their quarrel if I can. I need them both. Phelan’s a useful man.” “But Horrigan is boss of the organi zation If you have him on your side, why do you bother about getting Phelan too?" "Yes, Horrigan is boss. He’s fought his way up by bulldog tactics. He has no diplomacy—nothing but brute force. Now. Phelan has just as much force in his way. but he’s as tricky aa a fox too. I’ve known him ever since he was chief of police. He’s a danger ous man. If he's against us, he can make trouble. I want him. He’s”— “Judge Newman!” announced the butler. A whimsical frown crossed Wain wright’s face, but cleared into a pass ably hospitable expression as a little gray haired man, with a solemn, weak face, trotted pompously in on the heela of the butler’s announcement “Good morning, judge,” said the host pleasantly. “You don’t know Mr. Gibbs, I think, of Gibbs, Norton & Co.? Judge Newman is my next door neigh bor on the left as you come from the station, Gibbs. You must have no ticed tile place—Queen Anne house, with”— “Oh, he probably never gave It a glance,” put In the judge. “A mere cot- tag**, that’s all. When a man with my meager judicial salary has a social po sition to keep up and four daughters that aren’t married and—Charles, you the room to where Dallas stood and in his usual direct fashion said: “You saw that”— “The article In this morning’s paper? Yes.” | There was no confusion, no embar- I rassment, neither in the clear, girlish voice nor in the honest dark eyes that met Gibbs’ so calmly He went on with a shade less confidence. “It annoys you?” “Very much indeed.” “Y’ou can’t feel worse about It than I do, Miss Wainwright. I”— “You didn’t write it yourself, then?” “I? Of course not! How could you think”— “i didn’t: I just wondered. Please see that the rumor is denied.” “Why should IV You are going to marry me some day, aren’t yon, Dal las?” “Have I ever given you reason to think I would?” “You have let me keep on coming to see you. You have” - “I have told you that I don’t care for you the way you want me to. I havo great admiration and respect for you, but that is all. And it is not enough to marry on.” “It is enough for me. If I have your admiration and respect to start on I’ll soon make you love me.” “You would be satisfied with so lit tle?" “Yes. Knowing I could In time win more. You aren’t the sort of girl who could marry a man If she didn’t re spect him—didn’t admire him You”— “Perhaps I couldn’t marry such a man. But perhaps j couldn’t help lov ing him.” “Your chances for happiness would be better with me. Oh, Dallas, you know I love you! You’ve kept me waiting so long! Is It fair to either of us?’ *T hesitate because I want to bo fair to us both. For that reason I must still ask you to wait.” “But I’ve waited so long! Tell mo one thing: Is there any one else that”— Steps, none too light, clattered down the stairs, and into the library bounced a lad in tennis flannels. He waa tall, well set up and good to look at and seemed always to have stepped direct ly from a bandbox and to have bad ex tremely recent acquaintance with much soap and water. “Hello, Dallas!” he shouted, encom passing his sister in a bear bug. “How Boon are”— “Here’s Mr. Gibbs. Perry,” Dallas reminded him aa she emerged, some what crumpled, from the embrace. “Have you”— The lad’s manner underwent a light ning and frigid change. “Oh. good morning!” be granted, with a curt nod to the visitor, and. exterior. No crisis had yet called forth any special manifestation of this pow er. and meanwhile Beunett was con tent to loaf through an existence that thus far had been decidedly pleasant The only son of a widowed mother who advised and spoiled him. more than comfortably well off from the i great fortune amassed by his dead fa- ! ther, possessed of a social position un- i assailable and equally fortunate 'In that mysterious quality that spells popularity—all these gifts had saved Alwyn Bennett the trouble of fighting life’s battle or showing who might be within his reach. “Good old Bennett!” hailed Perry. “We were just talking about you.” “But what are you going to do?” ask ed Dallas. “I don’t know. I have a pretty good education. 1 shall find something T— Dallas. 1 think your orotber is giving us a high sign of some sort.” “I am!” declared Perry. “I Just wanted to tell you there’s a surprise waiting for you. Two surprises in one kennel. Want to see ’em?” “What Is he talking about?” queried Cynthia, appealing to Dallas for light on the mystery. “About Betty and Prince Charlie,” re torted Perry. “Your two Boston ter riers that I bought. Want to see ’em?” “Oh. tin* darlings' Of course I do. Where are they?” “Come along and I’ll show you. ‘The darlings.’ eh? I Hi 7 Perry followed Mist QarrUon from the room. Talk like that makes I me wish I was a dog.” “Don’t de- /j spair," suggest- 'vijiCj etl Cynthia. “Maybe you’ll grow.” Still puzzling vaguely as to the meaning of tills cryptic nt- terance. Perry followed Miss Garrison from the room, a grin of satisfied am bition wreath ing bis tanned face. “To think of poor little Cyn thia having to go to work!” sighed Dallas, looking after them. ‘‘One ([ el ty Dallas Wainwright. “Good!” answered Alwyn. “Any thing is better than indifference. What were you saying about me?” “You tell him. Dallas!” grinned the boy. “Be quiet!” whispered hi? sister, flushing with vexation. “Then IT1 tell for myself,” went on Perry gleefully. “I was just asking her”— Seeing the girl's confusion, Bennett quickly changed the subject by Inter rupting: “My mother will be over here In a few minutes. Dallas. She is bringing along a guest of ours, who says you and she were chums at school—MIm Garrison.” “Cynthia Garrison! Oh. I’ll be ever so glad to see her again! I”— “I know who she is!” cried Perry, refusing to be snubbed. “They say she’s a gorgeous looker. When her kennel was under the hammer I bought in her t9<t pet Bfrton terriers. Betty and Prince Maybe that won’t would as soon think of putting a but terfly into harness. Is it true she has no money left?” “I’m afraid it's only too true,” an swered Mrs. Bennett. “Her father lost everything in speculating. He waa cashier of the Israel Putnam Trust company and afterward president He”- Xhe paused ns the office door opened and Thompson, the secretary, came into the room. At sight of Mrs. Ben nett he seemed about to turn back; but, changing his purposa crossed to the table and began to look for some docu ments he had failed to gather up. “What was the rest of the stor about Mr. Garrison?’ asked Dallas, really interested in the older woman’s recital. Thompson’s papers slipped til rough his fingers and went skidding across the polished floor The others looked around in surprise. “Excuse me!” muttered the • tary as he stoo. "d to gather > • documents "V* i> nvUtta.-.i: 1. . sorry.” He went on a T v*;-og:'.> - the s -jrrer<.) papers in h s nyual unebt n ve si • v •*. effacing bin.self tro.u t» ~ t I • »