Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 276, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1911 — The PING and the MAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The PING and the MAN

WITH SOME INCIDENT AL DELATION lb Die WOMAN

Dy DEARBORN MELVILL

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SYNOPSIS. f_A foolish youns tenderfoot become* fascinated With th* bold, artful wife of a ttrunkexn prospector In a western mining town. They prepare to *tope in a blinding bttaard but are confronted by th* maudlin husband. Ke is shot by th* wife, but the chivalrous boy pins a bote to the body taking the crime Upon himself. In their Sight to the railroad station the • woman’s horse falls exhausted; the youth puts her bn his own and follows hanging to th* gamp strap. Seeing h* Is an Impediment, the woman thrusts her escort into a snow drift and rides on. H&lf-frosen h* stumbles into the railroad station lust as the train bean the woman away, Twenty-five yean later, this man, Georg* Gormly, is a multi-millionaire in New CHAPTER ll.—Continued. The thing was an instant sensation. The newspapers took it up. Other merchants, freighters, and shippers were interviewed, and a case was instantly made out against the Gotham {Freight Traction company which [would have shaken a less ponderous, less thick-skinned, less indifferent organization to pieces. Even the authorities -were interviewed, and they shed hypocritical tears over the unfortunate trickery by which the public had been buncoed out of its legitimate rights, but they took occasion at the same time to point out that there -was nothing whatever to be done about it The party in power was one that had long dominated the metropolis. To be sure It gave the metropolis a fairly good government; but the people paid over and over again. They were robbed shamelessly right and left, on every hand, and while something was tendered them, what they got was no quid pro quo for the frightfid extravagance of the administration. Graft abounded everywhere. The party out of power, which had been, out of power so long that it had perforce become virtuous, did not hesitate to point out the dreadful state of affairs to an who would listen; but its effort* had so far been unavailing, and the party in power remained there because of its so doing. Now the Ootharn Freight Traction company had its weak point. Things that depend upon the collusion of so many unscrupulous men, not to say Tfllafns, usually have a weak point. It is a wise man, Indeed a genius, who finds out these things and assails the organization thereat The first principle of good soldiering is to oppose to your adversary's weak point your own strongest The weak point in the enterprise of the Gotham Freight Traction company lay in a certain link ■vital to the continuance of th* carefully devised system: the franchise of which was about to run out Few people knew that the franchise was to expire, and in the ordinary course nothing would have happened. An ordinance renewing It would have been slipped through the board of aldermen, signed by the mayor, and that would have been aIL " So sure did the company feel of its ground, so confident were its member* that Gormly and his fellow victims would so* the necessity of paying without d«day, that they had never ligliethttf this pubHotty and never

imagined they would have to face this bitter and determined attack upon their franchises and upon their methods. They knew, of course, that they held the aidermen In their hands; that in their close alliance with the Sachem society, the organization that ran things, they could pass anything they wanted in defiance of any public sentiment whatsoever. Gormly had made one blunder; but like a brilliant soldier he had succeeded in turning it to his advantage. One advertisement was succeeded by another. The Gotham Freight Traction company was made the subject of scathing criticism and bitter attack of which the Sachem society and the party In power came in for a large share. And men everywhere began asking what was to be done about it In previous campaigns the party out of power had been led by a series of forlorn hopes, men enthusiastic intheir devotion to the cause of reform and not noted for much of anything else. The leaders of the outs took notice of Gormly. Inquiries began to be made about him; his business methods were investigated; his resources were discussed; his character was analyzed; his career made the subject of study. From being merely a name attached to a familiar institution, he became within one month one of the great personalities of New York. The situation was Intoxicating. Incidentally, he did not lose in the estimation of Miss Haldane by this exploitation of himself, which he had so cleverly managed that no one dreamed It was due to his own motion. Even in those exclusive circles in which Miss Haldane moved, which are ordinarily Indifferent to any happenings on this side off the terrestrial sphere, some account of Gormly and fate doings, penetrated. That he was rich and a bachelor were the most interesting facts which appealed to this set Men and women there began to inquire as to who he was. It was Miss Haldane’s privilege and pleasure to enlighten them so for as she could, without betraying the nature of their confidential relation.

There were several papers on the side of the administration, which were owned and controlled by the party in power, that would have been glad indeed to have discredited Gormly; but the closest scrutiny revealed nothing in his life that could be used for that purpose. Where he had come from was not known; but for the last quarter of a century at least his course had been traced with considerable accuracy, and indeed there was little of it that was not discovered and disclosed to the eager public. He was quite willing to t&lk about the Gotham Freight Traction company or any matter of public moment, but for the rest he was unshakably silent His early past therefore, was a mystery; but the interest in a mystery that ha* no special bearing upon the present soon fils* out Then Gormly did an unusual thing for him. He purchased a country place on Long Island. This received no mention in the public press, bonans* the whois matter had been handled by the invaluable Chaloner, and Gormly’s name had not appeared at

* ■' I.—■■■■ ■ - •n. The place was desirable, hi that it was not far-five or six miles—from the country place of the Haldane family. It was bought completely furnished, and the staff of servants previously employed was retained. Gormly knew from the clipping bureau that it was the custom of the Haldanes to pass the Christmas holidays at their country placet He had seen Miss Haldane rather less frequently of late, because the work at the settlement house was now so far advanced that it was merely a matter of carrying out the plans decided upon and spending the money so generously placed tn her hands by him, which did not need much consultation. So, on the vain hope that chance might throw him in touch with her, Gormly decided also to occupy for the Christmas season his lonely cottage—it was called a cottage, although it was more like a baronial mansion than anything else—on the Long Island shore. It was snowing hard the evening of his arrival the day before Christmas, and Gormly did not like snow. He had bitter memories Intermingled with a storm, and the sight of the white, ice covered, snow clad fields filled him with unpleasant reminiscences. Since he had bought the * estate through the faithful Chaloner, he had not seen It himself. Therefore, after the excellent dinner which had been provided by-his new chef and served by his pew butler, he determined upon a careful inspection of his residence. They had advanced as rar as the library when the familiar tinkle of the telephone made them pause. "See who it is, Beals," said the master of the house. y "It’s from the keeper of the lodge gate, sir,” he said, turning and looking toward his master. “He says that there’s a party down there stalled in an automobile. They can’t get on in the snows They’d like to come up to the house. There are ladles in the party, and—” "Tell them to come up by all means at once," said Gormly. "Beg pardon, sir," returned the butler, "but you know it’s half a mile by the road, and it’ll be terrible walking for the ladies in such weather as this." . “Quite so,” returned Gormly. "What does the stable afford?" "There’s the station wagon and the pair that brought you over, sir. Those are all that are there.” “Yes, I remember. That’s all I told Chaloner to send down, not expecting to — Well, have that hitched up and telephone them that a conveyance win be at the lodge in a few moments; that I should be glad to have them come to the house at once.” "By the way,” he asked, “did you find out the names of the people?" “Yes, sir,” answered the butler, “it was Mr. Haldane and his party." CHAPTER 111. Society Bursts Upon Mr. Gormly. Enter at last, Miss Haldane, accompanied by her father, her mother, her brother, Miss Louise Van Vleck Stewart (one of her intimate friends and a possible sister-in-law), Dr. Warren Deveaux (a retired physician, an old bachelor and an old and Intimate friend of the -family.) The newcomers were all dressed in winter automobile garments. It was young Haldane who broke the somewhat awkward pause consequent upon their entrance "Mr. Goodrich,” he began unbuttoning his coat and slipping it off as he advanced “Your pardon, sir," said Gormly, "but Mr. Goodrich is no longer the owner of this place.” «.... t "Why, Mr. Gormly,” burst out Miss Haldane Impetuously, as she turned at his voice and recognized him, "this is a great surprise! We didn’t know that you were to be one of our neighbors.” She had been in the background and had not their host until she heard him speak. As she spoke, she stepped forward Impulsively with outstretched hand. "Eleanor,” exclaimed her father in great surprise, surveying Gormly as he spoke, with a stare as cold as the winter weather, "do you—ah—know this gentleman?” “Certainly I do," returned -the girl. "It is Mr. George Gormly of the Gormly store, you know.” “Ah, Indeed,” began her father. "I have known him so she paused uncertainly. “Seven months yesterday, Miss Haldane,” answered Gormly, who- was nothing if not accurate. f "We have—er—bought things at your shop for a longer time than that, I fancy,” here Interposed Mrs. Haldane vaguely with an air of great condescension. “You have been on my books, madam, as one of my most valued customers ever since I moved to Broadway twenty-one years ago,” returned Gormly, who was by no means ashamed of his business, else he would not have continued In "Yes,” said Haldane at this juncture, "I have been making out checks with monotonous regularity to your firm ever since.” * “My good man—” began Mrs. Haldane still somewhat vaguely, and evidently rather at a loss how to place this irreproachably clad and fine appearing gentleman who had soiled his hands with trade and yet did not seem to be at all embarrassed or ashamed of it “Mother!" exclaimed the daughter, blushing with vexation. "Mr. Gormly, forgive me, I forgot that you did not know my family.” "I have seen them often In the store. Miss Haldane, and have even waited upon some of them In other days myself," replied Gormly, quite as ebld and formal In his manner as any one la the room. “NoTcrtholoae I want tbs pleasure

of presenting you to my mother. M>. George Gormly, mother, my very good Mend.” Mrs. Haldane drew herself up. Gormly bowed himself down in a bow most carefully calculated to express a proper degree of appreciation 'of the honor and nothing more. “My friend, Miss Stewart; my father, and my brother, Mr. Livingstone Haldane; Dr. Deveaux." ’ The persons mentioned bowed coolly, except that Livingstone Haldane infused a little more cordiality in his recognition than the others did, while Dr. Deveaux actually stepped forward "My dear sir?’ he said genially, his old face beaming with good nature and genuine admiration, “I am delighted to have the privilege of shaking you by the hand. Anybody who has” the courage to attack the Gotham Freight Traction company as you have done in the papers may be regarded as a public benefactor whom it Is an honor to know.” "Thank you," said Gormly, grateful for this recognition. “Sir,” began Haldane, “an unfortunate accident to our machine has thrown us upon your hospitality. I did not know that my friend Goodrich had sold this place or —” “Let that give, you no concern, sir,” answered Gormly; "I pray that you will consider the place and all in it as your own. I beg you will take off your wraps and make yourselves entirely at home.” "That’s very handsome of you, I am sure,” continued the elder Haldane, slowly removing his coat; "but my own place lies but six miles beyond here, and if you will permit us to telephone my stables, I think we , shall have to trouble you but little.” “The telephone Is in the library yonder, Mr. Haldane, and Is at your service as is everything in the house. I regret that my own stables are not yet furnished. The small station wagon and pair which brought you up are the only horses I have on the place just now.” "And jolly well crowded we were!* said young Haldane. “Meanwhile," continued Gormly, “may I ask have you had dinner? Can I offer you anything to eat, or—” “We thank you,” answered Mrs. Haldane, “but we dined at the Braddons—a place five or six miles back—before we started.” "A cup of tea or a glass of wine after your cold ride, then?” said Gormly. "That would be very nice Indeed,” said Miss Haldane. “Louise, aren’t you simply dying for a cup of tea?” “Perishing for lack of ft,” answered Louise promptly. Gormly summoned the butler, gave the necessary directions, showed Haldane where the telephone was, invited the other men into the library also, where there was a well stocked buffet and excellent cigars; after which he .showed the women into a small reception room on the other side of the hall, and left them to divest themselves of their wraps. The men refreshed themselves according to their fancy at the buffet, lighted their cigars, which, as Chat oner had been careful to send a sup ply of Gormly’s favorite and private brand, they found excellent, while Haldane vainly endeavored to get In communication with his own house. Such was the severity of the storm for a country ill prepared for It, however, that the wires were broken in every direction. Even that to the lodge was found to be out of order at last

Gormly had not waited in the library to hear the result of the telephoning. As soon as he had the men comfortably provided for, he had gone back to the great hall, which was more of a living room than anything else. The first of the women of the party to present herself was Miss Haldane. She was in full evening dress* Her noble head rose grandly from her exquisite shoulders. In her dark hair she wore a diamond coronet. Her dress, soft, shimmering stuff of white trailed behind her. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

"Tell Them to Como Up by AH Means at Once," Said Gormly.