Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 378 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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ot John Armstrong, Mechanic. works, apply for an injunction. Meantime, if you are not out of this room in one minute I shall callin the men to eject you. You kaow best if they love you since the strike.” Vulpin had crouched down by his desk, ashy pale, and now he faltered out to Handy: ‘Don’t get excited, please don’t. He'll listen to reason, Look here, Armstrong, you’ve got us fairly at last, Let us down easy. Come in with us and we'll give you half the profits. I tell you, there’s half a million in it for you.” CHAPTER XXVII. HONESTY THE BEST POLICY. JOHN advanced to Vulpin and laid his hand on his shoulder, saying: “If ’'d had any doubt before that you were a rascal in a scrape, I should loss it now. You'll go at once, and understand that you cannot en- ter this office again til! tho board meets. If you “ii here then, you can explain to the directors. x0! With that he gripped the secretary so sternly that Vulpin, who was physically cowardly though morally audacious, went out unresist- ingly, and John saw him stand on the sidewalk alone, as if doubtful what to do, For himself he went back to Handy, whom he found looking completely broken down, hag- gerd and desperate, The president glared at him as he came near and Jonn saw he had a pistol in his band. ‘Don’t trv to put me out,” he snarled, ‘ Vul- rin and Abe! Handy are two very different men. Se ungrateful dog, after all I’ve done for you! 3. ck,’ John heard the elick, click, of the pistol-lock, but he did not halt. “Fire if you dare,” he said, know me yet, Handy.” As he spoke came a flash and report while John felt a sharp twinge in one side from the graze of a bullet. The next minute he was on Handy, had grasped him like a visa, tearing the pistol from the other’s hand, and was shaking him fiercely with the vast superiority of his strength; for John was angry at last, and the slight wound inflicted on him by the pistol shot had enraged him furiously. Abel Handy, choking and gurgling, but strug- gling all the time, was pinned up against the wall till he was black in the face and nearly senseless, when John ran him out into hestreet, and sent him into the arms of Vulpin, just in time to save him from falling on the pavement. Then he went back to his desk to meet the stare of several workmen, whose machines ran near the glass door, at which they were flatten ing their noses to see what was the matter in the office. Sg went to the door and looked into the shop. “You men, keep at your work, and I will at- tend to mine,” They went to their machines at once, but he knew that the story must spread, so he set to work himself at once to make his position se- cure against any curious intruder, by drawing the curtains in front of the doors, and turning the keys. Then he unlocked the safes, took out the books, and began to make out a statement as far as the work had gone, satisfying himself that there was no possibility of his making a _mistake in his estimate of profits, Ile had the advantage in his favor that in his cfice of manager he was also cashier, though the checks of the president, countersigned by the secretary, were necessary to draw out the funds of the concern. Hitherto no trouble had been experienced and the check-book showed a heavy balance in favor of the company as being in the bank, when it suddenly occurred to him that Handy and Vulpin, in their evident desperation, might try to get at this very money, ‘No sooner did this occur to him than he also saw its possibility, unless he' took means to stop it forthwith. He locked the safe, left the office, hurried to the bank, and got there just in time to see Handy and Vulpin coming out with smiles on their faces, as they passed him, that showed a they thought they had outwitted him at) ast, } In that moment John felt the sweat roll down his body in fear of what had happened. Then he cast a lightning glance over_both, -made up his mind instantly, and seized Handy before he could go another step. The bank detective was near by, and to him John called; **Quick, quick! Crooked work. Take them into the cashier’s office, I tell you.” The quick-witted officer saw something was wrong, hurried up, and the two were hurried by bim and John into the cashier’s office. either made any resistance, and the little stir attracted no attention outside, though the bank casbier looked astounded as the four men came in, ‘* What's the matter, gentlemen?” he asked. John stepped forward. ‘‘I desire to give you formal notice, sir, to pay no more checks for the Vulean Company “You don’t till after our next board meets, when a new poe and secretary are to be elected. Mr. andy wishes to make a deposit for us of the proceeds of a check he has just drawn.” Then to Handy he whispered: “Quick, or I'll have you in jail in just ten minutes,” Handy was as pale as ashes now. He knew that what he had just done was a clear case of embezzlement, and be tried to put a good face on the matter by yielding at once. He and Vulpin had in fact drawn a check for more than the amount in the bank, which had been paid without a question on their signa- tures, with a reminder that it must be made good at once; to which Handy had replied that they were going to make a heavy deposit that afternoon, which would make it all right. And now, with faces as calm as they could make them, they went with John to the re- ceiving teller’s window, where they redeposited the very money they had just drawn, and be- fore John had left the bank he had made the cashier clearly understand that there was some trouble in the Vulcan Company from which lawsuits were likely to spring, and that it would not be safe to pay out money till the trouble was settled. Then he went back to the works, and noticed that he was followed all the way by Vulpin, who looked thoroughly cowed at last. He resumed his labor at the statement and had nearly completed it, when there came a timid, apologetic knock on the door, He went there and saw Vulpin outside, all alone, **Don’t be hasty, Armstrong,” he said, as the young man was about to close thedoor. ‘'l have another proposition to make to you, inde- pendent of Handy. Let me in, and I’ll tell you. He has gone bome in despair. We are both ru- ined. Let me come in.” “‘Come in,” said John, sternly; ‘but mark my words. If your proposition contains dis- honor, I'll not put you out gently, asI did be- fore. Now come,” Vulpin came in quietly and sat down ona chair before he spoke. Then he said; ‘* Armstrong, you’re a cool hand, and. you have got us. Il'll tell you the whole truth. Handy and I have sold thestock short, thinking it mnust godown. Instead of that, it is bound to go up. We shall not be able to Geliver, and must both go by the board. If you wil) take our stock off our hands, we'll sell it to you at ten, if can get the cash to-night. We have got to have cash, somehow, to get out of this place.” ‘‘]’ve no money to spare to buy your stock,” was the quiet answer. ‘If you choose to calla meeting for to-morrow, make a clean breast aud resign, [’lldo wy best to help you; butif not, you must fight it out as you can, By to morrow morning they'll all be here, I think. Play them a square game, and I'm with you. You may break as stock gamblers, but as officers of this company you'll be all the better off.” ‘* But what can you do for us?” asked Vulpin, eagerly. ‘*T can make the stockholders as happy as men ought to be who are in a prosperous con cern instead of a ruin,” was the firm answer. ‘*'You must make up your mind to forfeit that half-million you could only make by swindling every other stockholder. Break your contracts in Wall street, and keep those with your part- ners, and I’m with you.” Vulpin looked at him with a furtive snarl as he said: ‘**Oh, you’re a deep one. You know bow to make your stake out of this, See here, we’ve got to givein. Ill resign my post, and Handy will do the same, if you’ll keep us from exposure, lt has to be done somehow,” Will you deal honestly then?” asked John, with a searching look. Foghat man; we’re in your power, and both know it. Tl call the meeting for to-mor- rorv noon,” . ; Then he went eal and John finished his work late, and went home tired out and far from easy yet in his mind, Next day, as he had foreseen, the works were invaded by a regiment of small holders of shares, anxious for a meeting; and, to his great relief, Handy and Vulpin made their appear- ance and consented at once, a meeting being called immediately of all the shareholders, It wasa moment of intense anxiety to John when he rose, till he had got well into his state- ment, when he began to hear approving coughs, and gradually these spread till he closed, when Blodgett of the bald bead moved: “That the thanks of the company be extended to the manager, and that his sa ary be raised twenty-five per cent. for his services.” The motion was carried, when both Handy and Vulpin rose and put in their resignations and the chair was taken by Blodgett. Then John saw on the other side of the long table James Stryker, staring at him with a peculiar majignity of expression. CHAPTER XXVIIL THE TRIUMPH OF RIGHT. | James StRYKER a stockholder in the Vulcan! The thing seemed impossible, yet it was un- deniably true; for James it was. Mr. Blodgett rapped the table. ‘‘Hirst business in order is election of new officers. Nominations for president are in order, gentlemen.” ‘‘T nominate Mr, James Stryker,” said the late president, Handy. .- ‘*T second it,” said Vulpin. There was a short silence, till some said: ‘Stryker! Who is he? He is no stockh: |der,’” ‘Pardon me,” answered Vulpin, blandly- ‘‘He is, since yesterday afternoon. He came in and bought the necessary amount to entitle hima to net on the board. I move his appointment.’” Up jumped another member. ig We don’t know the young man, except that: he’s sold ont of the Excelsior and proved a busi- ness failure. Imove that Mr. John Armstron: be made president and manager in one. He has: shown his capacity for our interests, and we cannot make any better choice. Yesterduy there was a call on the stock; to-day there’s a clear five per cent. dividend in one quarter. kh vote for Armstrong.” ‘* Armstrong’s not a stockholder,” said Handy shortly, and faces fell, Armstrong himself rose, ‘Pardon me. Here are certificates for two hundred shares of stock in my name. I bought: them, ten ata time, with my savings, and Lassure you | shall never sell them for less than I gave for them.” This turned the tide in John’s favor, and ap animated dispute followed, which ended in loud cries for a vote by stock, and the clerk was di- rected to call the roll. At the end of ten minutes, it appeared that Stryker, Handy and Vulpin controlled a little over one-third of the stock, while all the rest. was voted on, directly or by proxy, and all the votes were cast for John Armstrong, who found himself at last head of the Vialcan Company. A determined effort was then made to thrust in Stryker as secretary, but this also proved un- successful, and the bald and irritable Blodgett was chosen for that high office, when the meet- ing broke up in great glee, the Handy party be- ing completely beaten, As they broke up, Armstrong saw Handy shake his fist at him as he went off with Stryker and Vulpin; but he took no notice of it, for he could feel for his former employer in his bitter- ness of isolation and defeat. For himself, be felt at Jast secure from his foes, in a position from which none conld Gdis- lodge bim; and as one after another of the smal) shareholders came in to him and made him trus- tee and proxy, the time arrived when he had » clear majority of shares or proxies in bis ow» hands, and ran the works to suit his own inter- est—that is, to make money. He heard nothing of Handy, Vulpin, or Stryker in all this time, save as he saw occasional notes in the papers of their ‘‘operations on the street,” But they could not do much with the shares of the Vulean Company, which soon ceased to be quoted at all, having been all retired and held for investment by men who did not care to gamble with them, Whenever any appeared John was always ready to bny them, and by the end of his third year as president, his two hun- dred had risen to three hundred and fifty shares, worth nearly three hundred and fifty per cent. on their face value, on account of the heavy dividends they had earned during the year. Then Jobn began to find himself quite a well- known man about town; to see his name in the papers in connection with large railway opera- tions, and to receive offers to leave bis position — and accept the presidency of other companies, with salaries treble his own, To all these offers he returned a steady nega- tive, preferring to stick to bis own legitimate line of business; and so matters went on for an- other year, when, as he was going home one evening, he saw on the walls a great staring poster, with the name STRYKER on it, in lett: rs about ten feet high, the whole of along board fence being covered with notices. He found then, to bis surprise, that his old rival had gone into politics, and was announced to make a grand oration that very nizh* at the Academy of Music, on the subject, ‘‘ The Ini- quities of Monopoly.” The oration was srid to be under the auspices of the ‘*Suciety of Knights of the Hammer,” and admission ¥ as to. be free to ladies and gentlemen. John took it into his head that be would go there that night, His father had lately come to live with him and his wife at the little house in Ashley street, and they were beginning to find the quarters there somewhat cramped since the arrival of another Armstrong, of whom the old mun had said: “Tm John Armstrong, Senior, you’re John Armstrong, Junior, and if this here baby is to- be called 5 ohn, too, how’n thunder air ye goin’ fa tell which of us ye Means, when ye say n? But Ella had settled the difficulty. ‘There need be no trouble about it. You are to be grandpa now, John is of course papa, and baby isto be Johnny. I couldn’t call him any- thing less dear, you know, grandpa.” So it was settled; and Johnny had been \ comicbooks.com = ee