The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-02
A rRN-cENr MONTE cHR1sro.


 tventy-fve millions, and was popularly supposed to be deposited, that he could command an unlimited supply of cash At any moment.
 A handsome man of perh aps fifty, with T large head, the chief peculiarity of vhich was a certain breadth just above and A little in front of the ears, that a chrenologist would have at once decided was caused by abnormal development of the organ of acquisitiveness. A good forehead, with deep-set, calculating eyes, shrouded by heavy blonde eyebrows. Hair short and curly, thin on the crown, and long blonde beard, which the owner had habit of passing gently through his hand when talking. His dress, while vell-made, and of good material, was worn carelessly enough to indicate that he appreciated the license in attire ac- corded by custom to a wealthy man.
 He sat alone in his library one No- vember evening, with a book lying un- read on the table, in deep thought.
 "It would be good thing" he nut tered, something no one ever did be- fore. We'll, all the better! like to be original. am original" glancing around the room. "l live in an original style, and when die my body shall be returned to the elements from which it sprung, but my own secret process"
 He leaned back in his chair, and laugh ed aloud in round, full tones, like a man thoroughly enjoying joke.
 "Here is thls room" he went on, "not door or window in it. Strangers say am miser, that cannot bear to spend a cent, and that the secret means I have for entering and leaving my house are all devised for the security of my wealth. They are fools. do these things for amusement, and think, on the whole, l have as jolly life as any of my nelga- bors Paulp
 The last word was uttered in a loud voice. A slight click, and the face of young man who might have been dry goods clerk, was seen behind the glass doors of bookcase against the wall at his left hand. The glass doors were pushed open and the young man stood at his side.
 Paul, have an idea. l. is not new to me. have been thinking it over for the past several days. How many silver dimes do you suppose there are in cir culation in the United States ?"
 About fifty millions" was Paurs prompt reply.
 want those fifty million dimes"
 "Very we'll sir. will try to get them"
 Do not say try. You must get them. am determined to own every dime in the United States, and ysu must help me-"
 "Where are you going to put them1"
 "This is large house, and will hold them. To work. Ssayl You will wan. money"
 Byron Carlin drew check book from drawer in his table and hastily wrote half dozen checks, which he handed to his factotum.
 "Get these cashed, and take all the dimes the banks have. Then bay them up wherever you can"
 Paul took the checks without another word, and entered the book.c case. Click! The back of his head was visible for an instant through the glass, and then dis appeared.
 Three weeks later the newspapers be- gan to notice that ten cent pieces were scarce. The complaint. which was com menced in querulous grumblings in a short paragraph here and there, gradu- ally swelled into quarter-column articles, with startling head lines then into half and three-quarter column wailings, with still bolder head lines, until at last it broke out into shrieks of double.leaded dismay in the editorial departments ot all the leading journals of the country.
 Where were the dimes2 The last re- port of the director of the mint showed that 4 Ioo 400 dimes had been made dur ing the previous year alone, and now there were absolutely none in circulation.
 Had the government been playing an underhand trick with the people? Were the dimes being drawn into the treasury by secret service agents to serve some purpose which would be sprung upon the unsuspecting public with the suddenness of a thunderclap when they least suspect cd itf What did it mean2 Let con- gress look into it at once, or who could answer for the actions of the people, when their wrath was thoroughly awakened.
 Thus raved the anti-administration papers, while those which upheld the government in everything, laughed, and said the cause of the trouble must be looked for in quarters altogether uncon- nected with the powers at Washington.
 In the meantime Byron Carlin was hug ging himself over the successful! con- of his designs. He went down in his mighty iron walled cellar which like his library, was apparently wit ,out means of egress or ingress, and there revelled in the sight of his newly ac- quired silver. Barrels of dimes, boxes of dimes, bags of dimes, dimes lying in loose heaps on the floor dimes on shelves, dimes on one chair in the corner, dimes everywhere.
 Paul had done his work well. He had frequented saloons and bought liquors, each time giving a dollar blli that he