Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-16

made by speculation aided by rascality
"A lucky combination of good guessing
and good lying.
"It's diamond cut diamond" said the
secretary. "And the old man is like al
the rest of them. AS for me, l got tired
Of working for other people some time
ago. Iwork now for Mr.. Atwood. Still
can do a favor yet. used to be poor
myself; you have some money!"
''Oh, a trife," said Stevens. "Just a
nest egg"
"Nest eggs make good 'fiiers,'" OBJ
served Atwood, dryly. "How about your
friend Bassett?'
'He is quite wealthy" said Stevens.
"And a claimant" returned Atwood.
IAN amateur, suppose. A beggar for
fun. Well, rich young men must do
something to kill time"
"He is much in earnest, said Stevens,
not quite relishing this levty," and we
hope to get the money"
The secretary shook his head. Stocks
are queer, but guess I'll stick to them"
Possibly here was Stevens chance.
"And / would" he exclaimed, IF
knew the ropes"
"Oh, well" said Atwood, with an
evil cynical smile, Its not my business
10 give the Old Man away, and if let
you have a pointer do for - sake
keep it quiet with your friend"
And then in stolid, callous fashion,
he proceeded ito give the Old Man
away" as he phrased it, or, in palmer
English, TO betray the company's plans.
1t was very simple, and soon over: but
that moment made Stevens an older
man. The curtain was drawn aside, and
he saw before him a road to wealth, but
it lay through villainy. He could make
fortune by marketing stolen infOrma-
ton.
Mind. don't advise" said Atwood.
"As Just said, stocks are queer"
understand, replied Stevens. And
l will try to repay you somehow and
some time"
'Oh, give and take is my motto" said
the secretary. "YOu can do me a good
turn some time. Only don't spread this.
want to do all the spreading myself.
1fdIly SOOu tai 4O1 a
rising young secretary, you understand"
And here, Diminishing the whole subject
with laugh, he lit fresh cigar and be-
gan to talk of something else.
This opportunity, or temptation, cost
Stevens restless night. 1t might be
his chance, and yet he hesitated; possibly
he was silly with love and didn't know
a business opening when it came to him.
He was confused; he wished he might
forget: he felt furnished with guilty
knowledge as one who unwittingly had
eaten forbidden fruit. He hesitated to
open the matter to his friend, and yet
when the morning came he decided to
do 50.
Windward heard the story with sur
prise and attention, though he showed
less excitement than Stevens himself felt
and expected TO arouse by his recital.
For BaSSett, while not rich, in tOday's
use of the word, had money enough to
bring him that knowledge of mankind
that comes from possessing. even in lin
tied degree, what ones neighbors lack,
but greatly crave. He had been shown
cNhCA4So VI easy llllllAOllS DClOLt. IlOm-
ever, the matter was worth conSidera-
tiOn.-z Atwood was perfdious, to be sure,
and his turpitude might not spring from
pure benevolence. Very likely he had
his motive, but that was his lookout.
Facts were still facts, and Windward,
whilehe confessed to computations, and
despised the traitor, saw no great OBJ
lection, morally, to using information
acquired without any corrupt act on his
part.
''But Col. McArdle is my counsel;
I'll consult him." he said to his friend.
would that be fair to Atwood" ven
tured Stevens.
Windward's lips curled. "Fair
enough" he replied.
To McArdle, therefore, he went and
presented the essentials of the scheme,
the colonel listening with his usual Sc
renity.
"Well," he said after hearing the story
through, cts plausible. That's the way
men make money-trading in stolen Sc
crets. I've done it myself. But you
want to be sure they are secrets, and, so
" 6BNohg AOnCclly 6lOAGAAs 44OOh OuE 4OL
the three card monte game"
Windward nodded, thrust his hands
into his trousers pockets with the air of
a man of affairs, and after brooding thus
a moment over the colonel's advice,
looked up in his face with a laugh, and
said: much obliged. won't touch it,
and went home. Arriving there, he
found Stevens pacing up and down the
room, evidently much excited.
well, I've decided to let it alone"
said Windward.
I'm glad Of it; very glad, exclaimed
Stevens. THAT Atwood is a rascalr'
Evidently" said Windward coolly.
"A great rascal" Stevens went on
angrily, land we know it He is robbine
his employers safe and we see him at it.
And want TO know what We ought to
do as decent, honest people?'
''Pshaw, Stevens" exclaimed Wind
ward; ''you may be right abstractly, but
really I don't see as we are called upon
TO interfere or that it is any of our bust
ness. AS Atwood said, it's diamond cut
diamond. Ipresume the old Man, as
Atwood affectionately calls him, is doing
the same thing constantly on larger
scale" --
Stevens strobe up and down the room,
not convinced, shaking his head, rsvolv-
ing angry thoughts. 1t was rare that this
even tempered, sensible man was so agi-
tated. Windward did not remember
having seen him in a similar passion but
once or twice before. and then something
i