San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-11

OF working fOr oJner people some time
ago. / work now for Mr.. Atwood. Still,
l can do favor yet l used to be poor
myself; You have some money!"
"Oh, trife," said Stevens. Just a
nest egg"
NEST eggs make good 'fliers,'" OBJ
served Atwood, dryly. How about your
friend Bassett?'
He is quite wealthy" said Stevens.
"And 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 levity," 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 l would" he exclaimed, IF l
knew the ropes" rr
"Oh, WE'LL" said Atwood, with an
evil cynical smile, Its not my business
to give the Old Man away, and if l let
you have a pointer do for - sake
keep it quiet with your friend"
And then in a stolid, callous fashion,
he proceeded ito give the Old Man
away" as ne 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 MIN road to wealth, but
it lay through villainy. He could make
fortune by marketing stolen informa-
ton.
Mind, don't advise" said Atwood.
CAS- just said, stocks are queer"
understand, replied Stevens. And
| will try to repay you somehow and
some time"
ooh, 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.
Early information is good capital for
rising young secretary, YOU understand"
And here, dismissing the whole subject
with laugh, he lit a fresh cigar and be-
gan to talk of something else.
This opportunity, or temptation, cost
Stevens a restless night. 1t might be
his chance, and yet he hesitated; possibly
he was silly with love and didn't know
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 so.
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 adm
! tied degree, what ones neighbors lack,
| but greatly crave. He had been shown
| schemes of easy millions before How
ever, the matter was worth considera-
ton. 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,
while he confessed to compunctions, 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, ''it's 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
to speak, honestly stolen. Look out for
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
moment over the colonel's advice,
looked up in his face with 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 rascalr'
Evidently" said Windward coolly.
"a great rascal Stevens went on
angrily, land we know it, He is robhing
his nrnrnln1-nr,a 80 n1,l 1rn 500 him at Il