San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-11-03
CHAPTER ii.

pectant of any telegram from Harold
Linden setting matters straight. On the
contrary, l had an intuitive sense of seri-
Gus trouble coming to Inc before this
mystery would ever be cleared up. And
Iexpected it to begin with Mr.. Benjamin
Bunker, sort of silent partner of ours,
who had put $4,000 into the business
and stood good chance of losing it all
if we were swamped by my partners
action. He could have afforded to lose
it-yes, or 10 times as much-but, as /
we'll knew, was not the man to take any
pride in standing such loss with Chris
tan resignation. And the situation
with him would be Complicated by the
fact that Harold and his only child, An
ME Bunker, were lovers, and he had
given his consent to their marriage
within couple of months. Would that
consideration mollify him and dispose
him to hush things and prevent scan
dial for Armies sake? Well, it might
have that effect on some men, but not
those of the Benjamin Bunker type. He
would be much more likely to see in
Harold's action flight from matrimony
and an intended slight cast upon his
daughter, which would make him fero-
ciously vindictive. And yet he would
have to be informed of it. All things
considered, believed it would be pleas
ATTEST to break the news to him by let
ter, and l was still cogitating upon the
phrases should employ in such d COM
munication when upon reaching the
store the first person to present himself
to my sight was Mr.. Benjamin Bunker.
He was sitting on pillow beam in the
open extension where we kept the larger
agricultural implements, hopping his
brow and tanning himself with his wide
straw hat.
''Hello!" he shouted cheerily as / en-
tered, you've got the coolest place in
town. I'm glad I've found it this early
in the season, for if this weather keeps
ON in the way it has started it will be
hotter than hades by the Fourth. Put
ting up this addition was a grand idea.
The through draft is glorious. How's
business? Pretty dull just now, sup
pose. Where's Harold?'
/ answered his questions in their or
der, feeling it prudent to give the best
news first. And fortunately l could
truthfully speak well of our trade. He
was much pleased by my report. Then,
as cautious and gradual leader in the
direction of the inevitable trouble,
which had now fully made up my mind
to face at once without trying to employ
letter as a lightning rod, said:
"Oh by the way, l am daily expect
ing sight draft for some cultivators
and plows and may have to call ON you
for some ready cash to meet it if it comes
this week."
He looked astonished and demanded,
What's the matter with your bank &C
count?
"Simply that it was overdrawn SO. "a
this forenoon. have of course made it
good and deposited enough to meet any
small necessary checks, but the draft
will be for $685."
But Harold told Inc last week there
were over $15, 900 standing to the firms
credit, which you expected to usein wool
and hops"
"Yes. Quite true But the day be-
fore yesterday he drew $4,000, went to
New York and has not been heard from
since"
What did he draw that amount for?"
81 don't know"
did he not tell you anything about
it?"
mo"
did you know he was going to New
York;"
mo. was out of town from early in
the morning until evening, when called
on Miss Linden and there found note
from him saying he had gone, but did
not know he had drawn the money until
today"
was not disappointed in the way Mr..
Bunker rose to the occasion. He never
looked so big, red and vigorous before
in my knowledge or demonstrated such
an untrammeled freedom of language
mainly of objurgatory varieties. That
my partner had cleaned out the firm
and run off to Europe with his plumber"
he took for granted, and his rage culns-
mated when he recollected the fugitive's
engagement to his daughter. Both as a
thief and a fool" he mathematical
the young man. and it would not have
been easy to determine in which light he