Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-09-06
make out of 1t.

aged TO have interviews despite the old
mans prohibition), he saw something
more in it. She had learned from her
mother all about the prospective sale of
the property to the New Workers, and
what Frau Anna had OWNED they were
going to do with it. 1t now looked as if
he contemplated investigating in their
mineral water and hotel scheme-which
again seemed to be a-working around
toward the lunacy hypothesis.
George, who was young fellow pos
sessing a good deal Of plain, practical
sense, made up his mind that it would
be we'll for him to take run down to
New York and learn, if he could, ''who
those chaps were and just what they
were up to-" All the clew he had to
them was the card they had given to
Mr.. Kropf, and which he had left upon
the parlor mantel, where Lieschen found
it. But that, he felt assured, would be
quite enough. 1t represented them as
"brokers," and, as he had a cousin in
Wall street, he would soon learn if that
was their business, and all about them.
That he should have interested himself
in his neighbor's affairs to such an ex-
tent, and with such unforeseen and i'm
portant results as accrued, was simply
another illustration of the proverbial
tendency of tall oaks to grow from little
acorns. But for the baleful CLEAN re-
fracted from the golden bubble of Herr
Kropff's fancy athwart the course of his
true love he would have been, and con-
tinued to be, as blissfully unconscious of
everything but his love as lovers Gus
tomarily are.
He was away in New York two days,
and on the evening of his return home
made haste to solicit an interview with
his intended father-in-law. Herr Kropff
received him, but unwillingly and with
degree of formality that indicated his
hostile feeling. The old man had been
down TO Dover nearly al that day on
mysterious business; was very tired; had
already announced that he proposed re-
tiring early, as he was going to New
York by the first train in the morning,
and was SO preoccupied with his affairs
that he almost maddened his wife by his
seeming deafness when she spoke, and
certain dumbness when she wanted him
to speak. He consented to see George
in the parlor, nevertheless.
"But it will not do any good, Mr.. Stir
ling" he said, as the young man entered.
Il said that business With Lieschen is
broked off, unit it is broked off, unit it
will do no good to talk about it."
''All right" assented George cheerily.
Let that go-for the present anyway.
1t is not what wanted to see you about.
I've been down to New York looking up
those chaps, Cute and Sharp"
"Zor
"And think they are pair of swim
dlers."
$40"
"They've got nine by twelve Office
on the eighth floor of a building, with
their names on tin,sign; but they're not
real brokers, and except when they
make a raise by skinning somebody |
doubt if they could raise money to pay
the Incorporation fees for getting up "A
new company, to say nothing of working
capital"
"Donnerwetter! Hi, Goldbug, come
here"
The honest miner appeared from the
porch where he had been smoking his
pipe, and at Mr.. Kropff's request
George repeated the discoveries he had
made. Mr.. Chipland was manifestly
surprised and somewhat disconnected.
"Ain't you just a leetle out?" he
queried doubtfully. "It appears to me
like I'd heard they were mighty rich
men. And you know you can't assay q
mans business from his Office show no
more'n you can q rock from lookin al
it."
"That may be true as general propo
sition," agreed George, "but I've talkea
to reliable men who have had Cute and
Sharp, as you say, 'assayed' for years
past. There is certainly enough to jus
tify suspicion, and in view of what We
now know would, as a friend, advise
Mr.. Kropff to be very careful what deal
ings he has with them"
"Potztansendw exclaimed the old mar
excitedly. "Just today go draw al
my money from the bank out, unit Dor
row some more on my notes, unit tomor
row would go down by New York witt
,, six thousand dollars to buy all vat
gould get of that shtock."
"Don't you do anything Of the sort
sir" urged George. "Stay where yor
) are"
"Bnt I shall only have the two thou
sand shares they will give me for IN,
farm"
: 'Oho! They were going to pay you il
stock, ehY'
eyes. They let me in on the grount
vloor, they say"
"And you would soon find yourself il
the cellar. Don't you take stock. Yol
don't want ten thousand dollars wortl
of pipe lighters all at once. Demand
! the money and you'll see that they viii
e very quickly drop off,"
i "By chimini! That is vat will do"
The honest miner had little to say
= but watched the old man narrowly, ant
. when he saw that his mind was evident
!, ly made up quietly left the room
George, when he took his leave, fount
him down by the gate smoking.
~ "Say," exclaimed Mr.. Chipland, as tn
young farmer approached him, "wha
would it be worth to you just to kno,
: the real ins and outs of this funny littl
! gamer
y "One hundred dollars" answere
George, after a few moments considers
| tion.
y "Well, I don't know why I shouldn
gather in a stray century for myself s
4 long as the deal box is busted and tn
y layout tore in two. Pungle and T.
u split"