Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-17

q tug after you, but that old devil had
You tight. If I could have got at the
bonds, / think could have stopped the
run. The situation might have been
saved up to 1 O'Clock, but after that.
when tho street saw we were doing
nothing, all creation couldn't have stop
ped it. Where are the boncs:'
81 sold them to Druce.
"What did you get-cash:"
Il took his check On the Trust Ma
tional bank
Ibid you cash it? Did you cash it.'
, cried the young man. "And, il you
did. where is the money!"
"Druce asked me rs q favor not to
present the check until tomorrow.
The young man made q gesture Of
/, despair.
"The Trust National went to smash
today at 2. We are paupers. father.
We haven't cent left out Of the wreck.
That check business is % evidently q
fraud that-but what's the use Of talk
ing? Old bruce has the money, and he
| can buy all the law he wants in New
York Oh, I'd like TO have seven Sec
onds' interview with him with loaded
seven shooter in my hand! We'd see
| how much the law would do for him
then"
General Snced dcspondent,y shook
his head.
''It's no use, john" he said. We're
| in the sane business ourselves. only
this time we got the hot end Of the
poker. But he played it low down ON
me, pretending to be friendly and all
| that The two men did not speak
again until the carriage drew M ut the
brownstone mansion which earlier in
the day Snced would have called his
| own. Sixteen reporters were waiting for
| them, but the old man succeeded in cs-
Gaping to his room, leaving John TO bat
tie with the newspaper men.
Next morning the papers were full Of
the rews Of the panic. They said that
old bruce had gone in his yacht for n
trip Up the New England coast. They
deducted from this fact that, after all,
| bruce might not have had hand in
the disaster. Everything was always
| blamed on bruce. Still, IL was admitted
that, whoever suffered. the Druce stocks
| were all right. They were quite unani-
mously frank in saying that the Sneeds
were wiped out. whatever that might
| mean. The general had refused himself
to all the reporters, while young Sneed
| seemed TO be able 10 dc nothing but
swear.
Shortly before noon General Sneed.
who had not left the house. received q
letter brought by a messenger.
Il
He feverishly tore it open. for he rec
| ogniZcd the well known scrawl of the
| great speculator.
DEAN SSEEp-You will sec By the papers
| that l am Of on cruise. but they are as
wrong Gs they Usually are when they speak Of
| me. learn there was bit Of ilnitor In the
4 market while were away y.Ssertiny. and I
| a:.s glad t. sly that my brokers. who are sharp
| men. did me a good turn or two. often wonder
why these fi.rries come, but suppose IL Is TO let
| man pick up some sound stocks at reasonable
| rates, If he has the money By him. Perhaps
! they are also sent to teach humility To- those
| who might else become parse proud. We arc
| but finite creatures. Snccd. hero today and
l gone tomorrow. How foolish a thing l. pride,
And that reminds me that /. your two tiaugh-
| tiers should happen to think as ! do ON the un-
\ certainty Of riches wish you would ask them
! 10 call. have done up those securities in a
| sealed package and given the parcel to my
| daughter law. She has no idea what the
| value Ct 1t is, but thinks Il little present
from me to your girls. If. then, thcy should
happen to call, she will hand il to them: II
| not shall use the contents 20 found n college
for the purpose Of teaching manners To- youn,.
| women whose grandfather used 20 feed pigs
| for living, as indeed my own grandfather
| did. Should the ladies happen to like each
other, think ran put you ON to n deal mex,
week that vii I1akc up for Friday. like you.
| Sneed. but you have no head for business.
Seek my advice oftener. Ever yours,
DRCcE-
Tho Sneed girls called on Mrs. Ed.
| ward bruce.
| THE END