The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-06-18
CHAPTER XXI-CoSr1SuEp.
lCopyricht. 1895. BY Robert Bar.1

Il have come to read a cable dispatch |
to you. or to let you read il" He |
threw the dispatch down before the old |
gentleman, who adjusted his spectacles |
and read it, Then he looked up IN
guiringly at Wentworth.
You don't understand it, do you?"
said the latter.
Il confess 1 do not. The Longworth
in this telegram does not refer to ME,
does it?''
No. it does not refer to you, but it
refers to one of your house. Your
nephew, William Longworth, is a
scoundrel,"
"Ah," said the old man, placing tie
dispatch on the desk again and re-
moving his glasses. Have you come
TO tell me that?"
Yes, l have. Did you know it be-
: fore?"
NO, I did not" answered the old
gentleman, his color rising, and l do
not know it now. l know you say so.
and l think very likely you will be glad
to take back what you have said. l
will at least give you the opportunity"
so far from taking it back, Mr..
Longworth, 1 shall prove it. Your
nephew formed partnership with my
friend Kenyon and myself to float on
the London market a certain Canadian
mine
My dear sir" broke in the old gen.
leman, Il have no desire to hear of
my nephew's private speculations. l
have nothing to do with them. l have
nothing to do with your mine. The
matter is of no interest whatever to me,
and l must decline to hear anything
about it. You are, also, if you will ex-
cuse my saying so, not in a fit state of
temper to talk to any gentleman. If
you like to come back here when you
are calmer, l shall be very pleased to
listen to what you have to say"
Il shall never be calmer on this sub
iect. 1 have told you that your nephew
is a scoundrel. You are pleased to deny
the accusation"
Il do not deny it; 1 merely said 1 dill
not know it was the case, and L do not
believe It, that is ALL
Very we'll; the moment 1 begin to
show you proofs that things are as I
say
MY dear SIR cried the elder man.
with some heat, you are not showing
proof. You are merely making asser-
tions. and assertions about a man who
is absent-who is not here to defend
himself. If you have anything to say
against William Longworth, come and
say it when he is here and he shall an
swer for himself. 1t is cowardly of
you, and ungenerous to me, to make a
number of accusations which am in no
wise able to refute."
''Will you listen to what 1 have 10
say?''
NO; will not
Then, by God. you shall." and
with that Wentworth strobe to the door
and turned the key, while the old man
rose from his seat and faced him.
DO you mean to threaten me, sir, in
my own office?"
Il mean to say, Mr.. Longworth. tina:
] have made a statement which l aIu
going to prove to you. l mean that you
shall listen to me, and listen to me now"
And, 1 say, if you have anything to
charge against my nephew, come and
say it when he is here
when he is here, Mr.. Longworth, it
can repair the injury he has done. When
he returns to England you cannot do so,
no matter how much you might wish to
make the attempt"
The old man stood irresolute for n mo-
ment; then he sat down in his chair
again.
Very well,' he said, with a sigh, Il
am not so combative as L once was. Go
on with your story
=. My story is very short" said Went
worth. 1T simply amounts to this:
You know your nephew formed a part
nership with us in relation to the Cana
dian mine?'
Il know nothing about it, I tell YOU"
answered Mr.. Longworth.
Very well, you know it now"
. Il know you say So
do YOU doubt my word? %
Il will tell you more about that when
J hear what you have to say. Go on"
We'll, your nephew, pretending to
aid us in forming this company, did
everything to retard our progress. He
engaged offices that took long time
to fit up, and which we had. at last, 10
take hand in ourselves. Then he left
for week, leaving no address, and re-
fusing TO answer the letters sent to his
office for him. On one pretext or au-
other the forming of the company was
delayed, until, at length, when the OPP
ton by which Mr.. Kenyon held the mine
had only n month to run, your nephew
went to America in company with Mr..
Melville, ostensibly to see and report
upon the property. After waiting 4
certain length of time and hearing moth
ing from him Che had promised to cable
u.s., Kenyon went to America to get re-
newal of the option. This cablegran,
explains his success. He finds, on going
there, that your nephew has secured
the option of the mine in his own name.
and, as Kenyon says, we are cheated
Now, have you any doubt whether your
nephew is a scoundrel or not?''
Mr.. Longworth unused for a few mo-
ments on what the young man had told
him.
:. If what you say is exactly true. there
is no doubt that William has been guilty
of piece of very sharp practice"
SHARP practice!" cried the other.
"You might as well call robbery sharp
practice!''
My dear sir, have listened to you: