The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-03-23
A Mil and a Way
CONTINUED from .l'nee

the city ROOM.
To Chalmers that proini.f
cientinducement. HcwoNi4 n4a eadp
Banker Noyes tallS se H
had to do so at the point VIZ
yer. He knew the house Of ff
as we'll as he knew his ow We
just where the bankrupt %
knew the manner In whichA e ali
entrance doors in the fr4ft " ieA
house opened. 9~
During the ride of nm horri Tr
suburb in which the bankr
Chalmers did some rapid ii1''t~ti., -.'-'.a
by the time he reached the h3e u
was prepared for his enrMiEn iia
was small man, and he inlsaoes .g3s'a-
ing advantage of his size aud lhee4fs-
ness Of the night.
Arriving at the house, he RAM htt
front door bell, and in a plonlea
voice from the second-storS wuai9a
demanded to know what he VIM,
Got message for you, tei"
Chalmers, impersonating lea
messenger boy, and keeping Nt AZ
the dark so that he could not hesi u.
stick it under the door," said Us
banker.
Cant do it," replied Chalmers.
SCOT to give it to you personally ana
get your receipt ON the book
1t was cold night in the middle OF
January, but SO anxious was the
banker to get that message that he
did not stop to dress, or to call anyone
to get it for him, but went to the door
at once in his night clothes.
Chalmers heard the inside door
open and pulling his ulster more
closely around him, so as to avoid be-
ing recognized until the proper mo-
ment, he stepped back from the out
side door. He knew there was spring
lock ON the inside door, and that II
the banker had to step far enough
away from it to open the outside door,
the chances were it would swing to be-
hind him, and so cut off his retreat. lie
heard the inside door open, and then,
as the outside door, opened, he heard
the one inside close with a snap. In
stantIy he stepped onto the doorstep
and inside, closing the outside door
behind him, and stood with his back
against it.
'sWhere is that message?" asked
Moves. shivering in the cold air OF the
vestibule.
"It's verbal one," replied Chalmers.
al want to know something about the
condition of your bank. The receipt
for the message will be an exhaustive
answer to that question
what are you doing here" de-
manded the banker. He recognized the
voice of the reporter, though it was too
dark to distinguish his features, the
only light being faint glimmer
through the transom.
Developing my prospscts," replied
Chalmers.
"You are taking scoundrers ad-
vantage Of me-"
"Whatever II is, must insist ON an
answer to my question. a. I have still
another one to AJAX"
II have nothing to say"
"But think you have" and Chal-
mers opened the door behind him and
let in another batch Of the January
air.
After an argument Of some ten min
utes. with repeated doses Of 20-below-
zero atmosphere administered to the
scantily dressed banker, who could
neither get back into the house nor to
the bell outside, the desired informa-
ton was forthcoming.
~And now" said Chalmers, that you
have given me satisfactory answer to
that question, do you think that my
prospects have been developed suffi-
GENTLY to warrant you in giving me
any encouragement about that little
matter which we discussed in your Of
fee few weeks ago?"
my daughter shall never marry any
beggarly newspaper reporter, snapped
the banker.
"Oh, / don't know" said Chalmers.
"As for that, guess you can't do
much better than can just now. Ac-
cording to your own statement you
have not dollar in the world, and
enough personal paper out to keep you
poor the remainder Of your life. As
for me, have enough to start house
keeping ON in small way, and for this
nights work / am tosgo on the staff
salary list. Some people are worse of
financially than am; you, for in
stance"
''Look here, young man, do you know
that you are giving me cold sufficient
to kill stronger man by keeping me
here2"
"I won't detain you a moment after
you have given me a satisfactory an
swer to my last question"
"Well, then, take her, If she will have
you, but never ask me for e cent;
wont give 1t to you if you are starv-
ing"
"Thanks," said Chalmers, and he
was out of the door and on to the
telegraph office, stopping only long
enough to give the bell button q hard
push.
The next mornings Times had the
only interview with the bankrupt
banker. Chalmers said nothing as to
how he had gotten it, and when he
married the ex-banker's daughter some
two months later every newspaper
man in the city said it was the daugh-
ter's influence that had given the
emergency reporter" the inside track
at the opportune time.-Radford Re-
view.