The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-04-04

lAOuI AOI you W yet W lis ilOhSc, IOl iic
is at home. If you can get anything,
put it on the wire. Don't try to get
back with it if the telegraph office is
open"
Chalmers jumped for his coat and
hat, and made for the door.
III put you on a salary if you sue
ceed," shouted the city editor after
him, as he rushed out of the door Of
the ''city ROOM"
To Chalmers that promise was sutfi
cient inducement. He would have made
Banker Moves talk if he had
had to do so at the point of revol-
yer. He knew the house of the banker
as well as he knew his own. He knew
just where the bankrupt man slept; he
knew the manner in which the double
entrance doors in the front of the
house opened.
During the ride of an hour to the
suburb in which the banker lived,
Chalmers did some rapid thinking, and
by the time he reached the house he
was prepared for lis campaign. He
was small man, and he intended TAX
ing advantage of his size and the dark
ness of the night.
Arriving at the house, he rang the
front door bell, and in a moment a
voice from the Second-story window
demanded to know what he wanted.
Got a message for you" replied
Chalmers, impersonating a telegraph
messenger boy, and keeping well in
the dark so that he could not be seen.
"Stick it under the door," said the
banker.
Can't do it," replied Chalmers.
Got to give it to you personally, and
get your receipt on the book"
1t was a 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 a spring
lock on the inside door, and that if
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. He
heard the inside door open, and then.
as the outside door opened, he heard
the one inside close with a snap. In
stantly he stepped onto the doorstep
and inside, closing the outside door
behind him, and stood with his back
against it.
Where is that message?' asked
Noyes, shivering in the cold air of the
vestibule.
Its verbal one," replied Chalmers.
81 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 a faint glimmer
through the transom.
Developing my prospects, replied
Chalmers.
"You are taking a scoundrel's ad-
vantage of me-"
whatever it is, must insist on an
answer to my question, as l have still
another one to ask"
81 have nothing to say"
But l 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 a few weeks ago."
my daughter shall never marry any
beggarly newspaper reporter" snapped
the banker.
''Oh, don't know" said Chalmers.
Gas for that, l guess you can't do
much better than l 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, l have enough to start house
keeping on in a small way, and for this
nights work l am to go on the staff
salary list. Some people are worse off
financially than I am; you, for in
stance"
Look here, young man, do you know
that you are giving me cold sufficient
10 kill a stronger man by keeping me
here?"
81 won't detain you 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 cent;
won't give it to you if you are starv-
ing"
Thanks" said Chalmers, and he
was out of the door and off to the
teleUranh office Stonninu only 1opO