Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-20
DAILY SHORT STORY
His Mysterious Friend
[Orignal.1

broker 10 per cent of their value, and
as they had declined 10 per cent he had
been called upon for another 10 per
cent If it We're not forthcoming. the
stocks would be sold, and he would not
get the benefit of subsequent rise that
would probably occur. In fact, he
would be ruined
Trevor was engaged to the daughter
of wealthy man who had given his
consent TO the marriage on Trevor's
REPRESENTATION that he was worth $780,
600. This was true at the time the rep
resentation was made, but Trevor. hay
ing been caught in the decline of stocks.
was now worth nothing. Nevertheless.
as he had no more funds he wrote n
note to his broker to that effect and
consenting To the sale of his security.
This he did with IL heavy heart since he
considered it equivalent to the breaking
of his engagement.
He was sealing the note when a mes
senger entered with IL communication
from the cashier of the hank where he
kept his funds. He sighed as he tore
off the envelope, knowing that his ac-
count was overdrawn and expecting
notification to that effect. To his aston
ishment the note read as follows:
We have to notify you that the sum of
$4,000 has been placed TO your credit in
this bank.
Mr.. Trevor's emotions may be better
imagined than described. Was 1t mis-
take of the bank? Had the wrong per
son been notified? He stepped to the
telephone and called up the cashier.
"Who placed $4,000 to my credit?"
he asked.
Hold the wire"
In a few minutes came the reply,
The check was payable to Martin
Copeland, who made it payable to
you
You have made a mistake. 1 don't
know such a man. Who is hep
There was another request to hold
the wire. and in five minutes the infor-
nation came that the bank did not
know Mr.. Copeland and had no occa-
sion to know him since the check had
been certified by a bank that was per-
fectly good. This meant that the bank,
and not Mr.. Copeland, was responsible.
THANK you. Goodby."
Some one must have Numbered. The
money could not possibly come from
any friend, for there WAS no one among
those devoted To Trevor who could or
would risk such an amount for friend
ship. Nevertheless. since he had honor
ably notified the bank of the proba ble
error. he had done all that could be eX-
pected of him and. with plenty of
money To his credit, did not propose to
let fortune slip through his fingers.
He tore up the note he had written to
his broker and wrote another, incloSinS
a check for $1,000. He stayed in his
office till o'clock, expecting to get
notice from the broker that the bank
had after all refused payment, but no
notice came. nor did any ever come.
Later he was obliged TO send another
check for margins for $1,000, which
was also paid. When the market
turned, Trevor plunged on the remain
ing $4,000 to his credit, and in the end
he not only regaincd what he had lost,
but trebled il. He then sent n check
for $4,000 to his bank for Martin
Copeland. asking the cashier to let him
know what became of it. He was in
formed that his check had been sent to
the bank on which the original check
to him had been drawn and had not
Mr. Copeland had received it.
The evening after Trevor had sent
the check to Mr.. Copeland he called
at the house of his fiancee. Miss
Eleanor Buckley, to take her to the
opera. He found Mr.. Buckley and his
daughter standing over a number of
necklaces, bracelets and other orna-
ments from which the gems had been
extracted and were missing. There was
scowl ON the fathers face. and the
daughter was evidently troubled. IRE
vor was Informed that Mr.. Buckley,
noticing that his daughter was going
out without her jewels, had asked
where they were. The result was the
production of a good deal of gold, but
no jewels. For this she gave no ex-
PLANTATION.
At this juncture a servant entered
and handed Miss Buckley a package.
She opened it and displayed the miss
ing gems.
Flows this?" exclaimed Mr. Buck
ley. Those are the identical jewels
ON which L recently lent $4,000. The
request for a loan came while stocks
were tumbling, and, though 1 don't
lend on jewels. at that time they were
better than any securities Offering
The secret was out. Miss Buckley,
knowing that her lover was in financial
difficulty, had sent her jewels to her
father through an acquaintance whom
neither knew and placed the money
borrowed on them to Trevor's credit
Mr.. Buckley frowned. He had heard
that Trevor was loser in stocks and
feared that his fortune had disap-
peared.
my consent he said. "was gained
on condition of your being worth
certain amount"
Thanks TO the lOyeliest girl in the
world, / am worth three times that
amount. Had the check not been forth