Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05

well sir. they say I'm crookedr'
William Porter tipped back his swivel
chair and placidly puffed a cigar as he
watched the effect of this declaration on
the young man who sat talking to him.
That's said of every successful man
nowadays. isn't it?" asked John Saxton.
The president of the Garrison National
Bank ignored the question and rolled his
cigar from one side of his mouth to the
other as he waited for his words to make
their full impression upon his visitor.
They say I'm crooked" he repeated,
with narrowing of the eyes, but they
don't say it very loudr'
Porter kicked his heels together gently
and watched his visitor with eyes in (which
there was no trace of humor; but Saxton
saw that he was expected to laugh.
mo. sir the banker continued, they
don't say 1t very loud, and l guess they
don't any of them want to have to prove
1t. I'm afraid those Boston fIiends of
yours have given us up as a bad lot
he went on, waving the matter of his per-
sonal rectitude and returning to the affairs
of his visitor; land they've sent you out
here to get their money, and / don't blame
them. Well, sir; that moneys got to come
out in time, but it's going to take time and
money to get it,"
II believe they sent me because l had
plenty of time" said SaxtOn, smiling.
We'll, we want to help you win out"
returned Porter and now what can I do
to start you f?' he asked briskly. Have
you got a place to stay? Well. sir, 1 warn
you solemnly against the hotels in this
town; but we've got a fairly decent club UP
here, and you'd better stay there till you
get acquainted. Been to breakfast? Break
fast on the train? That's good. Just look
over the papers till 1 get rid of these let
tiers and Ill be free
Porter turned to his desk and replaced
the eyeglasses which he had dropped while
pa tn, -
ness in his small, lean figure as he pushed
buttons to summon various members of the
clerical force and rapidly dictated terSe tel
egrams and letters to stenographer. He
continued to smoke. and he shifted con-
stanuy the narrow brimmed, red-banded
straw hat that he wore above his shrewd
face 1t was an agreeable face to see, of
a type that is common wherever the North
Irish stock is found in America, and its
characteristics Were expressed in his firm,
lean jaw and blue eyes, and his reddish
hair and mustaChe. through which there
were streaks of gray. He wore his hair
short, but it was still thick. and he combed
II with precision. His clothes fitted him;
he wore bright cravat, well tied. and his
shoes were carefully polished. Saxton was
impressed by the bankers perfect con-
fdence and ease; il manifested itself in the
way he tapped buttons to call. his sub
ordinates, or turned TO satisfy the impor-
tunities of the desk-telephone at his ell
bow.
John Saxton had been sent to Clarkson
by the NepOnset Trust Company of Ros-
ton to represent the interests of a group
of clients who had made rash investments
in several of the trans Missouri states.
Foreclosure had, in many instances, re-
suited IN the transfer to themselves of
much town and ranch property which was
in the conditions existing in the early
ninetes, an exceedingly slow asset. 1t
was necessary that some one on the ground
should care for these interests. The Clark
son National Bank had been exercising a
general supervision. but, as one of the in
Vestors told his fellow sufferers in Bos-
ton, they should have an agent whom they
could call home and abuse. and here was
SaXtOn. a conscientious and steady fellow
who had some knowledge of the country,