The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-15

~ 81 AiG@s dL4 AHZI IUS
eNranse OF heaven itself serves a. walls
and ceiling Of the gamblir ghell. Every
one had begun to assure every one else
that good times were coming. when
every one would say in chorus that he
believes the price Of real estate IS going
up, and by a fiat Of lies would incrcaes
its value and make something out OF
nothing.
Isle Prankerd was one Of those whom
the last division OF savings had mae
happy. When he said that good times"
were coming his words were banded
1rcm mouth 10 mouth. and every one who
heard them. instead Of being nationally
sorry and tightening his purse strings.
was lrrationally glad. This cheerful IN
reason IN a community j. called q spirit
OF business enterprise. When it wa,
known that he had bet good times" were
coming and had ~taked almost all he hau
realized on his interests in the bank cl
the Occident-that he had quietly bought
options on bits of town and suburban
property for which there had hitherto
been no market-the cheerful unreason
became more cheerful and there was IN
instant disposition to back his bet.
What checked their cheerfulness for a
moment at least was not that they per-
ceiyed its unwisdom and that backing
Prankerd's bet was precisely the way to
make him win it and win it from them
selves, it was that Partly had made a
bet on the other side. He had fer a long
time bought in whatever realty was Of
fered at forced sale in and about the
city and was become the largest holder
in the county. When the spirit of bust
ness enterprise" stood erect because OF
~Prankerd's investments Partly reduced i
at a stroke to a state Of limp dubiety
orJ I7rr,ica ha hnpon N nffar he hnII-
ings for sale at any price, at whatever
he could get. Prankerd was admitted to
be shrewd, but it was just possible he
was losing his grip" it was quite GER
tain Partly had done him in the matter
Of the Bank of the Occident.
Lisle Prankerd did not waste the prop
crty which Partly offered; that was Why
he bid 1t in. 1t was also why Partly Of
fered more and yet more for sale, and why
Prankerd continued to bid it in; until
it became plain that if the good times"
really did not come, and that suddenly,
the last man that any one need wish to
become would be Lisle Prankerd.
When matters were in this posture a
card was brought one morning to Prank
erd at his office.
Yes, it's me- said Pcggie entering;
always on hand when I'M wanted. and
sometimes when I'm not. I've come to
talk business and you can send away
that young man II you don't want HIM
yourself as q protection or a witness; l
want to place some dough; l want tc
know on the level what all this hindy
means between you and Parlby. The
) towns q good town, an | believe in it.
;. I want to buy some lots
And you come to me for advice? l
advise you to hold off. The boom's com
! ing all right; but it won't come till
Parlby wants it to. Parlby's got NE
/, tleed.'
You mean it's just a case Of freeze,
out?' Prankerd laughed.
You speak as if a case of freeze-out
: were easy. Yes, it's just a case of freeze
: out"
Damn Parlby,'' said Peggie.
"Just my sentiments, only much more
. elegantly expressed" said Prankerd.
"All right; | guess know all want
: to-" aid Peggie.
! $50 do l." said Pankerd.
: eyes. / guess you do; but I give you
a pointer. I don't know whether I'm
: going to take a hand in this game or
$ not. I don't mostly tell what I'm going
to do beforehand, it mightn't be conven-
: lent; but just you don't cash in your
| chips before you have to-
And with this oracular metaphor she
~ bahS liz 1OdNC. oIiC poboSd
:, at the door.
, L owe that Partly one from way back;
: It's about time his luck took a tumble
Immediately after Peggie's interview
with Prankerd there was a second fund
in the market to oppose Partly; Peggie
had strained her credit, which was con
siderable, to the utmost and became d
; reckless buyer of options.
: A few days later a rumor ran like mad
through the town, in especial through
{ the Under World, that the Bank of the
Occident was not safe, and depositors
in u passion of haste to withdraw their
accounts fought on the bank floor fol
priority The story ran that the bank had
been robbed in open day: the story was
scoffed at in the streets and in the clubs:
the deliberate opinion was that Partly
had overreached himself, and that the
robbery was 4 fake and the deliberate
opinion was confirmed when it came &c
! be understood that after a llasty meeting
OF the directors Partly was held to have
overdraWn his personal balance, and was
in the opinion of his associates discredit
ed. Partly, the deliberate opinion was
had been sacrificed, justly enough be
cause of his private ventures, to save TIE
bank. After a day or two a definite
account was made public, but the ac
> count was too sensational to obtain
immediate belief. What had happened II
the Occident was this.
On the morning of the day when the
panic had occurred, a low, thick-set mar
with shaggy Whiskers and a hand bag en-
!, tered the Occident as if it belonged tC
him and demanded to see the president
The presidents sactum IN those days was
Il space apart walled off by slabs of plate
:, glass a quarter OF an inch thick and
screened from vulgar gaze by silk cur
tains in baby blue. The visitor amour
ced that he had business of Importance
= to both of them and requested Mr.. Partly
as they entered the sanctum to give OF
ders that they might be Uninterrupted
When this order had been given and the
: door of the sanctum was closed the Wis
itor dropped his HAND bag in front o
his chair and with one hand covered
Parlby with a revolver IN excellent con
y / 81 --.A1