Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-18
ALLY SHORT STORY
A DOUBLE sWINDLE.
LOriginall

her and her younger brother Ernest.
Ernest had fallen into the hands
of Arnold Prigmore, who preyed on
society in u gentlemanly way and with
out breaking the laws. He was win
ming money from Elkins that the boy
did not possess. To save himself Ell
kins was drawing on his sister.
1t had just come To Dole's knowledge
that Prigmore had that very day taken
an additional amount from Ernest, or.
rather, from Louise Elkins, for her
brother had given in payment of
gambling debt her check for So, 800.
There could be no doubt that the
money had been won dishonesty. Be
sides, it was equivalent TO dishonesty
for man of PrigmOre's age and ex-
perience to take money won from
foolish boy that belonged to woman.
But there waS nothing in this that
could be proved as a swindle. Dole
also knew that Louise Elkins' income
had already been reduced to a mini
| mum by these drafts upon il, and with
the present amount paid her revenue
would be unequal to her modest re-
quirementS He had heard Ernest tell
4
check that he must have twenty four
hours TO make it good in bank. Dole
thought of going to PrigmOre and pro-
testing, but decided that it would avail
nothing.
The next morning while PrigmOre
was sitting at the breakfast table a
servant announced lady TO see him.
Going to the drawing room he found
visitor, yelled, who rose as he entered
and in Il voice choked with sobs said:
Il have come to ask If you have de-
posted the check given you yesterday
by Ernest Elkins''
Il have not. l expect to do so this
afternoon before the closing of bank
hours
"Will you let me see it,
Certainly And, taking out his
pOcketbook, he showed her the check.
As soon as she saw it she fell back in
her chair in collapse.
We'll" asked Prigmore, isn't it all
right?'
My fears are realized; it is a for
gerry"
How do you know"
The signature is supposed to be
mine"
"Yours?'
Yes; l am Louise Elkins."
Your brother shall suffer for this"
"Spare him, l implore you. Consider
his youth"
'I'n land him where he belongs-in
state prison"
Tell me how l can satisfy you.
am but a woman and know nothing Of
business"
You can give me your own check
that will be good in the bark
And you will tear up the forgery"
Certainly. / only want my money"
PrgmOre showed her to Il desk and
| gave her writing material and a blank
| check. With a trembling hand she
| filed ii out, and as she handed il to
him he said:
Il can't return the forgery till find
| that this check is good. Then noticing
| that the check in his hand was for
$500 instead of $500 he paused
moment, then folded it and gave her
the other check. He surmised that in
her agitation she had made a mistake,
which he proposed to take advantage
Of.
How can L repay you for your mag
nanimity?" she asked
BY lifting your VEIL
For heavens sake, don't ask me to
do that. l am ashamed at being the
sister of a forger If 1 should meet
you again-in society, perhaps-I
would not wish you to know me-"
But
Are you sure the amount of the
check l gave you is right? I scarcely
knew what l was doing"
The exact amount. Never mind
lifting your veil. ! canlreadily under
stand your feelings" He ga1lantly
showed her to the doortand bowed her
out.
Il wouldn't take her for the little
FOOLS sister," he muttereSi. she must
be a head taller than he 1t would
have been safer to have had a look at
her face, but l was afraid shed want
look at the check. I'd have risked
thousand for sight of her. What
fools women are,7
prigmore deposited the check and
the next day was notified by the bank
that it was a forgery He was thun-
derstruck Slowly it dawned upon
him that he had surrendered a good
check for forgery. Hurrying to the
bank, he learned thatathe original had
been drawn. Some one had yictimized
him.
The police never discovered the wo-
man who had personatcd Miss Elkins,
nor did either she rIher brother learn
who had drawn the money. Prigmore
finally resigned himself to a loss of
funds that had never belonged to him
and left the locality where his.methods
had become knowntt TO work others.
Two years after this happened
Franklin Dole married. Louise Elkins.
The morning after they had returned
from their weddingttrip lElkins said to
his wife:
BY the bye, /. have $500 belonging