Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-12-28

pering with the reputation and the sta
bility of a great enterprise for the sake
of a few millions OF dishonest profit.
I'm surprised at L%angdon."
II hope you're wrong, Mathew" was
Roebuck's only comment. He queS-
toned me no further, and / went away,
confident that, when the crash came in
the morning, IL come it must. thers
would be no more astonished man in
Wall street than Henry ]. Roebuck.
How he must nave laughed; or, rather.
would have laughed, IL his sort OF hui
man hyena expressed it's emotions In
the human way.
From him, straight to my lawyers.
Whitehouse and Fisher, in the Mills
building.
II want you to send for the newspa-
per reporters at once" said l to Fisher.
and tell them that in my belief you
are going to apply for an Injunction
against the Textile trust, ~forbidding
them to take any further steps toward
that increase Of dividend. Tell them /.
as a large st~ockholder, and represent
ing a group of large stockholders, pur-
pose TO stop the paying OF unearned
dividends"
Fisher knew how clocely connected
my house and the Textile trust had
been; but he showed, and probably felt,
no establishment. He vas too, expert
enced In the ways OF finance and imam
ciers. 1t was a matter of indifference
to him whether l was trying to assas-
sinate my friend and ally, or was
feinting at Langdon, to lure the pub
lie within reach so that we might, to-
gether. fall upon il and make a battue.
Your lawyer is FOUR true m~ercenary.
Under his code honor consists in maxi
ing the best possible fight In exchange
for the biggest possible fee. He Is
frankly for sale TO the highest bidder.
AT least so 1t Is with those that lead
the profession nowadays, give 1t what
is called character" and tone"
Not without some regret did l thus
rrang to attack my friend in his abb
sence. Still" 1 reasoned, his blum
der in trusting some leaky person with
mis- secret is the cause of my peril
and I'll not have TO justify myself to
him for trying to save myself What
effect my injunction would have l could
not ~foresee. Certainly 1t could not save
me from the loss Of my fortune; but,
possibly, 1t might check the upward
of the stock long enough to
enable me to snatch myself from ruin.
and TO cling TO firm ground until the
Coal deal drew me up to safety.
My next call was at the Interstate
Trust company. l found Corey wait
ing for me in a most uneasy state Of
mind.
rs there any truth in this story about
your" was the question he pumped at
me.
what story" said /, and a hard fight
had to keep my confusion and alarm
the surface. For, apparently, my
secret was out.
That you're on the wrong side Of
the Textile"
So it was oct! Some truth / adj
since denial would have been
useless here. And I've come to YOU
for the money to tide me over"
He grew white, a sickly white, and
INTO his eyes came a horrible, drowning
.ook.
Il owe a lot to you, Matt" he plead
ed. But I've done you a great many
haven't 10"
That you have, Bob 1 cordially
But this isn't a favor. It's
business"
You mustn't ask It, Blackjack" he
I've loaned you more money
low than the law allows. And | can't
ct you have any more"
Someone has been lying to you, and
you've been believing him." said l.
When l say my request isn't a favor,
tut business, / mean it,"
II can't let you have any more" he
'epeated. Il can't! And down came
lis fist in a weak violent gesture.
l leaned forward and laid my hand
strongly on his arm.
I'm addition to the stock oe this cor
'ern that / hold in my name" said /,
hold five shares In the name Of a
a whom nobody knows that l even
II you don't let me have the
money, that man goes to the district
.ttorney with information that lands
'ou in the penitentiary, that puts your
company out of business and into
bankruptcy before tomorrow noon. I
you three years ago, and got
'ou this job against just such an emer-
as this, Bob Corey. And. By God,
,ou'll toe the mark"
But we haven't done anything that
very bank in town doesn't do every
have TO do. II we didn'I
end money to dummy borrowers and
ver-certify accounts, our customers
would go where they could get accom-
That's true enough said I. But
m in a position for the m where
need my friends-and they've got to
ONE to time. If / don't get the money
rom you I'll get IT elsewhere-but over
cliff with got and your bank! The
avs you've been violating may be bad
or the practical banking business, but
mighty good for Furnishing in
-ratitude and treachery."
Continued Next Weekly