Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-07-05

upper Chamber, where he and Mrs. Jones
resided. He was clad only in his night
shirt, and was leveling a formidable gun
full at the august head of his excellency.
''Ah, Mr.. JONES' said the latter, Its
a fine morning"
''The President :" cried Jones: "and
Mr.. Martin Why, what on earth, gen
tlemen-?"
The President gently waved one hand
toward me, as if to say, Mr.. Martin viii
explain" and went on placing his securi-
ties in the bag. In the face of this crisis
my hesitation left me.
''Mr. Martin received a cable from Eu
rope, JONES'" said the President, I'm
structing him to advance sum of money
to me-
"Cable?" said Jones. where is it?"
I'VE must have left it at the Golden
House. l saw it was on the table just
before we started. Though l presume
Mr.. Jones has no right-?"
None at ALL" l said briskly.
''Yet, as a matter Of concession, Mr..
Martin will no doubt show it to him to-
morrow"
Strictly as a matter of concession per-
that l am surprised at your manner, Mr..
Jones'"
tones looked sadly puzzled.
It's all irregular, sir" said he.
Hardly more so than your costume"
said the President pleasantly.
Jones being thus made aware of the
havoc the draught was playing with his
airy covering, hastily closed the door,
and said to me appealingly:
It's all right, sir, SUPPOSE"
Perfectly right" said l.
But highly confidential" added the
President. And you will put me under
a personal obligation, Mr.. Jones. and at
the same time fulfill your duty to your
employers, if you preserve silence till the
transaction is officially announced. A
man who serves me does not regret it."
Here he was making the most of an
other opportunity-Jones this time.
Enough of this" l said. Il will go
over the matter in the morning.
His excellency walked up to Jones and
looked hard at him.
silent men prosper best, and live hong
est, Mr.. Jones'"
Jones looked into his steely eyes, and
suddenly fell all of a tremble.
The President was satisfied. He alb
ruptly pushed him out of the room, and
we heard his stumbling steps going up
the staircase. His excellency turned to
me, and said with apparent annoyance:
You leave a great deal to me, Mr..
Martin"
He had certainly done more than tell
Jones it was a fine morning. But l was
too much troubled to thank him; l was
thinking of the cable. The President di-
vined my thoughts, and said:
81 must prepare that cable"
EYES," l replied; that would reas-
sure him. But l haven't had much prac-
tice in that sort of thing, and l don't
quite know"
The President scrubbed a few words on
bit of paper, and said:
Take that to the postoffice, and they'll
give you the proper form; l will fill it
up"
Certainly some things 60 easily if the
head Of the State is your fellow criminal.
And now, Mr.. Martin, it grows late.
l have my securities; you have your
bonds. We have won over Jones. All
goes well. Aureataland is saved. You
have made your fortune, for there lie
your $4,000. And, in fine, l am much
obliged to you. l will not trouble you
to attend me on my return. Goodnight,
Mr.. Martin
He went out, and l threw myself down
in my office chair, and sat gazing at the
bonds he had left me. | wondered wheth-
er he had merely made a tool of me
whether | could trust him; whether l had
done we'll to rely on his promises. And
yet there lay my reward; and l soon
arose, put the government bonds and the
$4,000 in securities in the SAFE locked
up everything, and went home to my lodg-
ings. AS l went in it was broad day
light, for the clock he'd gone five, ami /
met Father Jacques sallying forth. He
had already breakfasted, and was on his
way to administer early consolation to
the flower women in the Piazza He
stopped me with grieved look, and said
"Ah, my friend, these are untimely
hours"
saw 1 was laboring under an unjust
suspicion.
II have only just come from the bank.
| had to dine at the Golden House and
afterward returned to finish up a bit of
work"
''Ah, that is WE'LL he cried. ''It is
then the Industrious and not the idle ap-
prentice l meet?" referring to a series of
famous prints with which my room vas
decorated, a gift from my father on my
departure.
l nodded and passed on, saying to my
self: Very industrious, indeed. Not
many men have done such a nights work
as l have"
And that is how my fortune became
bound up with those of the Aureataland
national debt.