CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1906-08-23
THE
SULTAN'S
DRAFT
b rrNpTE DAJ TON
By GEORGE DALTON.

The outer door of Hazleton's office
closed. leaving him and his friend In a
silence that was urging each man to ad-
inst his thoughts to what had Just hap
nened. and to what should be said first.
"Confound it, Hazleton," broke out De
Loss "I didn't intend to see the amount
Of that check. 1t futtered my way and
| couldn't help it. l had no curiosity
and 7 never dreamed it was for such a
stunning amount.
"Never mind, De-" returned Hazleton,
as he arose to stand before the window
with his hands in his pockets, while he
ran his eve far down the many -storied
business Pueblo on the opposite side OF
the street gorge. Il didn't mind your
seeing it" He wheeled about and rested
his hand on his friends shoulder. DE
Loss. it's been on my mind long time
to tell YOU the story of the Sultans
Draft"
"The Sultan's Draft" exclaimed De
Loss; ''the amount was princely. knew
YOU had done well, but
"Oh. Pm not speaking of the check.
You didn't suppose l would, even II
were rich enough, give nearly $4,000 to
the solicitor for the refugee fund p
Hazleton chuckled with pure joyousness.
"I don't believe l have made enough yet
to nlav that much against the Unspeak-
able Turk. Al Aany rate, | know l
wouldn't if it were not for the Sultan's
Draft"
"The Sultan's Draft! In heavens
name what do you mean by the Sultan's
Draft?" cried De Loss.
well, De Loss, we have been through
lot since we were boys, but you weren't
in on this deal. 1t was when the panic
caught me. For weeks l hung on by my
eyeiids while | tried to pull my business
through. How l came out of it never
told you, and you may be sure Oshkosh
didn't, not he. Yes, old Oshkosh
Raudebaugh, dead and gone to glory,
peace to his great, big soul! He was
at the bottom OF it. 1t was tricky, and 1t
was awfully risky, but old man Raude-
baugh-God bless hin-gave me the
chance. and with American gall and good
luck l did the rest.
Oshkosh had allowed me an overdraft
at his bank for far more than my stand
ing would warrant. Unexpected things,
one after another, dropped on me. Bills
: PAYABLE were fired into me without
uercy. like bullets, and bills receivable
ere fired back to me, as worthless as
>pSksr wads VI the resources l had
were yrained u e uttermost to make
one dollar fill the led of five. At last,
after careful figuring, / found that
must have fifteen thousand dollars before
thirty days or go up.
"Raudebaugh, you know, De. always
treated me like his son. and L knew II
he could do anything to help me it would
done; if not, and l had to let go, II
wss only fair he should know it and his
hank should have the advantage OF put
ting in its claim first.
Il went down to the bank as blue as
that pennant over there on the hotel,
went on Hazleton. Oshkosh and / went
through the business together, canvassine
II bit BY bit; the good old dog did hi:
best to figure it out, but it seemed toe
tough a proposition.
"FSorry for you, James, my boy he
kent SAYING as he studied it, but It look:
yery bad. Fifteen thousand dollars
thirty days-thirty p and he'd look a
me, and I'd nod my head.
1--WE sat long time thinking 1t over
Oshkosh totally lost in it and checking
off the things he was gong over IN ms
MIND with his pencil on the blott;ng pad
This bank is going to save you \ \
it can, James, my son; but I'm afraie
nothing can be done
"'At this oracular drone my hear
went nm and then sank down, though
not so far down as it had been. Afte
a bit Raudsbaugh looked up slyly-
"'Dont you know somebody, james
YOU can draw on"
"'What, for fifteen thousand dollars
"'Nobody?'
""This is too serious for me to Jok'
,bo,,t Mr. Raudebaugh'
flames, son, don't you know some
body you may draw on, somebody ava,
off-a long way off -.
Oshkosh began to fairly purr hi
temptation, and for moment my hop'
leaped up as / caught his idea and ih'
breath of relief it would give.
Somebody in Thibet, or Archangel
or up the Congo" -:
"The sporting spirit that had been MI
dormant second self, or had been bount
and captive through long life OF busi
ness integrity ragged in him on the mcr'
thought Of flyer. tell you, he falrl,
sang his allurernent like siren, and
though sick with dread of its crimina
trickery, swcetened to the idea.
"'No, but ! mean it, coaxed the OLE
man. Now, suppose | draw
dr-a-a-a-w-' and while ! sulied IN tn
despairing collapse that followed my sec
ond and better judgment of the thing
although was even then paying debt
ike mad in my imagination on the none.
this impossible possibility might give M
for few days-Oshlsosh scratched ava,
on a block of drafts. He finished ant
tossed it before me on the extension lea
of his desk.
at was draft on the Sultan o
Turkey for fifteen thousand dollars
sight.
".Sign it, sign it. Raudebaugh urged
in FIVE minutes you shall have the none,
TO your credit. This will be the cleveres
r;ece of check-kitiup ever done