The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-29

~ uDiuM tH6iHt ~ hS hObSH thh3 HFS'
sssAry precautions. II was all right
sor hIm to offend Napper TaDdy by
soing bis own best up there ut The
snificH, but he ought TO have known
ynougfi 0f human nature NOT TO put
airnself IN old Napper's power when
he felt bound to offend him worse than
ever"
Then Captain VIII told In detail the
story Of the visit to Tandy, the bribe
offer. the adverse report and the way
Iii which Tandy Ind made the whole
affair appear to have been an effort
on Dnncan's part to extort a bribe
and beiray those who had employed
him. Temple readily grasped the slt.
uation.
'srhe worst OF II H." he said, Dun
cnn can't even sue the old scoundrcl
for libel without making matters
worse. Tandy would stick to his story.
and nv there were no witnesses that
story would seem probable to people
WuU uuH Au1W 1dHShhs pAfss $50
we to do, Captain HallamT
"Well, II aii depends upon your
shrewdness and circumspection. Tan
dy IN president OF the X Satsbnal bank,
you know. That's bis club 10 fight me
with. 40 little by little I've bought In
there through other people, you un-
derstand NO that now Stafford and !
own forty.eight Of the banks hundred
shares of stock. though on the books
our names do not appear ut all Tan
dy owns the other fifty.two shares. !
suppose, or at least he controls them.
Indeed, whenever stockholders' meet
Ing occurs he votes practically all the
stock. for II has been my policy to hide
my hand by having the men who hold
stock for me give him their proxies AZ
q blind.
"Now, what | propose 10 that you
shall manage somehow TO get hold Of a
little block of the stock. Three shares
will be enough to give me the majority.
but I'd rather make II four or hye
shares. II we can get the stock I'll
surprise Tandy out OF years growth
by going into the stockholders meet
Ing, which occurs about ten days from
now. and proceed to elect board
OF directors for the bank. I'll select
the men want for directors, and the
board win at once make Guilfod Dun
can president OF the bank, leaving old
Napper a good deal OF leisure In which
to enjoy life. He'll need II all TO con-
vince anybody that there's anything
shady In GuIiford Duncan's character
after II IL known that VIII Hailam has
made him president OF bank"
Hallam chuckled audibly. He was
enjoying tho game. as he always did.
''Indeed. be will. but everything, as !
understand II, depends upon my ability
to secure the necessary shares OF
stock"
'Yes, It all hangs on that, and II
will be a tickllsh job. Tandy Is as
WHY an any old fox. You're sure be
doesn't know you?
"Neither by sight nor by name"
you're sure nobody In his bank
knows you and your relations with
mef"
Yes. | am certain. / was never In
this town before. and as for my reia-
tons with you, why, they have existed
for so brief time, at such q distance
from Cairo and are so obscure In them
selves that think nobody knows
them. Besides. you might discharge
me, you know. II that should become
necessary"
1--WE won't consider that as even pos
sible. Now. as to ways and means.
You see. depend upon you alone, and
of course you must have a free hand.
You mustn't consult me or Stafford or
Duncan or anybody else. You are to
act on your own Judgment, furnish
your own supply of sagaclty and get
that stock In your own way"
"I'll do 1t, even IL have TO resign
from your service and hunt another
Job. But | must have some money"
"Of course. How muchf"
"Weil, the stock will cost trife over
par, / suppose somewhat more than
81 900 a share. | should be prepared to
buy a block Of ten shares, You see,
might find block of that kind which
the owner would sell all or none !
should have, say, $1,000 or $4,000 at
instant command"
"All right. Ill have Stafford open
an account with you in our bank to-
morrow morning, with credit balance
of 1000, and you can cheek
"Pardon me, but II offer checks on
your bank Tandy will suspect our ALL
ance."
"That Is true You must have the
greenbacks themselves. I'll send for
Stafford now and have him give you
the money In large bills tonight"
"Pardon me-" answered Temple, "but
IL go to him with so great sum In
actual
"Yes, see. That would certainly
arouse suspicion, What have you In
mind?"
"Why, you or your bank must have
banks In correspondence with you
banks in Chicago or, better still, New