Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04
COPYRIGHT BY u. B. LIPPINCOTT

/ was placed in the anomalous light of doubt
ing Thomas come to try and spy out the land.
At the conclusion Of each Of these conversations
he would offer me still another fifty thousand
dollar check and would exchange with him,
until | was forced to acknowledge that had
reached the end Of my rope, and that another
check would be merely using portion OF the
security money twice over again.
"You have now q quarter of million dollars
invested in company" he remarked, after
deferentally listening to my statement, and
have at your bank as security sum In the ike
anountW
] bowed my head assentingly.
| although this sum has been placed IN our
hands at separate times" he went on compiacent-
ly, toying with his richly jeweled hngerring the
while, "a dividend will be allowed you upon the
full amount, dating from the first payment. Inns
dividend will be at the promised rate OF SIX nun,
dred per cent. per ann,lm, or one hundred anu
twenty-five thousand dollars for the current
month. A check for this amount will be handed
YOU at our regular meeting of clients on lhurs-
day next. At this meeting-two 2. M sharp,
with slight luncheon to begin with-our whoie
system of operations will be explained, and you
can invest your own money with us at your dls-
cretion"
I was so agitated az walked out into the cor
rdor that quite unknowingly l stepped ABOARD
a car that was going up instead of down. But IL
mattered little to me. My brain was full OF
figures. A hundred and twenty-five thousand
Idollars a month upon my investment! VIVA.
was the use of expending ten hours daily toh
upon the petty details of my soap establishment,
when such income for one single year wouio
provide me with ample fortune for all future de-
sres? ,
Nv mind was made up. If the explanation OF
thracompany's manner Of investment was as sat
Iisfactory as its methods would lead one TO sup
pose, I would place my quarter OF million spare
cash balance in its hands. IT, however, IL sho"e9
1.-THE faintest signs of instability or risk, woua
dmnlv take nv dividend Of one hundred and
TWENTY-FIVE thousand dollars and be that mucn,
at least ahead Of the whole transaction.
As I entered the greasy doors of my ware
house, | could not help despisng the puerlle
business which required years OF arduous toli
and application to make sum which the Univer-
sal Investment and Security Company, Ltd,
realized for me in few short weeks :,
The eventful Thursday at last arrived ana
YOU may be sure that I was not among the latest
comers at the company's Offices in the Atlas
building An elaborate collation. was served IN
Ione of the samplerooms, which had been cleared
for the occasion; and at each place was laid
dividend check, inclosed in envelope bearing
Itbe investors name Before l ever tasted the
soup | cautiously opened mine, and to my huge
delight saw that it was for the exact PROMISED
amount of one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars.
The meal was an admirable one, and the com
pany agreeable and pleasant up to the point or
hilarious brotherhood itself. l may be mstak-
en- but perhaps the generous dividend checks
had as much to do with this as the quality OF
the wines and cookery, although these last were
undoubtedly superb.
At the conclusion of the repast Mr.. Delacroix
arose and stated that he had a few words In
private to say to each one present, and that I'M
mediately thereafter we would assemble IN mis-
Office in order to hear the names of the com
papy's directors and officers read aloud, and to
have the peculiar nature OF its investments ex-
plained to us. Nothing could be more agreeable
than this, and the faces of all present lghtened
up at the approaching clearance of the mystery
in which the corporations affairs were shrouded
Nv some fatality [ was the first chosen to ac-
company Delacroix. l preceded him some two
or three rooms away from where the banQueters
sat. and he carefully closed each door after us
ns w, passed Taking my position near one of
Itbe broadledped windows, from whence the
Ibusv crowds of human beings upon the street
below seemed more like swarms Of tiny ants
than ANYTHING else, | awaited the expected dis
closures with rapt interest. Deacroix assumed
most imposing manner, brushed back the curling
locks from his high, classic forehead, and began
to speak: -
"Mv dear Mr.. SkimpIlns, it is with the great
est pleasure that ] about to enter into the
details" just at this moment the door
Aew omen and wild, dsheveled-looking individ-
rushing into the room. 49,
a want money" he Missed in blood-curdling
accents: 'I want it, and what's more, I'm going
to have it.
T Glanced at Deacroix. To my surprise he
seemed to be even more frightened than myself
His knees were quaking together and his face
panicstricken
"I want money" continued the wildly excited
intruder: 'I am only looking for money. I want
y quarter of million dollars. At the word
three will kill you unless you give me quar-
ter of a million dollars"
With this last far from comfortable assurance
he covered me with his weapon, and to my con-
sterpation heard the lock click as the hammer
came up into position.
"For Heavens sake, Deacroix," 1 gasped out
"help mel Who is this man."
"One." solemnly repeated the armed one,
"He must have escaped from some asylum"
answered the general manager of the Universal
Investment and Security Company in cautious
,undertone 'He is evidently mad. But we are
too far from the rest to get help in time to save
Won from his clutches unless you temporize with
him. Give him a check for the amount. You
can easily stop its payment when he is arrested,
or even before he could get to the bank If he
should manage to escape"
'Two" cried the madman, with his eyes flash
ing eagerly. / grasped at this suggestion of Del
Iacroixs like drowning at floating chip.
The madmans lips had formed to pronounce the
last words and his fingers already con-
tracing omnously upon the trigger. l fastened
to fill out and hand him the check.