Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-06-06
CHAPTER xvl.-contlnued.
Gc29z9zz7T 1915

favofs, haven't II"
THAT you have, Bob" cordially
agreed. But this isn't q favor. It's
business"
you mustn't ask it, Blackjack" he
cried. I've loaned you more money
now than the law allows. And l can't
let you have any more"
Some one has been lying to you,
and you've been believing him" said
1. When l say my request isn't q
favor, but business, l mean it."
II can't let you have any more" he
repeated. II can't!" And down came
his fist in a weak-violent gesture.
1 leaned forward and laid my hand
strongly on his arm.
I'm addition to the stock of this con-
Germ that l hold in my w name,
said LIT hold five shares in the name
of q man whom nobody knows h a
even know. If you don't let me have
the money, that man goes to the dis
trict attorney with information that
lands you in the penitentiary, that
puts your company out Of business
and into bankruptcy before tomorrow
noon. l saved you three years ago,
and got you this job against just such
an emergency as this, Bob Corey.
And, by God, you'll toe the mark"
But we haven't done anything that
every bank in town doesn't do every
day-doesn't have to do. If we didn't
lend money to dummy borrowers and
~over-certify accounts, our customers
would go where they could get accom-
modations."
That's true enough" said |. But
I'm in a position for the moment
where l need my friends-and they've
got to come to me. If don't get the
money from you, I'll get it elsewhere
but over the cliff with you and your
bank! The laws you've been violat'
ing may be bad for the practical bank
ing business, but there mighty good
for furnishing ingratitude and treach-
cry"
He sat there, yellow and pinched,
made no reply.
. Presently | shook his arm inpatient
ly. His ayes met mine, and | fixed
them.
I'm going to pull through" said 1.
But If l weren't, I'd see to it that you
were protected. Come, what's your
answer? Friend or traitor?'"
Cant you give me any security
any collateral?"
mo more than l took from you
when l saved you as you were going
down with the rest in the Dumont
smash. My word-that's all. l bor-
row on the same terms you've given
me before, the same you're giving four
of YOU heaviest borrowers right now"
He WINGED as | thus reminded him
how minute my knowledge was of the
workings of his bank.
Il didn't think this of you, Matt"
he whined. Il believed you above
such hold-up methods"
Il suit my methods to the men I'm
dealing with" was my answer. These
fellows are trying to push me off the
life raft. fight with every weapon |
can lay hands on. And | know as we'll
as you do that, If you get into serious
trouble through this loan, at least five
men we could both name would have
to step in and save the bank and cover
up the scandal. You'll blackmail
them, just as you've blackmailed them
before, and they you. Blackmail's a
legitimate part Of the game. Nobody
appreciates that better than you" 1t
was no time for the SNUG hypocrisies
under which we people down town
usually conduct our business-just
as the desperadoes used to patrol the
highways disguised as peaceful mer-
chants.
Send round in the morning and get
the money" said he, putting on a re-
signed, hopeless look.
l laughed. "T1l feel easier il l take
itsnow," l replied. Wei fix up the
notes and checks at once
He Redeemed, but after a brief hest
tation busted himself. When the
papers were all made up and signed,
and | had the certified checks in my
pocket, | said: wait here, Bob, i'm.
til the National Industrial people call
you up. I'll ask them to do it, SO they
can get your personal assurance that
everything's all right. And I'll stor
there until they tell me. they've talked
with you"
but it's too late" he said. You
can't deposit to-day"
"I've made special arrangements
with them," l replied.
His face betrayed him. / saw that
at no stage of that proceeding had
been wiser than in shutting off his
last chance to evade. What scheme
he had In mind ! don't know, and can,
imagine. But he had thought Out
something, probably something fool
ish that would have given me trouble
without saving him. A foolish mar
in a tight place is as foolish as ever
and Corey was a foolish man-only
fool commits crimes that put him II
the power Of others. The crimes o
the really big captains of industry ant
generals Of finance are Of the kind
that puts others in their power.
Buck up, Corey" said I. do you
think I'm the man to shut a friend il
the hold of a sinking ship? Tell me
who told you | was short on textile?'
zone of my men" he slowly replied
as he braced himself together.
which one? Who?' | persisted
For / wanted to know just how IA
the news was likely to spread.
He seemed to be thinking out a lie
THE truth" | commanded. "
know 1t couldn't have been one o