Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-05-30

nounces It and invites subscriptions
AS | thus proposed that / be In &
jify caught up from the extremely
humble level of reputed bucket-shop
dealer into the highest heaven OF high
finance, that ] be made the official
spokesman OF the financial gods. his
expression was 20 ludicrous that l al.
most lost my gravity. l suspect. for q
moment he thought I had gone mad.
His manner, when he recovered him
self sufficiently to speak, was Ger.
tainly not unlike what 1t would have
been had he found himself alone be-
fore a dangerous lunatic who was
armed with a bomb.
"You know how anxious I am to
help you, to further your interests,
Matthew" said he wheedlingly. Il
know no man who has a brighter flu.
ture. But-not so fast, not so fast,
young man. OF course, you will ap
pear as one of the recognizing com
mittee-but we could not afford 10
have the announcement come through
any less strong and old established
house than the National Industrial
bank"
"At least, you a make me joint
announcer with them" | urged.
Perhaps yes possibly = we'll
see," said he soothingly. There is
plenty of time"
PLENTY of time" l assented, as II
quite content. II only wanted to put
the matter before you" And l arose
to go.
Have you heard the news OF textile
common" he asked.
YES" said l carelessly. Then, all
in an instant, a plan took shape in my
mind. Il W a good deal of the
stock, and l must say, l don't like
this raise"
"Why?" he inquired.
Because I'm sure it's a stock-job-
bling scheme" replied I boldly. Il
know the dividend wasn't earned. l
don't like that sort of thing, Mr.. Roe
buck. Not because it's unlawful-the
laws are SO clumsy that a practical
man often must disregard them. But
because it is tampering with the repu.
tation and the stability of a great en-.
terprise Cor the sake of a few millions
of dishonest profit. I'm surprised at
Langdon."
Il hope you're wrong, Matthew"
was Roebuck's only comment. He
nI1actiOuad mo M f,rthar opd 7 u,ont
away, confident that, when the crash
came in the morning, if comes it must,
there would be 40 more astonished
man in Wall street thap Henry ]. Roe
buck. How he must have laughed; or.
rather, would have laughed, il his sort
Of human hyena expressed its emo
lions in the human way.
From him, straight to my lawyers,
Whitehouse G Fisher, in the Mills
building.
Il want you to send for the news
paper reporters at once" said to
Fisher, land tell them that in my be-
half you are going to apply for an in
junction against the textile trust, for.
bidding them to take any further
steps toward that increase of divi.
dend. Tell them /, as a large stock.
holder, and representing a group of
large stockholders, purpose to stop
the paying Of unearned dividends"
Fisher knew how closely connected
my house and the textile trust had
been; but he showed, and probably
felt no establishment. He was too ex-
p~erienced in the ways of finance and
financiers. 1t was a matter Of in
difference to him whether | was trying
to assassinate my friend and ally, or
was feinting at Langdon, to lure the
public within reach so that we might,
together, fall upon 1t and make a
battue.
Not without some regret did | thus
arrange to attack my friend in his alb
sence. "till," l reasoned, his blum
der in trusting some leaky person
with his secret is the cause of my
portland I'll not have to justify my
self to him for trying to save myself"
What effect my injunction would have
| could not foresee. Certainly it could
not a v me from the loss OF my for.
tune; but, possibly, 1t might check the
upward course of the stock long
enough to enable me to snatch myself
from ruin, and to cling to firm ground
until the coal deal drew me up to
safety.
My next call was at the Interstate
Trust company. / found Corey wait
ing for me in a most uneasy state of
mind.
"Is there any truth in this story
about you?" was the question he
pumped at me.
What story?" said 1, and a hard
fight l had to keep my confusion and
alarm from the surface. For, appar-
emily, my secret was out.
"That you're on the wrong side of
the textile"
So it was out! Some truth" | ad.
mitted, since denial would have been
useless here. And I've come to you
for the money to tide me over"
He grew white, a sickly white, and
into his eyes came a horrible, drown
ing look.
ITO be Continued.)