The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-01-03

whlte-haired or prematurely bal
heads. and grave, respectable faces
they look digniied and substantial, an
the soul of uprtghtnesS, they coin thei
looks into good salaries by sellin
themselves as covers for operations c
the financiers. And how those opera
tions, in h nude. as it were. woul
ferrify the plodders that saw up an,
deposit or invest the money tn. tinan
ciers gamble with on the big green ia
blesl
Presently 1 shook his arm impatient
sy. His eyes met mine, and l fxet
them.
Tn going to pull through" said
but If l weren't I'd see to it that YOU
were protected. Come, what's YOU
answer? Friend or traitor?"
Cant you give me any security
n collateral?'
No more han | o. from you wl1er
I saved YOU as you We're going down
with the rest in the Dulnont smash. My
word-that's all. 1 borrowed on the
came terms you've given me before, the
same you're giving four of your heav-
Fest 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
holdup methods"
II suit my methods to the men I'm
dealing with" was my answer. These
Fellows are trying to push me off the
life raft. l fight with every weapon
L can lay hands On. And l know as
well as you do that, If you get into
serious trouble through this loan, at
least five men we could 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 hnfora and thaU xynt P1nnlf-
malls a legitimate part of the
ganne. Nobody appreciates that bet
ter than you" 1t was no time for the
SNUG hypocrisies under which we peo-
pie down town usually conduct our
business-just as the desperadoes used
to patrol the highways disguised as
peaceful merchants.
Send round in the morning and get
the money" said he, putting on a re-
signed. hopeless look.
l laughed. TN feel easier if I take it
now, I replied. Wen fix up the notes
n checks at once"
He Redeemed. but after a brief heal-
busted himself. When the papers
were all mad up and signed, and / had
The certified checks in my pocket, I
said: Wait here. Bob, until the Ma
Eional Industrial people call you up.
XII ask them to do it, so they IAN get
your personal assurance hat every
Things all right. And I'll stop there
they tell me they've talked with
you"
But it's too late" he said. You
deposit today"
I've a special arrangement with
I replied.
Ills face betrayed him. I saw that at
stage of that proceeding had 1 been
wiser than in shutting off his last
chance to evade. What scheme he had
N mind | don't know. and can't
imagine. But he had thought out some
thing, probably something foolish that
would have given me trouble without
saving him. A foolish man in a tight
is as foolish as ever, and Corey
i fooiish i5ail-oniy d fool commits
crimes that put him in the power of
others. The crimes Of the really big
of industry and generals Of
finance are of the kind that puts others
n their power.
Buck up, Corey" said I. do you
I'm the man to shut a friend in
:he hold OF a sinking ship? Tell me,
Who told you I was short on Textilep"
.One of my men, he slowly replied.
- ne braced himself together.
Which one? Who?" I persisted.
Tor I wanted to know just how far
news was likely to spread.
he seemed to be thinking out a lie.
The truth" ! commanded. IT know
Sla .iaVe NUsH olie OF your men.
Who was it? III not give 1t away.0
aid. ~
{ checked an exclamation Of amaze 8
aent. 1 had been assuming that ] had 7
cen betrayed by some one OF those
my that SO often throw +
ne best plans into confusion, S
Langdon," / said satiricalIv v
II was he that warned you against
1t was a friendly act" said Corey. v
lie and I are very intimate. And he
oesnft know how close you and / are. d
saggested that Q call my loans, X
10 he??" / went on. b
You mustn't blame him, Blackjack. Z
.atIv you mustn't" said Corey earnest T
{ Tor he was a pretty good friend to
rose ne liked, as friendship goes in e
lance lie happened to hear. You A
low the Langduns keep s;hss 5 vat. fS,Ii4 3
! operations IN their stock. And he h
rop53ed IN TO warn me as a friend. "
~ 60 the same thing in the same a
reuisssaaees. He didn't say 4 word h
my calling your loans. Ito he n
81 instantly thought Of it myself. Il
intended to do it when Won came I
"a sieklsv snaiie-Ayou anticipated a
) understand. said i good hunaored- I
4 don't blame him." And / didn't
After I had completed NV business
life National Industrial, I went back II
4 my Office Inc gathered about the s.
rsans OF my web of defense. Then I o
lu,e ana sent out to all my hswspa- 9
81 ana all my agents d broadside q
.aIlsl the management OF the Textile
usa-lt Would be published In the g
the Stock Exchange. Before the nrsi
lOtation OF Textile conii IA nnoaa