The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-21

Tom, his old colored man, over to the
Ninth National with a note asking
President Winters to call during the
afternoon.
At o'clock the old banker came in.
looking puzzled and perturbed. Potter
noted that the bank presidents Gus
tcmary manner of professional dignity
failed to entirely cover certain fur
tive restraint which showed itself in
his eyes and in the nervous twitching
of the muscles about his mouth.
/ Your note was trifie unusual, Mr..
Potter" Mr.. Winters began.
Yes" answered Peter Potter, cool
~ so was my reason for sending il.
Please sit down.
MIR. Winters sat down uncertainty on
the edge of a chair, and proceeded to
nervously stroke his short, white card
Il called you over here" the Priva-
teer went on, ito ask how much of the
funds of the Ninth National bank you
have. invested in backing the Fuller
wheat corner?"
wi hat Go you mean by asking me such
a question:" he asked, holly.
Mr. Winters" Potter went on
speaking in a level tone of voice, 'T
know that you are involved in that
wheat deal. 1 know that you have used
the funds of the bank
The banker grew angry, clustered,
threatened, finally broke down and
pleaded pitifuily for mercy. Within an
hour Potter knew that the bank was
/ involved to the extent of half million
dollars.
by noon Tomorrow" he said finally,
! Il shall make arrangements to replace
the money you have taken from the
bank. And 1 shall take the manage
ment of the wheat deal entirely off
your hands"
The old banker looked at him incred-
ulously. "Why-what reason" he
stammered.
Il don't want to see your daughter
forced TO marry young Ike Weaver"
broke in Peter Potter. That's one rea-
SON."
Mr.. Winters face flushed fiery red.
That's private matter" he said with
a pitiful attempt at his old dignity.
mo, Winters" replied the Privateer.
1.-THE trouble is that you're afraid of
old Ike Wagner. I'm not afraid of him.
He can't prove anything on you, can
hep
NO" said the banker. hesitatingly.
! THAT is, he has no proof now. If the
securities are replaced he couldn't
They'll be ready before noon tomor-
row." Peter Potter interrupted. "We'H
call in the bank examiner in the after
moon. When he reports everything as
it should be, the old man will have no
further hold on you
"AstoniShment and relief shone in
Winters eyes. But what are you do
ing this for, Potter?" he asked.
81 want to collect the balance of a
debt that old Ike Wagner owes me-"
answered the Privateer. AT the same
time I'll be paying a debt that I've
been owing for more than twenty
years"
That evening Peter Potter told Billy
Maginn in a general way what he had
done. your future father-in-law got
badly mixed up in a business deal,' he
said. 1T isn't necessary to go into de-
tails, but certain important financial
interests got the old man into a corner
and threatened to ruin him. Margaret
was trying to help her father. I've
fixed things so that It won't be neces-
sary for her to do anything further. In
fact, if you should go over to the house
about Friday evening I expect you'd
find somebody glad to see you"
The boy sprang up, his whole face
shining with joy and gratitude. You
mean it's all right again, Mr.. Potter?"
he burst out.
It'll be all right again by Friday
night, Billy" answered the Privateer.
w nat can ever DO Tor your?
Come around and see me again Fri
day night, after you've seen Margaret.
And don't ask the girl too many ques-
tions. Take my word for 1t that every
things all right"
Next morning Peter Potter took a big
bundle of securities over to the Ninth
National bank. At the same time he
assumed in his own name and those of
his associates all the contracts for
wheat already bought on margins by
Winters and the others interested in
the Fuller wheat deal. That afternoon
the national bank examiner went to
work on the books of the bank. He
found everything intact. Old man Wag-
Friday morning and rushed over to the
bank to see Winters. He was received
with icy formality. Relieved of the
awful fear which had crushed him,
Winters went now to the other ex-
IRENE. He defied Wagner to do his
worst, and family ordered him out of
his Office. Wagner, on whose tough
hide a tongue-lashing made no impress
sion, went out quietly. He realized
that he had no proof Of embezzlement
against Winters He was certain that
the banker must have secured assist
ance at the last minute and made good
his shortage. But the contemptuous
scorn with which Winters had dis
missed his allusion to the desired mar
riase of his son ranked like a fresh
burn. He determined to turn all his
vast resources to the business OF break |