The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-06-14

hNtNNi. hthdlh face gave evidence OF q
mental struggle lie was an .idcgty MAJ
collar. The ft.tds matie to ana the incou.
s%pielous braided cord that served no .
watch chain. al! suesesicd the Nuhstau-
tiai merchant OF i past generation. ii,
Inquired for the collector FIRST, but flndini
that official absent. turned TO the chief Ia,
epector OF customs.
"Mr Barnes.' he said, speaking in {
half whihpor, do | understand that you
are the direct representative of the sccrc
tary OF We treasury at this port"
Hardly smiled the chief. Although
] have been nonored with special missions
by that member OF the cabinet"
Your exact designation Is not material,
hastily remarked the visitor. you vii
probably serve my purpose better than II
4 were to see the collector. came on
grave business, and ] wish, so far as It Is
possible. that my personality shall remain
in the background.
Barnes nodded.
You have" said the elderly gentleman
now speaking very slowly and with sr~ai
deliberations, "a special depository in the
United States treasury popularity known
as the conscience fund"
Yes" assented the chief. there is such
a thing in the department at Washing
Now" continued the other. eff a sum
of money We're left here for the conscience
fund it would be sent to Washington, but
would be credited to this port. DO l state
the case correctly"
You do said Barnes. politely.
Inc visitor. apparently satisfied, unbut-
toned his sack coat with great care, and
thrustins his right hand in the inside
pocket of the garment. drew forth n long
red wallet. He opened this cautiously and
pulled out a little pile of bank notes.
Barnes noted that The first one WAS for a
thousand dollars. and the discovery inten-
sifled his interest in the curious looking
man before him. What was the meaning
OF ii all? What was the fellow driving at:
While he was revolving these questions IN
his mind he was aroused by the voice of
his visitor rs he counted out the money.
"One. two, three, four. five, six-thats
six thousand dollars. 4 believe"
The official the money and
nodded his head in assent.
'One, two, three, four: four hundred
that makes siNty-four hundred dollars"
Yes" said Barnes, arousins himself;
that is the amount Of money who have
here"
'Now," said the elderly man with a re-
lieved sigh, IF you will kindly give me a
receipt for that money Ill not trouble you
any further"
whats it for?" came the astorislhed
query.
II said it was for the conscience found
snapped the stranger with a show of i'm
patience.
so You did" agreed the chief in tho
tone one uses in speaking to = spoiled
child. TO whose name sllill L make out
this receipt?"
Not to any name.' hastily exclaimed
the visitor. IL wish it TO he anonymous.
l came in person because a check was i'm
possible and ! did not care TO trust the
money to the mails"
quite so; quite So" said Barnes. IF
It's agreeable l shall make out a paper
saying simply that this sun of money has
been received from the bearer, TO be cred
lied 10 the sconscience FUND"
That's entirely satisfactory" was the
brisk response.
After that continued the chief. "if
you watch the Associated Press dispatches
from Washington YOU will see it publicly
acknowledged. The secretary of the
treasury makes it a point to give these
to the newspapers. 1t serves a double pur-
pose; it's a public receipt for the money
and the publication frequently has the Of
lect OF lflcklns some other tender con-
sciences and bringing iii more money!
Nothing could be more businesslike."
said the stranger, putting the receipt in
his pocket and bowling very low. Il have
the honor to wish YOU a very good day.
Barnes sat at the desk and eazed after
tho departing visitor in stunning silence.
"Nhew! he presently ~so!iloqulzed. chats
the biggest haul the conscience net has
made in many a long day"
The collector of customs came il, iater
and when he learned of tho mysterious
visit and its rich result he was as much
amazed as the chief Inspector. The first
act of the two officials vas to relieve
themselves OF tine responsibility of the
Sb,lCo. The money was promptly deposit
ed in the suh-trcasllry and the receipt for
the amount itDmIIiltply ,,,ailpI -, ,l,a
secretary of the treasury. with a ~self-ex-
PLANTATION letter.
After that Barnes had time &c dwell on
the Incident. Indeed, he found himself an
able 10 throw it off his mind. 1t occurred
to him that his visitor, while outwardly
calm, was really very much agitated.
There was a familiarity about his face
that haunted the chief Inspector. He
knew it as Wei as nc knew his own, and
yet for the life of him he could not PLACE
the man. As he was leaving the custom
house 10 go to the wharf he almost ran
into the arms of Office CLANCY.
We'll" said the irrepressib!c one. what
did the old fellow WANT"
The OLD cilow" he echoed ,nncon-
ingly.
Yes; old Nolco.to"
The name a~rted across Barnes mind
like q flash of lightning. His visitor was
John Wolcctt. of Wolcott 4 Co, the big
800 i iic liolSc WIS one Oh the old
est III the city: in fact, it bcasted that it
was founded by the grandfather of the
presen. head of the firm. The company
consisted OF Austin Gates, a clever Young
ie!'o", a 1,lotege of old Wolcott, who had
been taken into partnership the year pre-
Nlous. Next TO its age the firm was noted
for Its strict integrity. The chief knew
TINS. and he was puzzled to reconcile tho
reputation of the house with the action
Oh the senior partner in paying conscience
money to the government. lie was turn
Ing this thought over in his mind when he
was aroused bS the voice of the insistent
Clancy.
We'll. when you set through dreaming
1 nope you'll pay some attention to me.
why. What Is 1t you want
Want? ] don't want anything. ! asked
you what old Wolcott wantea.''
OH said the chief. suddenly ren,em-
oerlns. Ihat was a private matter
I'll M shifted the assistant. in an un-
dcrtcne. You're getting very mys;cri-
Gus.
Barnes heard. hut lot the implication go
unanswered. His mind was so preoccupied
with tho peculiar incident that he had lit
tie time to think of anything else. He car
RED the thought of the thing home with
him n nd aN.cn .lf-.r NO ;,,J ,,o,.. a.. ~, ~.