Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-07-12
| THE
| DELUGE|
By
DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS
Author Of The Cost. The Plum Tree.
The Social Secretary, etc.
By
DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS

CHAPTER xvI.-continued.

CHAPTER xvI.-Continued
II owe lot to you, Matt" he plead
ed 'But I've done you a great many
favors, haven't l?'
That you have. Bob" cordially
agreed. But this isn't favor. It's
business"
You mustn't ask it, Blackjack" he
cried I've loaned you more money
now than the law allows. And can't
let you have any more"
Some one has been lying to you,
and you've been believing him." said
l. when | say my request isn't
favor, but business. | mean it"
81 can't let you have any more he
repeated Il can't" And down came
his fist in weak-violent gesture.
| leaned forward and laid my hand
strongly on his arm.
"In addition to the stock of this con-
Germ that | hold in my own name,
said !, Il hold five shares in the name
of man whom nobody knows that
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. / 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 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,
and shivered every now and then. He
made no reply.
Presently shook his arm inpatient
1y. His eyes met mine. and | fixed
them.
I'm going to pull through said |.
But if | 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 | took from you
when | saved you as you were going
down with the rest in the Dumont
smash. My word-that's all. | Dor
row on the same terms you've given
me before, the same you're giving four
of your heaviest borrowers right now"
He WINGED as | thus reminded him
how minute my knowledge was OF the
workings of his bank.
81 didn't think this of you, Matt,
he whined. Il believed you above
such hold-up methods"
81 suit my methods to the men I'm
dealing with" was my answer. These
fellows are trying to push me on the
life raft | fight with every weapon
can lay hands on. And know as well
as you do that, if you get into serious
trouble through this loan, at least nve
men we could both name would have
to step in and save the bank and cover
nm the scandal You'll blackmail
them. Just as you've blackmailed them
before. and they you. Blackmall
legitimate part of the game NOBODY
appreciates that better than you. IL
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 re-
signed, hopeless look.
laughed. III feel easier if take
n now replied. wen fix up the
notes and checks at once
He Redeemed, but after brief hesi-
tation busted himself. When the
naners we're all made up and signed,
and 7 had the certified checks IN my
pocket. said: Wait here. Bob, IN
til the National Industrial people call
YOU up. I'll ask them to do it, so they
can get your personal assurance that
eyerythings all right And III stop
there until they tell me they've talked
with you
"But it's too late" he said. You
can't deposit today