The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-09-05

restlessly on the window ledge.
Don't hurry, EddieF' called Miss
Heating distinctly and insinuatingly.
"oh, l guess III be goingF' he called
back, beginning to roll a cigarette. u
have some reading to do today Mr.
Deever was tall, awkward and homely
and a lot Of other things that would
have discouraged a less self satisfied
'1ady's man" Judge Smith said he
was hopeless, but that he might do bet
ter after he was twenty-one.
"What are you reading now, EddieT
asked Miss Heating, complacently ey-
ing Mr.. Rigby, "'RaflesT"
Law, you idiotp' said Eddie scorn-
fully, going out of the door.
"oh! Well. the law is never in a
hurry, don't you know? It's like jus
tice-the slowest thing in town. she
called after him as his footsteps died
away.
Ready" said Bobby, r%esoiutely,
Take this, please" And slowly and
carefully he proceeded to dictate:
Mr.. Denis Harbert, New York:
Dear Denis-l cannot tell you how much
your letter surprised me. What you say
seems preposterous. There must be a
mistake. 1t cannot be this man. | know
him quite we'll, and he seems as straight
as a string and a gentleman too. His son
you know as well as 1. There isn't a bet
ter fellow in the world. Mr.. 3. has a
fairly good business here. His transac-
tons open and aboveboard. I'm sure ]
nave never heard a word said against
him or his methods. You are mistaken;
tt...1ss a., tthsioTo % @soat a.
You might investigate a little further
and, assuring yourself, do all In your
power to check such stories as you re-
late. OF course I'll do as you suggest
but I'm positive 1 can find nothing dis
creditable In his dealings here.
Keep me posted on everything. AS ever.
yours.
Miss Keating's anxiety was aroused.
After a very long silence she took the
reins into her own hands. ais Mr..
Briggs in troubleT" she asked at a ven
ture. Mr.. Briggs was the only client
she could think of whose name began
with a B.
Briggs? What Briggs?" asked Bob
by, rellghting his pipe for the fourth
time.
why, our Mr.. Briggs" answered
Miss Heating CURLY.
I'm sure l don't know, Miss Keat-
ing. Has he been around lately?"
Il thought you were referring to him
in that letter." she said succinctly.
ooh, dear me, no; another party III.
together, Miss Heating. Isn't the type
writer in working order this mcrn.
ing?" he asked, eying her machine In
nocently. She shifted and started tt
reply, but thought better of it. Then
she began pounding the keys briskly.
at works like a CHARM" she shot
back genially.
The letter that caused Bobby such
perturbation came in the morning mail
His friend had laid bare some of TIL
old stories concerning James Banse
mer and cautioned him not to become
involved In transactions with the for
mer New Yorker. Harbert's state
ments were positive In character, anC
he seemed to know his case thoroughly
well. While the charges as they came
to Rigby were general. Harbert haC
said that he was quite ready to be spe
cifc.
All day long the letter hung like q
cloud over young Mr.. Rigby. He wa;
J to have lunched with Graydon and was
much relieved when young Bansemel
telephoned that he could not join him
Rigby found himself in a very uncom
Portable position. If the stories from
New York were true, even though h,
knew none Of the inside facts. Gray
don's father was pretty much Of
scalawag, to say the least. he wal
not well acquainted with the lawyer
but he now recalled that he never hat
liked the man. Bansemer had impress
ed him from the beginning as heart
less. designing, utterly unlike his clear
hearted son.
Bobby loved Graydon Bansemer Ii
the way hat one mar loves a tru,
friend. He was certain that the sol
knew nothing Of those shady transac
tions-if they really existed as Harder
painted them-but an exposure Of tn,
father would be a blow from which b,
could not recover.
1t came at last to Rlgby that he wa
not the only one In Chicago who hell
the secret. Other members Of the ba
had been warned long before the new
anne to him, and 1t was morally Ger
tain that If the facts were as bad a
intlmated the police also were in pos
session Of them.
At the same time Rigby felt a ceT
tain moral responsibility involving him
self. Bansemer at any time might al
ply his methods to people who wer
near and dear to him. The new int
macy with the Cables came to Bobby
mind. And then there were Clege
Groll, the Semesons and others VIII
might easily fall into the snare /
James Bansemer set It for them.
Approaching his responsibility In tn
matter, now that he was prepared I
hear the worst Of James Bansemel
Rigby's heart stood almost stun. !
meant that some day he might have t
expose Croydon tansemers father.
meant that he might have to cruell