Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-12-03

4 w uot 10 IL. MI. niSUy
Il merely wanted to ask II you have
suficient time to let me dictate a few
short letters that ought to 60 out to-
day" said Bobby sarcastically. And
.ncn auueu WIN mock apology: "Don't
move. Mr.. Deever. II you're not in
Miss Keating's way. you're certainly
not in mine"
"a great josherr' that young woman
was heard to comment admiringly.
/ you may wake up some morning to
find that I'm not" said Bobby soberly.
/ Whereupon Miss Heating rose and
strobe to the other end OF the room and
took her place beside Bobby's desk.
! Bobby dictated half dozen incense
quential letters before coming to the
one which troubled him most. For
many minutes he stared refectively at
the typewriter message from New
York. Miss Heating frowned severely
and tapped her little foot somewhat
impatiently on the floor But Bobby
would not be hurried. His reflections
were too serious. This letter from
New York had come with force suf-
J ficient to drive out even the indignant
thoughts concerning one Miss Clegg.
For the life Of him Bobby Rigby could
not Immediately frame a reply to the
startling missive. Eddie Deever stirred
restlessly on the window ledge.
Don't hurry, Eddiev' called Miss
Heating distinctly and insinuatingly.
"Oh, guess I'll be goingr' he called
back, beginning to roll cigarette. 81
have some reading to do today" Mr..
Deever was tall, awkward and homely
and lot of other things that would
have discouraged less self satisfied
4 'lady'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, Eddie"
asked Miss Heating, complacently ey-
ing Mr.. Rigby. .Rafiesr"
Law, you idiotv' said Eddie scorn-
fully, going out of the door.
"Oh! Well. the law is never in a
hurry, don't you know? It's Ike JUS
tice-the slowest thing in town. she
called after him as his footsteps died
away.
"ReadyY said Bobby, resoiutely.
''Take this, please" And slowly and
carefully he proceeded 20 dictate:
Mr. Denis Harbert, New York:
Dear Denis-I cannot tell you how much
your letter surprised me. What you say
seems preposterous. There must be
mistake. 1t cannot be this man. l know
/ him quite we'll and he seems as straight
as string and gentleman too. His son
you know as well as l. There isn't bet
ter fellow In the world. Mr.. b. has a
fairly good business here. His transac-
tions open and aboveboard. I'm sure
have never heard a word said against
him or his methods You are mistaken;
that's all there is about 1t.
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 l can find nothing dis
/ creditable in his dealings here.
| Keep me posted on everything. AS ever,
yours.
Miss Keatings anxiety was aroused.
After very long silence she took the
reins into her own hands. els Mr..
Briggs in troubler she asked at ven-
ture. Mr.. Briggs was the only client
she could think Of whose name began
with a B.
Briggs2 What Briggs" asked Bob
by, relighting his pipe for the fourth
time.
why, our Mr.. Briggs" answered
Miss Heating CURLY.
"Pm sure l don't know, Miss Keat-
ing. Has he been around latelyY
II thought you were referring to him
In that letter." she said succinctly.
"Oh, dear me, no; another party al
together. Miss Heating. Isn't the type
writer In working order this morn
mgr he asked, eying her machine In
nocently. She shifted and started to
reply. but thought better Of It Then
she began pounding the keys briskly.
ut works like q charm" she shot
back genially.
The letter that caused Bobby such
perturbation came In the morning mail.
His friend had laid bare some Of the
| old stories concerning James Banse-
mer and cautioned him not to become
involved In transactions with the for
mer New Yorka. Harbert's state
he seemed to know his case thoroughly
well While the charges as they came
to Rigby were general. Harbert had
said that he was quite ready to be spe-
cifc.
All day long the letter hung like q
cloud over young Mr.. Rigby. He was
to have lunched with Graydon and was
much relieved when young Bansemer
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 he
knew none Of the inside facts. Gray
don's father was pretty much Of q
scalawag. to say the least. He was
not well acquainted with the lawyer.
but he now recalled that be never had
liked the man. Bansemer had impress
ed him from the beginning a. heart
less. designing. utterly unlike his clean
hearted SON.
Bobby loved Graydon Bansemer In
| the way that one man loves q true
friend He was certain that the SON
knew nothing Of those shady transac-
tions-f they really existed a. Harbert
!. painted them-but On exposure Of the
father would be blow from which hs
could not recover.
! It came at last to Rigby that 10 Was
not the enif one n Chicago wAs hsld