Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-05-21

|.

Wen, sir, they say IN crooked J!
William Porter, president of the Clark
son National Bank, tipped back his swivel
chair and watched the effect of his dec
laration on the young man who sat talk
ing to him.
That's said of every successful man
nowadays, isn't ity' asked John Saxton.
"They say I'm crooked, repeated Por-
ter, with u narrowing of the eyes, but
they don't say it very loud, and l guess
they don't any of them want to nave to
prove it. I'm afraid those Boston friends
of yours have given us up as a bad lot,
and they've sent yon out here TO get their
money. and l don't blame them. Well,
sir: hat moneys got to come out in
time, but it's going to take time and
money to get it."
II believe they sent me because I had
plenty of time" said Saxton, smiling.
well. we want to you you win out"
returned Porter. And now what can l
do to start you off? | warn you solemn
" against the hotels in this town; but
we've got a fairly decent club up here,
and you'd better stay there till you get
acquainted. Just look over the papers
till l get rid of these letters and III be
free
Porter turned to his desk. There was
an air of great alertness in his small,
lean figure as he pushed buttons to sum-
mon various members of the clerical force
and rapidly dictated terse kilograms and
letters to a stenographer. Saxton was
impressed by the bankers perfect conf
dence and ease.
John Saxton had been sent to Clark son
by the Neponset Trust Company of Bos-
ton to represent the interests of a croup
of clients who had made rash investments
in several of the Trans-Missouri States.
Foreclosure had, in many instances, re-
suited in the transfer to themselves of
much town and ranch property which
was. in the conditions existing in the
early '9Os, an exceedingly slow asset. 1t
was necessary hat some one on the
ground should care for these interests.
The Clarkson National Bank had been
exercising a general supervision, but, as
one of the investors told his fellow suf-
ferers in Boston, they should have an
agent whom they could call home and
abuse. and here was Saxton, a conscien-
tious and steady fellow. who had some
knowledge of the country, and who, more
over, needed something to do. Saxton's
acquaintance with the West had been
gained by a bitter experience of ranching
in Wyoming. A blizzard had DESTROYED
his cattle, and the subsequent depression
in land values in the neighborhood of his
ranch had left him encountered with a
property for which there was no market.
His friends had been correct in the as
sumption that he needed employment, and
| he was, moreover, glad of the cnance to
| get away from home, where the impress
| sion was making Roadway that he had
| failed at something in the vague, non.
interest-payinS West.
Now" said Porter. presently, ~scrutin.
( izing a telegram carefully before signing
it, I'm take you up to the office we've
| been keeping for your people. and show
you what it looks like"
The room proved to be a small one at
the top of the building. On the ground.
glass door was inscribed .~The Interstate
Irrigation Company" The room con.
tanned a safe, a flat-top desk and a few
| chairs. Several maps hung on the wau,
/ engineers charts of ranch lands and irri
CATION bitches.
ut amt pretty" said Porter. critical.
II, shut il you don't like it you can move
when you get ready. The bank is your
landlord, and we don't charge you much
for it. You've doubtless got your inven'
tory Of stuff with you, and here in the
safe you'll find the accounts of these com
panies, copies of public records relating
10 them, and SO on. You're going ur
against a pretty tough proposition, young
man. You'll hear a hard losk story
wherever you 80 out here just now peo'
DE who owe your friends money will be
1igAty sorry they can't pay. Many q