The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-08-18
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CHAPTER XII.-(Continued. J

iOu Dcdt lOu lhc
est idea who the other shareholders are;
the company is thoroughly rotten in all
its past history, and here you 60 plung-
ing into it up to your eyes. And they
say you're the most conservative banker
on the river"
Il guess you don't have to get me out
of many scrapes," said Porter.
"When's the annual meeting?" asked
Fenton.
ITS day after Tomorrow close call
hut I'll make it all right
"Mr. Porter, l want you to remember
that l haven't given you any advice at
all in this matter. It's an extra hazard
GUS thing that you're doing. Now, don't
know anything definitely about it, but
I've got the impression that Margrave's
paralleling your lines in this business"
"Where'd you get that?'
"It's this way" said Fenton, in his
quietest tones. "a Baltimore lawyer that
know wrote me a letter asking me
about Margrave's responsibility. 1t seems
that my friend has client who owns
that stock went to Baltimore and Phi'a-
delphia, you may remember. l assume
that Margrave is after it."
"Wire your friend right away not to
sell !" shouted Porter, pounding the table
with his fist.
81 did that this morning, and here's his
answer. l got 1t just before you came
in. Margrave evidently got anxious and
wired them to send certificates with draft
through the Drovers' National. They're
probably on the way now." He passed
the telegram across to Porter, who put
on his glasses and read 1t.
"Now," continued Fenton, II don't
know just what this means, but 1t looks
to me as if Margrave was hot on the
track of the trolley company himself; and
Tim Margrave isn't a particularly pleas
ant fellow to go into business with, Is
he?"
"But the bondholders would still have
their chance, wouldn't they, even If he got
majority of the stock"
"Well, you haven't any bonds, have
you? First thing know you'll be telling
me that you've got a few barrels OF
them," he added jokingly. He could not
help laughing at Porter.
"My dear boy, I've got every blamed
bond ~
Fenton sat gazing at him In stupefied
wonder He walked around the table and
put his hand on Porters shoulder. lie
was trying to keep from laughing, like a
parent who is about to rebuke child
and yet laughs at the cause of its Of
fense. Porter evidently thought that he
hriUht thing
"As | understand you, you have bought
all of the bonds and half Of the stock"
about half. I'm little-just little
short"
"Will YOU kindly tell me what you
wanted with the stock IL you had the
| bonds?"
"Well, / figured it this way, that the
franchise was worth the price l had to
pay for the whole thing, and II | had the
stock control I'd save the fuss of foreclos
ing. You lawyers always make lot OF
rumpus about those things, and receiv'
ership would prejudice the Eastern mar
ket when / come to reorganize and sell
out"
Fenton lay back in his chair and
laughed, while Porter looked at him lit
tie defiantly, with his hat tipped over hi:
eyes.
YOU'D better finish your job and max,
sure of your majority said Fenton.> His
rage was rising now and he did not urge
Porter to remain when the banker go
up to do. He was not at all anxious tC
defend a franchise which the local courts
always sensitive to public sentiment
might set aside.
"I'll see you in the morning firs
thing" said Porter at the door, which
Fenton opened for him. II want you tc
90 to the meeting with me and we'll neet
day to get ready"
| The lawyer watched his client wall
toward the elevator. 1t occurred to hin
that Porters step was losing its elastic
ity. While the banker waited for the ele
vator he leaned wearily against the wir'
screen of the shaft.
| Fenton then sat down with a copy o.
the charter of the Clarkson Traction
Company before him, and spent the re
mainder of the day studying 1t. He hat
troubled much over Porter's secretiv,
WAYS, and had labored to shatter the dan
rerous conceit which had gradually growr
up in his client. Porter had, in fact, {
contempt for lawyers, though he leanet
on Fenton more than he would admit
Fenton, on the other hand, was constant
ly fearful lest his client should undo him
self by his secretive methods. He hat
difficulty in getting all the facts out O.
him even when they were imperatively re
quired.
| The next morning Fenton was at hi
Office early and sent his boy at once t.
ask Mr.. Porter to come up. The boy re
ported that Mr.. Porter had not been a
the bank. Fenton went down himself a
10 o'clock and found the presidents desl
closed.
"Where's the bossT he demanded.
Wont be down this morning." sait
Wheaton. Miss Porter telephoned tina
he wasn't feeling well, but he expected t,
be down after luncheon"
CHAPTER XIII.
Porter's illness was proclaimed In tn
first editions of the afternoon papers
which Wheaton saw at his desk. New
gains force by publication, and when h