The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-05-09

would state the lowest sum he would
take in settlement his claim would be
considered.
When the stranger read this be was
sitting on the porch and Jennie was
attending him. He smiled. and Jennie
asked him at what be was smiling.
Il will name a very low sum = the
amount you propose to lend me to IT.,
the case. After that ! shall bear nnth-
ing more from the auditor"
why not?"
because his object 10 to induce me-
to name a sum that I will accept for
my claim. He will Ole my reply. and
II the case eve ome to trial he will
show It as evidence that $500 was all
had asked in settlement"
How do you know 50 much about
these matters?"
kindly give me writing materials"
replied the stranger without answering
her question. land l will prove to you
that | am right"
He wrote a letter Offering to accept
$500 in settlement for his claims. ask
ing an immediate reply since ne was
about to leave the place from which
his offer was made. Though be re-
manned there two weeks longer. no an
swer came.
II wonder how in the wide world
you knew all that?" remarked Jennie.
But the stranger did not in.
clined to explain things. When he
was strong enough he went away. Civ
ing heartfelt thanks to oil his bene-
factors and bidding Jennie q tender
goodby.
Now. remember" he said at parting
with her. III | send to you for that
5000 you won't 60 back on me. will
youy"
But didn't that offer you made spoil
1t alp she asked.
YES: it Worked in that way. but
there are other ways"
Jennie's confidence in this young
man. who seemed to know so much
about railroad methods. was perfect.
and she promised to send the money
when called for. Then the stranger
went away. and they heard no more OF
him for months. Spring passed into
summer. and the early autumn came.
Then Jennie received a letter from
the stranger. saying that he was using
her legacy without really having 1t in
his possession. He explained that he
was doing It on the credit system.
which made It just as valuable to him
as cash. This was all Greek to Jen-
ME, but she remembered how he had
foretold what the auditor Of the rail-
road would do. and she wrote back
that 1t was all right. She was glad he
was getting the benefit OF her money
and hoped he would make the railroad
company pay at least his doctors bill.
During the summer the stock Of the
said company began to go up and
down. sometimes jumping FIVE points
at a time. then sinking ten points
Sometimes it would remain at a fixed
price for weeks. then gradually settle.
Within a few months. passing through
these changes. it sank from par to half
that value. Everybody wondered what
was going on behind the scenes" to
CAUSE SUCu uuSSuoI 1OuS - 0OSu ~
cession Of price. But nobody seemed
to know. After awhile it began to
rise and went back to par.
When the annual meeting of b di.
rectors came around an unknown man
walked into the room where 1t was
held and showed certificates to the
amount of So per cent Of the capital
stock. he presented the names Of a
new board and. holding q majority of
the stock. elected every n Of them.
Most Of his votes were by proxy.
"You are asked the astonished
president Of the man who held them.
Il am vice president of the R.. T. and
g. line. on the Pacific Last
spring I came east OF business for my
road. I was robbed Of my pocketbook
on entering q train on your road and.
ha wing neither money o tickets. was
put OF In q storm by your conductor.
! contracted pneumonia and came very
near dying. Subsequently ! offered to
accept $500 for my claim against your
company. but no reply was made to
my offer. On my recovery made a
study of your road and formed a plan
to unite 1t with its feeder. ! interest
ed my hackers on the Pacific coast and
| obtained from them the necessary
financial equipment. As chairman OF
the new board l call upon the officers
Of the company for their designations"
Not a person present had ever heard
of the $500 claim for damage< The
president said that II he had known
Of 1t be would gladly have settled the
claim. paying a Just amount The
chairman Of the new board said be
was glad the president did not know
Of It. since the Investment under the
new scheme promised to be a very
profitable one.
A few days after these developments
Jennie Livermore saw the stranger
coming up the walk. She ran out to
meet him.
"T've won my suit against the rail-
road company" be said.
lyon don't mean itv'
Yes. and must pay you for the