The bee., 1914-02-27

David Brown, doing on one end of the dark
station platform Strengthened up and listened
and listened as he had never listened before.
George White, Sr., President of the Clifton Bank,
was talking to young George, his son, and the
conversation was Of vital importance to David
Brown. The night train, due at nine forty-hve,
was late and he had sat down the edge of
the platform and, as it after his usual bed
time, had gone to sleep His slumber had been
rudely disturbed by the low tones of the conver-
sation of the father and son, who, unconscious of
his presence had disclosed to him a startling
condition of affairs. The Clifton National Bank
was regarded as the soundest financial institution,
not only in the county, but in that section. The
Whites father and son, for forty years had been
its officers, and largest owners during all that
time. Its present president was not popular
in the community, for he cose-hsted
and hard-hearted to a degree He had foreclosed
many farm mortgage when little clemency
might have saved the farmer his home and in
many cases he had bought up these farms him
self
The very qualities however. that had rem
iered him unpopular caused him to be regarded
as safe man to handle funds, so Dave Brown
and "The" Jessup had placed in his bank, more
than a month ago, some 100000 with which
to conduct their operations in tobacco. Dave
Brown was not only good farmer, comfortably
we'll off, but he known far and wide for his
knowledge of tobacco, and "The" Jessup, also
an expert in that line and wealthy man, had
joined hands with Dave for several years past in
buying up tobacco, the financial results of which
were most satisfactory
Dave Brown had been in town all day and had
gone to the station to take the train for his home
some sixteen miles away. The Whites, father
and son, stood only few feet from him, and he
could hear plainly their conversation
"Your progressive banking idea has had the
result which | feared it would, George" said
the father, when you made that deal in the rail
road contract"
But, father, the profit seemed to be too great
to turn down, and / thought / had safeguarded
il in every way"
"Yes, but you overlooked one of the most vital
conditions in a deal of that kind, and that was
the moral character of the contractor. When
you reach the city, consult with the best attor-
ney that you get, and tie up any remaining
or prospective funds that may be due McFall,
then get hold of McFall and tell him he must
make good as he agreed to do when you ad-
vanced him the money or that you will put
the screws on him. You know that Dave Brown
is liable to draw against his account at an, time.
and we have hardly one-fourth enough cash
hand to meet that.
The noise of the approaching train prevented
Dave Brown from hearing any more, but he
had certainly heard enough to set him thinking,
and he pondered over the situation all the way
home There was FIVE thousand dollars of his
own money and thirty-fve thousand dollars of
Jessup's involved, the loss of which would hurt
him very much, and, although Jessup was con-
sidered a wealthy man, he knew that it would
strain his resources very greatly If he were to
lose his share of IL The urospects for making