Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-24

|Wallingford::
| In His Prime
] ., GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
! --T7rar
Copyright 1919. By the Bobbs-
Merrill CO.
BY GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
Copyright 1913. By the Bobbs-
Merrill Co.

CHAPTER XVII.
elaeI<is's Donations.
" IOU must have heard some SER
| mon," said Wallingford, smil-
ing.
There wasn't any sermon, -
denied Blackie. There was Just plain
talk from good, strong, white haired
man that I'd be proud to clink glasses
with any day. He had smile on him
that would make bulldog purr. He
,, was regular man, Jim; and before he
got through telling that congregation
what it had to do women were shedding
/ their diamonds and men were slipping
carfare into their fob pockets. They
| sent the subscription lists around four
times, and every time 1t didn't foot up
enough We heard from that preacher.
{! Why, Jim, he could make you put q
| red band ON your hat and pound Sal
walton Army drum. BY the way. put
you down for $1,000"
| You what?''
Zone thousand bones. You'd better
|! put it there than waste it on a bone
I, head waiter. You needn't look so fuss
| ed up about 1t either. didn't COM
promise your name. just signed you
up as "A Friend"
/ I'm glad you feel perfectly at home
with Friends money. Since you In
sisted on spending it, however, you
might just as well have used my name
SO could get the, benefit of it,. Why
didn't you?"
Because this is no place for fash.
only put myself down as A Lay
| Member"
did you donate tooY'
well, Jim, you could scarcely call It.
donation. / didn't have but that
s20O you gave me last night. felt
like a piker BY the way. while I
think of it, you'd better hand me that
$1,000 now before we spend 1t. I am
TO meet with the committee this after.
! noon at 81
make it plain to them this after
hoon," directed Wallingford. They
probably know it alrendy. When they
seem the surest Of that, you suggest
that II they'll be very quiet about It
you think you can dig up a plan by
which they can buy that property for
less than 100000"
Mr.. Collop, man with perpetually
upturned nose, who wore both hands
/ In his coat pockets when he walked
and in his trousers pockets when he
stood still; Mr.. Tunnison. a particularly
bony faced man with squinty blue
eyes: Mr.. Peal, whose face was hidden
when he opened his mouth. and Char
ley Jackson, all busy city and county
lawmakers and guardians of the pub
lie welfare, were guests Of Spender
Wallingford that afternoon. For one
hour they talked and laughed and told
funny stories and admired Walling-
ford's prodigal hospitality. Suddenly
IN the midst Of laugh Wallingf0rd
leaned forward and said:
Now. gentlemen, let's talk turkey.
If you want me to stay here and bid in
Courthouse square next Saturday I'll
do 1t and do no other business here. II
you don't, say so, and I'll look after my
own affairs. This town has to pay me
for stopping OF here. and I'd just as
lief you'd do 1t as anybody"
"Of course it would never do for US
to give you a check that you could in
dorse over to the county in our pres
ence." suggested Mr.. Peal.
Scarcely" returned Wallingford
with smile, but looking at the kissing
glances Of the gentlemen rather than
! into their eyes, which was not COM
/ Portable sign. you would have to give
me the $4,000 in currency, which
would then deposit in any local bank
you might select. Against that deposit
would draw my certified check In
favor Of the county for 100000 and
would accompany my bid with that
certified check, % required by your well
I tanned county commission. It's all very
simple, gentlemen"
| If he had tried to be nonchalant and
indifferent he was failing miserably,
for there was a distinct note OF eager
ness in his tone. They all noticed it.
! YES" admitted Mr.. Collop. II sup
pose we could go right with you to the
bank and watch you deposit our money
and get your certified check"
II don't think I'd like that" objected
Wallingford Il should not care to be
guarded as r. were thief. II you
propose to humiliate me by this sur
veillance shall withdraw from the
project entirely" Is.
They did not like that. No reliable
person In thescity would lend his name
to deliberate steal Of such magnitude.
Eve don't question your integrity.
Wallingford, chastity interposed Char
ley jackson, who was distressed be-
tween shielding his own interests and
protecting the feelings Of the man who
had given him valuable thousand dol
lars. You see, we merely don't know
you. Why couldn't you make it all
right by giving us some good refer
ences or guarantorsy'
Gentlemen. this style of humiliation
has gone quite far enough" asserted
Mr.. Wallingford, with sudden fiare Of
indignation II have permitted you to
tnsinuate against my honesty and to
insult every finer feeling that have,
and Ill for . possible paltry $4,000
Gentlemen, I positively decline to
allow you to trust me with your
money. II Ispurchase the county court