The Republican journal., 1914-05-07
CHAPTER XIV,
STOLEN BONDS. INvALIDS IN REUNION

An, MT. w cHuClls ! Woo eOON0 w
call you by phone. l am glad to see
Won. said Mr.. Bemis shaking hands, as
The former entered the bankers library.
GLOW are you, sir? hope you are in
hetter health than when last saw you, !"
greeted Wendell.
eyes. | am better, thank you. re-
piled Bemis, although shade of trouble
clouded his face. II have been to the
bank today for the first time since my
RECOVERY. | find business affairs gem
erallv in chaotic condition. l believe
nv financial institutions will go into the
hands of receivers or be forced into
bankruptcy"
tiers were so serious.
"Look at that pile of securities.
brought them here TO examine care1ully
at nv leisure, They are discounted notes
not due: stocks and bonds taken as col
lateral for loans, and mortgages and
deeds which we have been Obliged TO
take to prevent serious loss to the BANK.
81 suppose you can realize on them
sometime.
"Realize-sometime? Yes, sir; thirty
DAYS after eternity-not maturity. why,
Wendell. in view of the widespread des-
truction of property, this stuff is not t
worth fifty cents on the dollar. Halt OF
our debtors are ruined and the other hall
are diving or dead. You lawyers know
how distressing it is to force the poor
into greater poverty, and how dlffcult u
is to collect anything from dead men s
estates"
Eyes: gave up the study of law
awhile because l was asked to attach a
Door widows COW, almost her only source
of income. Joseph Miller's heirs have
never vet been able to collect from the
ALVIN estate the purchase money for the
Muck land. Old Allyn used to swear ana
say, when first came here, B" vas
nothing but frog pond with olo zoe
Miller croaking in the middle OF 1t.
That was more than hundred years
ago. Father used to laugh at MIN and
make him furiously mad.
"Ha, ha, ha! We have some similar
characters here"
II am surprised at what you tell me of
the destruction of property, personal and
real"
30. YOU lawyers will get busy now. l
wish to consult you about an important
business matter. You know Hambright,
l believe. Do you think him honest and
reliable?"
"Why do you ask me, when he is wee
president Of your bank? You should
know his character better than l do
"He was elected in spite of my efforts
against it by a few soreheads and the
Cornucopia crowd, and l have been oblg
ed to confer with and trust him IN I'M
portant bank affairs. He came to me
for permission to use the keys to our Sc
curity-boxes in order to examine some
bonds which we held as collateral. !
was too ill to 90 with him, and referred
him to the treasurer, friend of his,
who permitted him free access to the
vault.
81 went to the bark this morning and
had all of our collateral securities eX-
amined and checked off. We found one
hundred thousand Orc Sulphide bonds
missing, and we cannot find them any
where. They were worth par and may
be called any day. and l am much dis
tressed at the loss.
.sAnd you suspect-Hambright?'
81 cannot suspect the treasurer or his
gether, but Hambright was permitted
unaccompanied to rummage in the vault.
Every employee is afraid of him, or in
his deals.'
els this case for Pinkerton?''
perhaps, but l have kept quiet for
fear the news might cause a run on the
bank, or the owners might try to pay
their loans and lift the bonds, which we
could not deliver. | have, however, sent
confidential letters broadcast containing
the numbers of the bonds to prevent
their negotiation.
'tYou must have more evidence to
cause arrest, and, if you keep the mat
ter secret awhile, you may get it..
Thieves become careless when not sus-
pected."
Right, you are. think will call on
the Pinkertons to aid me. They will
keep the robbery confidential"
II would, and l will get more intimate
with Hambright and his affairs and
watch developments.
''Thanks; you could do that, perhaps,
without causing susnicion. How is Mr..
Cutnet convalescing?"
''Finely, l saw him yesterday. He
had one eye out of bandage and DR..
Chapman said he would soon be off the
sick list"
"How is Miss Patterson?'
Gan right; too busy nursing the in
jured to find time for grief"
'.Alice, my child, come in. Here is
Mr.. Wendell" said the banker, hearing
a rustic of silk in the hall.
''Oh, Mr.. Wendell! I'm SO glad to see
you! Do tell me how all our friends are,
and what the doctor says about Mr.. Cut
net" exclaimed the beautiful girl, as
she rushed into the room and greeted him
effusively.
"Our friends are convalescent and Cut
net told me he was coming this way be-
fore many days"
''And DR.. Chapman?"-th blushing
girl turned towards a window-'I hav-
emit seen him since he returned from
visiting his parents at Holdane."
"But he is o. K. and awfully busy
with sick people,"
TELL him l am i'll, then he will take
more interest and come to see me. I
want to ask many questions.
every we'll; will tell him you have
maladie du coeur."
''Don't you dare
The front bell rang violently and the
maid was swept nearly off her feet by
the inward rush of Mr.. and Mrs. Dyer,
Lucy, Carolyn, Mary Patterson, Jack
Bemis and DR.. Chapman, some of the
party being disguised by bandages and
plasters.
''Bless you, my children! You are
charming even in your hospital accoutre-
ments," said Mr.. Bemis, embracing the
invalids including his son.
'Tt is a luxury to have the attention