Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-02-09
CHAPTER Xxx, Continued.


which Sledge controls I had obliga
tons which | thought were only nom
inally considered to be loans, aggre
eating hundred thousand dollars
These were protected by my Traction
stock. Last week the bank callet
them. l recently received eighty-sev
en- thousand Ave hundred dollars II
cash on a certain deal and l had con
siderable trouble to raise the add
tional twelve thousand Ave hundred
dollars. | had to deposit twenty-five
thousand dollars worth of my stocl
to secure it, and yesterday | had tt
put up twenty-five thousand more.
"But, why?' asked Molly, sitting
down and considering the matter
seriously for the first time.
Because, in one day, merely by an
nouncing that he was financially back
Ing a competing company, Sledge low
cred the value Of my stock from
hundred dollars a share to thirty-fve
That same announcement broke the
West End bank, has crippled two otn
ers and made paupers OF hundred
or more small stockholders"
GLOW horrible!" she exclaimed
s'The poor people!" Then the wonder
Of such power came to her. with
lust a word she unused. But, faith
er. don't see yet how he could DO It.
You say that your stock was worth
a hundred dollars share yesterday
morning, and only thirty-five now
He nodded his head In confirmation
each share Of stock represents a
certain part ownership OF the street
railway company, doesn't IT,
Again he nodded.
.swell the road is still there she
argued, "You still own as much OF it
as you did before. Why, father,
SledRe has just scared everybody.
Your stock will be worth what it was,
or nearly so, after this panic Is over.
Even competition can't keep you from
hauling people and making money at
It."
1T can keep us from hauling enough
to make anything like our previous
profits, and earning capacity Is what
gives stock it's value. That is not the
big trouble Just now, however. have
a seyenty-thousand-dol mortgage on
this place which is all it would bring
at a forced sale, although it is worth
double the money. It expires on the
first Of the month, and Sledge knows
il It is held at one of his banks, and
It will not be extended"
"You will have to pay it," she sur
missed.
"What WITH" he demanded. eat the
present prices, at which, by the way,
nobody cares to buy, it would take
every share of my stock to pay on
that mortgage. would be absolutely
penniless.
CHOW did you come to owe so
much?" she puzzled. II thought we
were wealthy"
"That's the way business is carried
on" he explained.
Then anybody can be broke she
decided, with a trace Of awe. why
don't some of you good business men
get after Sledge?"
He looked at her pityingly.
1T can't be done,' he confessed
81 know what you're going to say"
she interrupted him. IT won't do it..
Tn going to marry Bert If 1t breaks
everybody"
.'That would be a very commend
able spirit If you loved him. ne
quietly remarked. 81 don't think you
do however. Nor do I. by any means,
believe Bert capable Of love worth
the sacrifice of everything. The
MARYLAND Gliders do not constitute
= universe in themselves, nor is much
happiness to be found in a marriage
which is a social triumph. I'm afraid,
Molly. that you're stubborn, and will
not let yourself criticize your own
mind"
"Of course I'm stubborn" she ad-
mitted as If that were virtue. The
date is set, and it will stay set. DO
all you men have to give up because
won't marry somebody? Is that the
way your brilliant business is conduct
ed? I won't be a part of bargain.
You urge me not to marry Bert be-
cause you decide l don't love him,
and YOU urge me to marry a man who
can bring your stock to par. Father,
you're scared. Can't you think of any
way out of your fluctuation but hav-
ing me marry Sledge?"
"He loves you," he told her, with
conviction. "SIedge never gives up"
That's why he wins" she asserted.
"He tries everything. Why don't
you? Why don't you announce that
the new company is illegal, and that
it will be fought in the courts? Have
the newspaper say it can't build it's
lines then the price Of your stock
will 20 up again Why don't you trade
some of your stock for stock in the
new company? Why don't you threat
en- to stop all your cars until the may
or or somebody makes the new COM
pany build its lines away from your
street? The new company couldn't
have icars running for six months;
and there'd be riot, unless the
authorities did what you wanted them
to. Why don't you go down and shoot
Sledge, or hire it done? He would!
In fact. he'd have done it by this
time. ! know! Why don't you go
to the men who are getting up this
company and see what you can find
out? Then you can begin some plan
ming I wish I we're a man.
Frank Marley sat staring at her.
She was standing tall, straight and
with flushed cheeks. her eyes shining.