The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-04-13


was a portable telephone for every
group OF tables. Brouillard made a
sign to the waiter and the desk set
was brought TO him. II DAVID Mas
singale recognized the number asked
for. he paid no attention: and. since -
man may spend his life digging holes
in the ground and still retain the in
stincts Of a gentleman-if he happens
TO have been born with them-he was
equally oblivious TO the disjointed half
OF the telephone conversation he might
have listened to.
Hello! Is that Boyer-Niquoia Ma
tional? This is Brouillard.
Can you give me my present igurel
Not more than that? e.
Oh, yes; you say the Hillman check is
in; had overlooked it. All right.
thank you"
When the waiter had removed the
desk set, the engineer leaned toward
his table companion:
Mr.. Massingale. I'm going to ask
you to tell me frankly what kind OF a
deal it was you made with Cartwright
and the bank people"
1T was the biggest tom-fool razzle
that any Twin live man out of a luna
tic 'sylum ever went into" confessed
the prisoner of fate. Il was to stock
the Susan for half a million-oh. she's
worth it, every dollar of it; you might
say the ores in sight for it right now"
this in Difference to Brouillard's
brow-lifting of surprise. They was TO
put in hundred thousand cash, and
was to put in the mine and the ore on
the dump, just as she stood"
The engineer nodded and Massingale
went on.
Il was to have two-thirds of the
stock and they was to have one-third.
The hundred thousand for develop
ment we'd get at the bank. on my
notes, because l was president and the
biggest stakeholder, with John Yves.
as indorser. Then, to protect the bank
accordin' to law, they said, we'd put
the whole bunch O. stock-mine and
theirn-into escrow in the hands of
Judge Williams. When the notes was
paid, the Judged hand the stock back
to us"
Just moment" interrupted Brouil-
lard. Did you sign those notes per.
sonally, or as president of the new
company"
That's where they laid for me-"
said the old man shamefacedly. Right
there is where John Yves ten-dollar-a.
bottle sody-pop stun we was soppin'
up must "a foolished me plumb silly"
so it amounts to this: You have
given them clean third of the Susan
for the mere privilege of borrowing
one hundred thousand dollars on your
own paper. And if you don't pay. you
lose the remaining two-thirds as well ="
That's about the way it stacks up
to sober man. Looks like needed a
janitor to look after my upper story
don't it? And reckon mebby do"
"One thing more" pressed the re-
lentless querist. Did you really handle
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. develop
ment fund yourself, MI Massingale?"
We'll, no; not exactly Ten thou.
sand dollars of what they called a
contingent fund was put in my name:
but the treasurer handled most of it
nachurly, we bein' a stock company"
Brouillard took out his pencil and
began to make figures on the back OF
the menu card He knew the, equip
ment of the Little Susan" and his
specially was the making of estimates
Hence he was able to say, after min.
ute or two Of figuring:
It's a bad business any way you at.
tack it. What you have really got for
yourself out of the deal is the ten thou
sand-dollar deposit to your personal ac-
count, and nothing more; and they'll
probably try to make you a debtor for
that. Taking that amount and fair
estimate of the company's expendi.
lures to date-say thirty-five thousand
in round numbers. which is fairly
chargeable to the company's assets as
a whole-they still owe you about fifty
five thousand of the original hundred
thousand they were to put in. If
there were time-but you say this ia
the last day."
The last half O. the last day" Mas
singale amended.
THAT being the case. there IS no
help for it; you1l have to take your
AAANNANAAAN anu pay AnG AAOAtHs ltU luaAs
take an iron-clad receipt from the bank
III write it out for you-and get the
stock released. After that, wen give
them a whirl for the thirty-three and
a third per cent they have practically
stolen from you"
The old mans face. Temindful now
of his daughters, was a picture of dis
mayed incertitude.
81 reckon you're forgettin that
haint got money enough TO lift one
edge o. them notes" he said gently.
Brouillard had found piece OF blank
paper in his pocket and was rapidly
writing the "iron-clad" receipt.
NO, hadn't forgotten. have some
thing over hundred thousand dollars
lying idle i'm the bank. You1l take IL
and pay the notes"
10 was a bolt out Of a clear sky for
the old man tottering on the brink OF
his fourth pit of disaster. and he
/ evinced his emotion-and the tense
strain of keyed.up ncrves-by drop.
ping mis- lifted coffee cup with a crash
into his plate. The little accident was
helpful i'm it's way-it made a diver.
sion-and by the time the wreck was
repaired speech was possible