Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-01-21
Copyright, 1914, by the Bobbs. N erriiI Co.

SSS,OOU
II haven't the money" confessed
Marley. "Sledge has cleaned me out
of both cash and credit"
Borrow it on your stock"
II can't borrow over twenty on it. |
couldn't raise enough on my total IN
encountered stock"
Bozzam walked to the window and
looked down into the street for some
little time during which Marley watch
ed him in silent wonder. struggling
against his rising hope.
Il think / can raise loan for you
at twenty" Bozzam reported as the
result of his deliberation. III that is
not enough l might have it arranged
to buy the balance needed and vote it
with you"
But what is the plan?" demanded
Marley. II don't see what good con-
troll Of ruined company is going to do
me nor why I should break myself
buying worthless stock"
Because Sledge isn't liberal enough
with me-" returned Bozzam. "Why.
Marley. don't you see that this COM
pany of ours is a fake?"
You don't mean itv' gasped Marley.
Did Sledge have you start this com.
pany in order to break me-"
"Oh, hush!' scorned Bozzam. HE
did it to sell the old company our fran
chises, for the nice little quarter of a
million dollars the public has just put
up for stock in your recognized COM
pany. Our stock is phony, strictly.
The public has been allowed to buy
fifty thousand Of it, we get two hun
dred thousand and Sledge seven hun.
dred aud fifty. The public is the only
person who has put up any money, and
he gets his back. The only business
Well do Is to sell our franchises and
disband. with % per cent dividend.
The public gets twelve and a half
thousand, we get fifty. and Sledge gets
the balance of your quarter of mil
lion"
He paused to let all the beauty of
that logical little plan sink into Mr..
Marley's inner being.
Great Scott!' murmured Mr.. Mar.
ley and wiped his brow. "But how can
We stop him.
Get control of the company. Call q
special meeting. When we offer to
sell you our franchises stand pat and
refuse to pay more than $4,000 for
the franchises. You can defy US to
build and make fine grand stand play
out Of 1t when you know that we
won't Wen accept fifty thousand,
and then you juggle it to slip Moodson
and Timbers and me a hundred thou.
sand on the side. You've saved your
company a hundred thousand. we've
dragged down what we ought to have
for our work, Sledge gets the hook,
and your stock bounces up to par.
Why. man, you'll not only be where
you were before, but you'll clean up
close to hundred thousand profit on
the stunt"
"Order some whisky" Marley sug.
gested to his host.
SlCoSCp AZ tAC IuA uAlOuS lIttlC IOOLu
which he occupied for an hour each
day as president Of the First National
gazed stonily at Bendix us he punched
the button on his desk.
"Chamberlain's house." he speculat.
ed. "Hunhr'
"Of course Marley gave notes for It.
Thirty, sixty and ninety days and four
months; four payments. of $1,000
EACH"
In answer to the bell Cashier Davis
came in with the pomposity Of the
owner Of the mint mingled with the
obsequiousness of q messenger boy.
Frank Marley" rumbled Sledge &C.
cusingly. Hes got money. Where
did he get it,
'Not here. sir" smiled Mr.. Davis
rubbing his fish fat hands together.
Find out" directed Sledge, and Da
Wis took his sleek white sideburns and
his white waistcoat out of the room.
Hes using cash. even in the pay.
ment Of his grocery bills" supplement-
ed Bendix. Young Keene tells me
that he saw into Marleys pocketbook