Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-05-25
CHAPTER II.
Metastasis.

Smith drew out the chair from the |
stenOgrapher's table and sat down.
Like the cashiers of many little-city |
banks, he was only a salaried man, and
the president rarely allowed him to
forget the fact. None the less, his boy
ish gray eyes were reflecting just
shade of the militant antagonism in
Mr.. Watrous Dunham's when he said /
81 was dining at the Country club with
a friend, and 1 didn't go to my rooms
until a few minutes ago."
The president sat back in the big
mahogany swing chair. His face, with
the cold, protrusive eyes, the heavy
lips, and the dewlap lower law, was the
face of man who shoots to kill.
81 suppose you've heard the news
about Westfall?"
Smith nodded.
'Then you also know that the bank
stands to lose a cold hundred thousand
on that loan you made him?"
The young man in the stenographer's
chair knew now very well why the
night-watchman had been sent away.
Smith saw the solid foundations of his
small world-the only world he had
ever known-crumbling to threatened
dissolution.
"You may remember that 1 advised
against the making of that loan when
Westfall first spoke of it," he said,
after he had mastered the Fremont
tory chill of panic. SIT was bad risk
for him and for u.s."
81 suppose you won't deny that the
loan was made while l was away in
New York." was the challenging re-
joinder.
'It was. But you gave your sanction
before you went East"
The president twirled his chair to
face the objector and brought his palm
down with q smack upon the desk
slide.
"Nov' he stormed. "What 1 told
you to do was to look up his collateral;
and you took a snap judgment and let
him have the money! Westfall is your
friend, and you are a stOckholder in
his bankrupt company. You took
chance for your own hand and put the
bank in the hole. Now I'd like to ask
what you are going to do about it."
Smith looked up quickly. Somewhere
inside of him the carefully erected
walls of use and custom were tumbling
in strange ruins and out of the debris
another structure, formless as yet, but
obstinately sturdy, was rising.
81 am not going to do what you want
me to do, Mr. Dunham-step In and be
your convenient scapegoat," he said,
wondering little in his inner recesses
how he was finding the sheer brutal
man-courage to say such thing to the
president of the LawrencevilTe Bank
and Trust. 81 suppose you have rea-
sons of your own for wishing to shift
the responsibility for this particular
loss to my shoulders. But whether you
have or haven't, 1 decline to accept it,"
The president tilted his chair and
locked his hands over one knee.
'It isn't a question of shifting the
responsibility, Montague" he said,
dropping the bullying weapon to take
up another. "The loan was made in
my absence. You have taken the banks
money to bolster up a failing concern
in which you are a stakeholder Go to
any lawyer in Lawrenceville-the best
one you can Finland he'll tell you ex-
actly where you stand"
While the big clock over the vault
entrance was slowly ticking off a full
half-minute the young man whose fu-
ture had become so suddenly and so
threateningly involved neither moved
nor spoke, but his silence was no meas
ure of the turmoil of conflicting emo
tions and passions that were rending
him.
Il may not prove quite the easy
mark that your plan seems to pref1g.
ure, Mr.. Dunham," he returned al
length, trying to say it calmly. "Just
what are you expecting me to do?"
"Now you are talking more like q
grown mar" was the presidents crusty
admission. "You are in pretty bat
boat, Montague, and that is why SEN
for you tonight"
"Well?" said the younger man.
'YOu can see how it will be. If
can say to the directors that you hav'
already resigned-and if you are no
where they can too easily lay hands OF
you-they may not care to push tn,
charge agc-nst you. There is a trail
west at ten o'clock. If 1 were in you
place, should pack a couple of suit
cases and take it. That is the onl
safe thing for you to do. If you nee
! any ready money"
1t was at this point that J. Montagu
Smith rose up out of the stenographer'
| chair and buttoned his coat.
: eff 1 need any ready money" h
t repeated slowly, advancing step t.
;. ward the presidents desk. 'That
S where you gave yourself away, NJ
r Dunham.' You authorized that LOAF
t and did it because you were willing t
o use the banks money to put Carte
Westfall in the hole so deep that h
t, could never climb out. Now, it seem
: you are willing to bribe the only dal
s gerous witness. I don't need none
e badly enough TO sell my good name fC
y it. shall stay right here in Lawrenc
It vile and fight it out with you!"
f The president turned abruptly to h
e desk and his hand sought the row
h electric bell-pushes. With fing,
d resting upon the one marked "police
Is he said, "There isn't any room f,
% argument, Montague. You can have OF
d more minute in which to change yol
IS mind. If you stay, you'll begin yo1
10 fight from the inside of the coun
Jail"
ct Now there had been nothing in Jof
m Montague Smiths well-ordered qua
IS ter century of boyhood, youth. al
In business manhood to tell him how
y. cope with the crude and savage eme
If gency which he was confronting. B
Ut in the granted minute of respite som
IS. thing within him, thing as primiti
r. and elemental as the crisis with whi