Mexico Missouri message., 1917-10-11

cnube ne wore bearu Vpey wv ne
the last time was over in CsHci, that
ned gone West somewhere, but they
didn't say where. He was the flrst
man met when lit down here. Lit
tie world, isn't 1t, Mr.. Kinzie?"
David Kinzle was backing away,
watch in hand. Business was very
| pressing, he said, and he must get
hack to his desk. He was very much
obliged to Miss Richlander, and was
only sorry that he had troubled her.
When her father should return to
Brewster he would be glad to meet
him, and so on and so on, to and be.
yond the portieres which finally blot.
ted hiu1 out, for the two who were left
In the Louis Quinze parlor.
"Is that about what you wanted me
TO sny?" queried Jibbey, when the click
Of the elevator door latch told them
that Mr.. Kinzie was descending.
Quicker, there are times wnen you
are almost lovoble," said the beauty
softly, with a hand on Jibbey's shoul-
der.
I'm glad it's what you wanted, be-
cause it's what was going to say, any
way" returned the ne'er-do-weel sober
ly, thus showing that he, too, had not
yet outlived the influence Of the over
night hand-grip.
Since Brewster was a full-hedged
city, It's banks closed at three o'clock.
Ten minutes after the hour, which hap
pened also to be about the same length
OF time after Starbuck and Smith had
reached town, Mr.. Crawford Stanton
| got himself admitted by the janitor
at the side door of the Brewster City
National. President Kinzie was still
at his desk in his private room, and
the promoter entered unannounced.
II thought I'd hang off and give you
the Initial the time there was," he
said, dropping into the debtors chair
at the desk-end. And then, with
quarrelsome rasp In his tone: "Are
you getting ready to switch againT"
Though his victims often cursed the
banker for his shrewd caution and his
ruthless profit-takings, no one had ever
accused him of timidity In a stand-up
encounter.
you've taken that tone with me be-
fore, Stanton, and l don't like it." he
returned brusquely. 5You may as well
keep 1t In mind that neither you, nor
the people you represent, own the
Brewster City National, or any part of
it, in fee simple"
ave can buy you out any minute
we think we need you" retorted STAN
ton. "But never mind about that. Your
man came back from the Topaz last
night You've let the better part Of
the day go by without saying a word,
and I've drawn the only conclusion
there is to draw"
Kinzie frowned his impatience. "If
have to do business with your people
much longer, Mr.. Stanton, / shall GER
tainly suggest that they put man in
charge out here who can control his
temper. Here is Mr.. Richlander's let
ter"
Stanton read the letter through
hastily, punctuating its final sentence
with a brittle oath.
"And you've muddled over this all
day, when every hour is worth more
to us than your one-horse bank could
earn in year?" he raped out. "What
have you done? Have you telegraphed
this sheriff."
"No; and neither will you when I
tell you the facts. You see what Mr..
Richlander says. We had nothing to
go on unless we could identify our
man definitely, so took the straight
forward course and went to Miss Rich
lander"
Stanton's laugh was derisive shout.
"You need a guardian, Kinzie; you
do, for q fact !" he sneered. "Of
course, the girl pulled the wool over
your eyes; any woman could do that |"
''You are not gaining anything by
being abusive, Stanton. This man Of
BalCwins is not the one Mr.. Richland-
er is trying to describe in that letter."
Stanton bit the tip from q cigar and
struck light.
''Kinzie," he said, "you think we're
going to lose out, and you are trying
to throw me off the scent. You had a
long talk with Colonel Baldwin this
morning. Kept cases on that, too
and you figured that you'd make money
by seesawing again. I'm glad to be
able to tell you that you are just about
twenty-four hours too late"
The round-bodied banker righted his
pivot chair with a snap and his lips
were puffed out like the lips of swim
mer who sees the saving plank drifting
out of reach.
'You are wrong, Stanton; altogether
wrong" he protested, Baldwin was
here because sent for him to make a
final attempt to swing him over to the
compromise. You are doing me the
greatest possible injusticel"
Stanton rose and made ready to go.
II think that would be rather hard
to do, KinzIe," he flung back. "No-
| hnaxv Iauao a. ks.ttR,rna- nt.k In. tho V,rae-