Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-08-16
Copyright by Chas. Seribner's Sons
CHAPTER IX-continued.


excuse me If 1 say that you haven't
been altogether fair with Timanyoni
Ditch, or with Colonel Baldwin, Mr..
Kinzie. A friendly banker doesn't
help sell out his customer. You know
that, as well as l do. Still, you did
It,"
Kinzie threw up his hands and tried
to defend himself. ut was a straight
business transaction, Mr.. Smith. AS
long as we're In the banking business
we buy and sell for anybody who comes
along"
mo, we don't, Mr.. Kinzie; we pro-
tect our customers first. Ia the pres
ent instance you thought your GUS
toner was a dead one, anyway, so 1t
wouldn't make much difference If you
should throw another shovelful of dirt
or so onto the coffin. Wasn't that the
way of it?"
The president was fairly pushed to
the ropes, and he showed it.
ANSWER me one question, both Of
you he snapped. "Are you big enough
TO fight for your own against Stanton's
crowd?"
you'll see; and the sight is going
20 cost you something" said Smith,
and the blandest oil could have been
no smoother than his tone.
as that right, DeXter?"
''That's the way it looks to me,
Dave" said the ranchman capitalist,
who, whatever might be his limitations
IN the field Of high finance, was not
lacking the nerve to fight unquestion-
ing in any partners quarrel.
The president of the Brewster City
National turned back to Smith.
"What do you want, Mr.. Smith," he
asked, not too cordially.
Nothing that you'd give us, guess;
little business loyalty, for one
thing"
"And q checking balance for imme-
date necessities for another?" sug-
gested the banker.
With all his trained astuteness-
trained in Kinzie's own school, at
that-Smith could not be sure that the
gray-faced old Westerner was not set
he took the risk, saying, with a decent
show Of Indifference: "Of course it
would be more convenient here than in
Denver or Chicago. But there is no
hurry about that part Of it."
The president took a slip of paper
from pigeonhole and wrote rapidly
upon 1t. Once more his optimism was
locking horns with prudent caution. 1t
was the optimism, however, that was
driving the pen. Baldwin's word was
worth something, and it might be dis
astrous to let these two get away with
out anchoring them solidly to the
Brewster City National.
"Sign this, you two" he said. 81
don't know even the name of your new
outfit yet, but I'll take a chance on one
piece Of two-name paper, anyhow"
Smith took up the slip and glanced
at II. 1t was an accommodation note
for twenty thousand dollars. With the
money fairly in his hands, he paused
to drive the nail of independence
squarely before he would begin.
1--WE don't want this at all, Mr.. Kin.
-zie, unless the banks goodwill comes
with it," he said with becoming gray.
dty.
'Tll stand by you" was the brusQue
rejoinder. "But it's only fair to you
both to say that you've got the biggest
kind of combination to buck you
national utilities corporation with
the strongest sort of political backing
II doubt II you can tell us anything
that we don't already know" SAID
Smith coOlly, as he put his name or
the note; and when Baldwin hat
signed: "Let this go to the credit o.
Timanyoni Ditch, if you please, Mr.
Kinzie, and we'll transfer 1t later. It.!
quite possible that we sha'n't need II
but we are willing to help out littl,
on your discount profits, anyway. Fur
Their along, when things shape them
selves up a bit more definitely, YOU
shall know all there is to know, ant
wen give you just as good chanc
to make money as you'll give u.s."
When they were safely out of tn
bank and half square away from II
Dexter Baldwin pushed his hat .bacl
and mOpped his forehead. "They sa,
a man can't sweat at this altitude" h
remarked. I'm here to tell you
Smith, that I've lost ten pounds in tn
last ten minutes. Where In the nam
of jumping JehOshaphat did you &c
your nerve, boy? You made him be
'lIeve we'd got outside backing fror
somewhere"
81 didn't say anything like that, dl
IT
mo: but you opened the door and h
walked in"
That's all right; I'm not respor
'sibIe for Mr.. Kinzie's imagination
We we're obliged TO have little az
verrising capitol; we couldn't turn
Whee: without It. Put me In touc