The Red Cloud chief., 1917-06-14

him have the money! Westfall is your
friend, and you are a stakeholder in
his bankrupt company. You took a
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
o~bstinately sturdy, was rising.
II am not going to do what you want
to do, Mr.. Dunham-step In and be
your convenient scapegoat," he said,
wondering a little In his inner recesses
how he was finding the sheer brutal
man-courage to say such q thing to the
president Of the L~awrenceville Bank
and Trust. II 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. I decline to accept It."
The president tilted his chair and
locked his hands over one knee.
ut isn't a question Of shifting the
responsibility, Montague" he said,
dropping the bullying weapon to take
up another. 1.-THE loan was made In
my absence. You have taken the banks
money to bolster up a falling concern
In which you are a stakeholder. Go to
any lawyer in Lawrenceville-the best
n you can Finland he'll tell you e
actly where you stand"
While the big clock over the vault
entrance was slowly ticking of a full
half-mlnute the young man whose fu-
ture had become so suddenly and so
~threateningly involved neither moved
nor spoke, but his silence vas no meas
ure Of the turmoil Of conflicting emo
lions and passions that were rending
him.
II may not prove quite the easy
mark that your plan seems to prefg.
ure, Mr.. Dunham," he returned at
length, trying to say 1t calmly. "Just
what are you expecting me to do?"
snow you are talking more like a
grown man." was the presidents erusty
admission. "You are in a pretty bad
boat, Montague. and that Is why I sent
for you tonight"
"Well2" said the younger man.
"You can see how II will be. II !
can say to the directors that you have
already re%signed-and II you are not
where they car too easily lay hands on
%you--they may not care to push the
charge against you. There is a train
west at ten o'clock. II I were in your
place, I should pack a couple Of suit
cases and take 1t. That Is the only
safe thing for you to do. II you need
any ready money"
It was Mt this point that j. Montague
Smith rose up out Of the stenogranher's
chair and buttoned his coat.
"Tf I need n ready money!" he
repeated slowly, advancing a step to-
ward the presidents desk. "That is
where you gave yourself away, Mr..
Durham. You authorized that loan,
and did 1t because you were willing to
use the banks money to put Carter
Westfali in the hole so deep that he
could never climb out. Now, 1t seems,
you are willing to bride the only dan.
gerous witness. I don't need money
badly enough to sell my good name for
1t. I shall stay right here in Lawrence
VILE and fight 1t out with yOu!"
The president turned abruptly to his
desk and his hand sought the row OF
electric bell-pushes. With a finger
resting upon the n marked police
he said: "There isn't any fol
argument, Montague. You al have ont
more minute In which to change YOU
mind. If you stay. you'll begin YOU
fight from the inside Of the county
jail"
Now there had been nothing In Johr
Montague Smiths ~well-ordered quar-
ter century Of boyhood, youth, ant
business manhood to tell him how Il
cope with the crude and savage emer
gency which he was confronting. Blu
in the granted minute Of respite some
thing within him. a thing as primitive
and elemental as the crisis with which
1t vas called upon to grapple, shook 1t
self awake. He stepped quickly acros
the intervening space and stood undo
the shaded desk light within arm
reach Of the man In the big swing
chair.
"You have 1t all cut and dried, evel
to the setting of the police trap, haven
your" he gritted, hardly recognizini
his own voice. "You meant to han
me first and try your own case with tn
; directors afterward. Mr.. Durham,
know you better than you think I do
! you are not only a crook-you are
yellow-livered coward, as WE'LL 70
don't dare to press that button!"
! While he was saying 1t, the p~residen
, had half risen, and the hand whic
had been lowering over the bell-pushe
( shot suddenly under the piled paper
In the corner of the desk. When
. came out 1t was gripping the weapo
4 which Is never very far out of reach
: a bank.