Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-18

81 Il 5!
III Illssssati.as y Irwin nYIlI 81
CepyTisht by Cbas. scribner's Sons
Il was Just here that Smith was
given 10 bee another one Of Miss Co
rona's many moods-or tenses-and 1t
was 4 new one to him. She was visibly
embarrassed.
Z "I-Y DON'T want to tell you" she
slammered.
"All right; you needn't"
III you're going to take It that easy,
I will tell you" she retorted. "Mr.
Williams thought your name was an
alias: ana I'm, not sure that he doesn't
still think 30"
'The Smiths never have to have
aliases. It's like John Doe or Richard
Roe, you know
"Havent you any middle name?"
II have middle initial. 1t is M"
He was looking her fairly in the eyes
as he said 1t, and the light in the new
Offices was excellent. Thanks to her
horseback riding, Miss Corona's small
oval face had touch Of healthy out
door tan; but under the tan there
came, for Just q fitting instant, flush
Of deep color, and at the back Of the
gray eyes there was something that
Smith had never seen there before.
"It's- ITS Just an initial7" she
queried.
Eyes; It's Just an initial, ana I don't
use It ordinarily. Tn not ashamed Of
the plain John"
II don't know why you should be-"
she commented, half absently. he
thought. And then: "How many John
NJ. Smiths do you suppose there are
e ..n!.s Tinted stateer'
ooh, I don't know; a million or SO, I
guess"
II should think you would be rather
glad Of that" she told him. But when
he tried to make her say why he should
be glad, she talked pointedly Of other
things and presently went back to her
fathers Office.
There were fine little headings Of
Precipitation standing on the fugitive's
forehead when she left him.
After the other members Of the Of
flee force had taken their departure,
he still sat at his desk striving to bring
himself back with some degree Of clear
Medicines b the pressing demands Of
his job. Just as he was about to give
1t up and go across to the Hophra
House for his dinner, William Starbuck
drilled In to open the railing gate and
to come and plant himself in the chair
Of privilege at Smiths desk end.
"'Well, son; you've got the animals
stirred up good and plenty, at last, :"
he said, when he had found the "mak-
ings, ana was deftly rolling cigar
ette-his one overlapping habit reach
ing back to his range-riding youth.
"Dick Maxwell got wire today from
his Riddles grandpaw-and my own
respected addy-in-law-Mr. Hiram
Fafrbairn; you know him-the lumber
king"
aTm listening" said Smith.
sDick's wire was an order; instruc-
lions from headquarters to keep hands
off Of your new company and to work
strictly in cahoots- was the
word he used-with Crawford Stanton.
How does that At your"
The financial secretary's smile was
the self.congratulatory face-wrinkling
of the quarry foreman who has seen
his tackle hitch hold to land the big
stone safely at the top Of the pit.
"What is Maxwell going to do about
III" ne asked.
"Dick is all wool and yard wide;
ana what ne signs bis name to !s what
he IL going to stand by. You won't lose
him. but the wire shows us just about
where we're aiming to put our leg into
the gopher hole and break it, doesn't
it?"
"I'm not borrowing any trouble. Mr..
F'airbairn and his colleagues are just
a few minutes too late, Starbuck.
We've got our footing inside Of the
corral"
The ex-cowpuncher, who was now
well up on the middle rounds Of for
tunes ladder, shook his head doubt
fully.
Don't you make any brash breaks,
John. Mr.. Hiram Fairbairn land his
crowd can swing twenty millions to
yorr one little old dollar and half,
and they're not going to leave any Of
the pebbles unturned when 1t comes to
saving their investment in the Esca-
lante. That's all just thought IA
drop in and tell you"
smith went to his rooms in the hotel
few minutes later to change for din
ner. He found the linen drawer in his
dressing-case overlooking. Opening
another ne began to arrange the over
flow methodically. The empty drawer
was lined with q newspaper, and sim
Gle headline on the upturned page
sprang At him like thing living and
yenomous. He bent lower and read
the undermining paragraph with
dull rage mounting to his eyes and
serving for the moment to make the
gray If the printed lines turn red.
4IAwrencsville. May 1s-The grand fury
has found . true bill against Montague
smith. the absconding cashier OF the
Iawrenceville Bank and Trust, charged
With embezzling the banks funds. The
crime would have been merely q breach
81 trust and not actionable but for the
fact that Smith, by owning stock in the
bankrupt westfall industries lately taken
Z 1. A. nfxanH1 ~ ha "a