Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-09-07
THE REAL MAN |
By FRANCIS LYNDE &
0pySaty ch

Smith my father has written you
about, should hardly care to be seen
in public with him?"
"Then there are two of them?" Kin
zie demanded.
The young woman was laughing
again. "Would that be so very won
derful with so many Smiths in the
world?"
"But-er-the middle name, Miss
Richlander: that isn't so infern-so
very common, I'm sure"
1T is rather remarkable, isn't it?
But there are a good many Montagues
in our part of the world, too. The
man my father wrote you about al
ways signed himself j. Montague as
if he were a little ashamed of the
JOHN"
"Then this Brewster Smith isn't the
one who is wanted in Lawrenceville
for embezzlement and attempted muir
der?'
Excuse me-" said the beauty, with
another very palpable attempt to
smother her amusement. eff you could
only know this other Smith. J. Mon
tague, as 1 remember him, was a typi-
cal society man-the kind of man who
wears dress clothes even when he
dimes alone, and who wouldn't let his
beard grow overnight for a kings ran
som. But wait q moment. There is
d young gentleman here who came last
evening direct from Lawrenceville.
Let me send for him."
She rose ana pressed the bell push,
and when the floor boy came, he was
sent to the lobby to page Jibbey. Dur
ing the little wait, David Kinzie was
skillfully made to talk about other
things. Jibbey was easily found, as it
appeared, and he came at once. Miss
Richlander did the hOnOrs graciously.
''Mr. Kinzie, this is Mr.. Tucker Jib-
bey, the son of one of our Lawrence
vile bankers. Tucker-Mr. Kinzie
the president Of the Brewster City Ma
tional." Then, before Kinzie could be-
gin: Tucker, I've sent for you in
self-defense. You know both Mr.. John
Smith, at present of Brewster, and also
J. Montague Smith, sometime of Law
renceville and now of goodness only
knows where. Mr.. Kinzie is trying to
make out that they are one and the
same"
Jibbey laughed broadly. He stood
in no awe of banks, bankers, or stub
bly, mustaches.
"Tll tell John, when see him again
and take a chance on being able to
run faster than he can," he chuckled.
Ripping good jokeI"
"Then you know both men?" said
Kinzie, glancing at his watch and ris-
ing.
Like a book. They're no more
alike than black and white. Our man
here is from Cincinnati; isn't that
where you met him, Verda? 1 recol-
lect you didn't like him at first, be-
cause he wore beard. They told me,
the last time l was over in Cinci, that
he'd gone West somewhere, but they
didn't say where. He was the first
man l met when lit down here. Lit
tie world, isn't it, Mr.. Kinzie?"
David Kinzie was backing away
watch in hand. Business was very
pressing, he said, and he must get
back 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 tt
Brewster he would be glad to meet
him, and so on and so on, to and be
yond the pOrtieres which finally blot
ted him out, for the two who were lef
in the Louis Quinze parlor.
SIS that about what you wanted mC
to say?" queried Jibbey, when the clicl
of the elevator door latch told then
that Mr.. Kinzie was descending.
"Tucker, there are times when yol
are almost lovable," said the beaut,
softly, with hand on Jibbey's shoul
der.
I'm glad it's what you wanted, be
cause it's what 1 was going to say, any
way" returned the ne'er-do-weel sober
] ly, thus showing that he, too, had no
/ yet outlived the influence of the over
/, night hand-grip.
: Since Brewster was a full-fedget
city, it's banks closed at three O'Clock
, Ten minutes after the hour, which haI
2 pened also to be about the same lengt
of time after Starbuck and Smith ha
} reached town, Mr.. Crawford Stanto
: got himself admitted by the janito
e at the side door of the Brewster Cit
National. President Kinzie was sti
a at his desk In his private room, an
: the promoter entered unannounced.
/. 81 thought I'd hang off and give yo
q the Initial the time there was" b
said, dropping into the debtors chai
at the desk-end. And then, with
Quarrelsome rasp in his tone: "Ar
you getting ready to switch again?"
Though his victims often cursed tt
banker for his shrewd caution and HI
ruthless profit-takings, no one had eve
accused him of timidity in a stand-u
encounter.
you've taken that tone with me b.
a fore, Stanton, and 1 don't like it," /
returned brusquely. 'YOu may as we
keep it in mind that neither you, NJ
the people you represent, own IL
4 Brewster City National, or any part
D it, in fee simple"
4 "We can buy you out any minu
we think we need you" retorted Sta
ton. But never mind about that. Yo1
NJ man came back from the Topaz la
M night. You've let the better part
v the day go by without saying a wor
and I've drawn the only conclusi'
there is to draw"
Kinzie frowned his impatience.
l have to do business with your peoI
much longer, Mr.. Stanton, 1 shall ct
|" tainly suggest that they put a man
charge out here who can control
lie temper. Here is Mr.. Richlander's /
. ter"
ht Stanton read the letter throu
ut hastily, punctuating it's final senter
with brittle oath.
"And you've muddled over this
th day, when every hour is worth me-
1m to us than your one-horse bank col
in earn in a year?" he raped out. "Wl
seS have Won done? Have Won teIepranI