Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-30
Illustrations
ohr~iizz nye...

lit where the chicken got the AK. Rich
lander had more proxies up his sleeve
than we thought he had, and he has
put the steam roller over us to finish.
He was able to vote So per cent Of the
stock straight, and you know what that
means: consolidation with the Rich
lander foundry trust. and the hearse
and white horses for yours truly and
the minority stockholders. We're dead
dead and buried.
"Of course, stand to lose every
thing, but that isn't all of 1t. I'm hor-
ribly anxious for fear you'll be tangled
up personally in some way in the mat
ter Of that last loan Of 100000 that
got from the Bank and Trust. You will
remember you made the loan while
Durham was away, and am certain
you told me you had his consent to
take my Foundries stock as collateral.
That part Of it Is all right, but, as mat
ters stand. the stock isn't worth the
paper It is printed on, and-well. to
tell the bald truth, I'm scared Of Dun
ham. Brickley, the Chicago lawyer
they have brought down here, tells me
that your bank is behind the consolida-
ton deal, and II that is so, there is 60
Ing to be bank loss to show up on my
paper, and Durham will carefully cover
his tracks for the sake Of the banks
standing.
1T is hideous mess, and It has oc-
Cured to me that Durham can put you
In bad, II he wants to. When you made
that 100000 loan, you forgot-and
forget for the moment-that ynn own
ten shares Of Westfall Foundries In
your own name. II Durham wants to
stand from under, this might be used
against you. You must get rid Of that
stock. Monty, and do It quick. Trans
fer the ten shares to me, dating the
transfer back to Saturday. I still have
the stock books in my hands, and I'll
make the entry in the record and date
It to fit. This may look little crook
ed, on the surface. but it's your saliva
ton, and we can't stop to split hairs
when we've Just been shot full of holes.
'WESTFALL."
Smith folded the letter mechanically
and thrust 1t into his pocket. Carter
Westfall was his good friend, and the
cashier had tried, unofficially, to dis
suade Westfall from borrowing after
he had admitted that he was going to
use the money In an attempt to buy
up the control of his own company's
stock. Smith was thinking Of the big
bank loss and the hopeless ruin Of
Carter Westfall when he tore the Sec
ond envelope across and took out the
inclosed slip Of scratch-paper. 1t was
note from the president and 1t was
dated within the hour. Mr.. Durham
was back in Lawrenceville earlier than
expected. and the note had been writ
ten at the bank. It was curt sum-
mons the cashier was wanted, at once.
At the moment, Smith did not con.
uect the summons with the Westfall
cataclysm, or with any other untoward
thing. Mr.. Watrous Durham had
habit Of dropping in and ont unexpect-
eddy. Also, he had the habit of send
ing for his cashier or any other men,
Der of the banking force at whatever
hour the notion seized him. Smith
went to the telephone and called up
the Richlander house. The prompt
ness with which the multimillionaire's
daughter came to the phone was an
intimation that his ring was not entire
~ unexpected.
''This is Montague" he said, when
Miss Richlander's mellifluous "Main
four six eight-Nr. Richlander's resi-
dence" came over the wire. Then:
"What are You going to think Of a man
who calls You up merely to beg Off"
he asked.
Miss Richlander's reply was merciful
and he was permitted to, 60 on and ex-
plain. "Tm awfully sorry, but it can't,
very well be helped, you know. Mr..
Durham has returned. and he wants
me at the bank. I'll be up little later
on, IL can break away. and you'll let
me come. Thank you, ever SO
much. Goodby."
The Lawrenceville Bank and Trust,
lately installed in It's new marble-ve-
neered quarters, was only four squares
distant. As he was approaching the
corner, Smith saw that there were only
two lights in the bank, one In the vault
corridor and another In the railed-of
open space in front which held the
presidents desk and his own. Through
the big plates glass windows he could
see Mr.. Durham. The president was,
apparently at work. his portly figure
nlling the padded swing chair. He had
one elbow on the desk, and the fingers
Of the uplifted hand we're thrust into
his thick mop Of hair.
Smith had his own keys and he let
himself in quietly through the door on
the side street. The night-watchman's
chair stood In its accustomed place in
the vault corridor. but 1t was empty.
To suspicious person the empty chair
might, have had It's significance; but
Montague Smith was not suspicious.
The obvious conclrsion was that Mr..
Durham had sent the Waterman forth
upon some errand; and the motive
needed not to be tagged as Interior.
Without meaning to be particularly
noiseless, Smith-rubber heels on tiled
floor assisting--was unlatching the
gate in the counter railing before his