Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-19

"He Says Smith is GFand Rascal"
for emDezzlemenf and ~attemI ed MUIR
der?"
Excuse me-" said the beauty, with
another very palpable attempt to
smother her amusement. IF you could
only know this other Smith. J. Men
tague, as remember him, was a typi-
cal society mantle 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 a moment. There is
a young gentleman here who came last
evening direct from LaWrenceville.
Let me send for him."
She rose and 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-
hey, 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"
Jfbbey laughed broadly. He stood
in no awe Of banks, bankers, or stub
bly, mustaches.
'Pll tell John, when see him again
and take a chance on being able to
run faster than he cam he chuckled
Ripping good joke ~
"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? I recOl-
lect you didn't like him at first, be-
cause he wore a beard. They told me-
the last time I was over in Cinci, that
he'd gone West somewhere, but they
didn't say where. He was the first
man I met when I 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 HIGHLANDER, and was
When her father should return to
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 left
in the Louis Quinze parlor.
"Is that about what you wanted me
to say?" Queried Jibbey, when the click
of the elevator door latch told them
that Mr.. Kinzie was descending.
Quicker, there are times when you
are almost lovable," said the beauty
softly, with a hand on Jibbey's Shout
der.
I'm glad it's what you wanted, be-
cause it's what was going to say, any
way" returned the neer-do-Weel sober
ly, thus showing that he, too, had not
yet outliyed the influence of the over
night hand-grip.
Since Brewster was a full-fedged
city, it's banks closed at three o'clock.
Ten minutes after the hour, which hap
pened also to be about the same length
of time after Starbuck and Smith had
reached town, Mr.. Crawford Stanton
got himself admitted by the janitOr
at the side door of the Brewster City
National. President Kinzie was still
at his desk in his private room, and
tie promoter entered unannounced.
II thought I'd hang off and give you
the Initial the time there WaS," he
said, dropping into the debtors chair
at the desk-end. And then, with a
quarrelsome rasp in his tone: "Are
you getting ready to switch againP
Though his victims often cursed the
banker for his shrewd caution and his
ruthless profit takings, no one had ever
accused him of timidity in a stand-up
encounter.
you've taken that tone with me be-
fore. Stanton, and I don't like it," he
returned brusQuely. "You may as well
keep it in mind that neither you, nor
the people you represent, own the
Brewster City National, or any part of
it, in fee simple"
"We can buy you out any minute
we think we need you" retorted STAN
ton. But never mind about that. Your
man came back from the Topaz last
night. You've let the better part Of
the day go by without saying word,
and I've drawn the only conclusion
there is to draw"
Kinzie frOwned his impotence. eff
[ have to do business with your people
much longer, Mr.. Stanton, / shall GER
tainly suggest that they put man in
charge out here who can control his
temper. Here is Mr.. Richlander's let
ter"
Stanton read the letter through
hastily, punctuating it's final sentence
with brittle OATH
And you've muddled over this all
day, when every hour is worth more
to US than your one-horse bank could
earn in year?" he raped out. what
have you done? Have you telegraphed
this sheriff."
9sNo. and poi+bor will Won whom T