The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-01-29
MAKING A
KILLING"
BY WALTER j. DELANEY

lgnated as queer InOSe VINO nau
seen him grow up as boy voted him
stupid, as young man he was con-
sidered to have wool-gathering wits
and nobody regarded him bright or
clever. Withal, however, Ezra pos
sessed one sterling quality of depend
ability. This was definiteness. He was
truthful, set in his opinions. People
took little interest in counselling or
directing him, and Ezra grew up hav-
ing to learn the hard lessons of life all
by himself.
Unostentatiously but sincerely he
gained and held the good will and re-
gard of the rich uncle of the family,
Martin Dole, who kept a good deal to
himself, spoke little, and in this so re-
sembled Ezra that the twain mutually
understood and liked each other. 1t
was pretty well understood between
the two that when Martin Dole got
ready to quit this world Ezra should
step into his shoes as sole heir. Ezra
believed in the promise. He did no
scheming, thought out the proposition
in his own clear, simple way, and ad-
justed circumstances and probabilities
to his own direct way of reasoning.
81 shall not marry while you live"
Ezra had told Mr.. Dole, and the latter
knew that he would keep his word
But fate placed in the way Of the care
free young philosopher an attraction
in the shape of Verda Morton that he
could not resist.
She was the daughter of an ex-gen-
eral who had once possessed fortune
All he now had left was his pension
and the old but extensive family home,
to which he persistently chung as a
haven unequaled on earth. Verda was
quiet appearing girl, but with deep
Soulfulness which the earnest devotion
of Ezra brought to the surface. They
became engaged, but under parental
restriction.
1.-THE man who married Verda," de-
clared the old general, must be able
to secure Fairoaks for her. 1t is heav-
lily mortgaged, and 1t will take thirty
thousand dollars to clear it,"
81 shall not ask your consent to our
marriage until | have the money TO
pay for It," observed Ezra in his I'M
ostentatious way, and he kept his word.
1t meant work, saving and waiting, but
when Martin Dole died one day Ezra
realized that his day of redemption
was at hand.
The local newspapers referred TO
Our lamented and respected citizen,
Martin Dole" as the wealthiest resi-
dent of Elmwood, but when his estate
was settled up there was quite dlsap.
pointment for Ezra. His uncle had left
him everything, but when his debts
were paid up there was a bare eighteen
thousand dollars left
"A good deal of money" soliloqulzed
Ezra, "but not enough to win Verda. so
| have got to set my wits at work"
Ezra alone knew where the great
bulk of his uncles fortune had gone
The latter had speculated on the city
markets in stocks and bonds.
1t was then that Ezra began, indeed,
to appear queer" He suddenly grad
uated into the most typical young
dandy and spender ElmwOod had ever
seen. He arrayed himself in the most
expensive raiment. He was palpably
"new-rich" from top to toe.
Then one day Ezra disappeared from
his native village. 1t was to reappear
in the city, that greedy metropolis
which had Invested his uncle of most
of his fortune. Ezra attracted atten-
ton and caused comment, appearing to
the brokers who had fleeced Martin
Dole as his heir and deeming himself
regular young Napoleon of finance If
it was all a part Ezra played 1t well.
He affected artless ignorance of busi-
ness. He flashed accounts on two or
three banks.
"Only looking around" he remarked
to the horde of brokers anxious to adj
wise his investments. 81 don't select a
broker until ! see that he is going to
make me something instead of helping
me to lose"
The result was natural. The broker
to whom he developed his system"
of course knew that in order to lead
on this young bird to be plucked he
must allow him to make profitable
investment. At twenty different houses
Ezra left $500 to be invested. For one
week he practically lived at the stock
exchange. Then with twenty different
brokers who had given him real tips
and had worked hard 10 gain a profit,
the golden youth left the city with a
genial. satisfied smile on his face.
"Made killing and cleaned up ex-
actly forty thousand dollars" he told
General Morton a few, days later.
"They used to say l was stupid, and
those shrewd brokers took me for a
sure victim. Well, lis only getting
back the money they got from Uncle
Martin"
Then simple innCcent-mlnded Ezra
Moves proceeded to redeem his promise
as TO Falroaks. General Morton glowed
as he saw the old home safe and his
daughters future assured. Elmwood
gasped and started when Ezras queer
ness" quiet. but effective in some way,
eyentuated in giving him the mayoralty
and the Presidency of the local bank.
"Somehow. I'm suspicious that Ezra
has played us all along" observed
Judge Benton, the gossip oracle of the
town.
mot at ALL" dssented his proud
fatherin-law Gle wasn't much of