The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-03-21
Elsa S
fortune
copynght. 1919. b. western NswsDaDsr Uaioa.,
by VICTOR REDcLIFFR

employee, Miss Norris" said John
Baird to his stenographer. land l wish
you to accept this as a slight token
of my appreciation Of your services"
Baird & Co. were going out Of bust
ness and Elsa had been assisting the
head Of the house disposing OF the pa
pers I'm his desk. He had laid aside
an oblong envelope, from which he
drew two bondIike-looking documents.
'These are two shares Of stock In
the Aetna Coal company" proceeded
Mr.. Baird. Their par value is one
hundred dollars each, but / do not
know their sale price However. the
company has paid five per cent div1-
dends regularly"
Elsa's pretty eyes showed her ap-
probation of the unexpected gift. Mr..
Baird signed the transfer blank and
she felt quite opuIent.
"And now for q month of real vaca-
toni" jubilated Elsa, luxuriously,
packed her belongings at her boarding
house that evening and the next morn
ing took train for Yorkton, the home
Of her nearest living relative. Aunt
Eorah Bliss.
Two weeks later Morton Drake, n
city broker, was hailed on the street
by a boyish young fellow who had
hurried his steps to overtake him.
"Oh, Mr.. Drakes'' spoke Ned Wal
dron trifie breathlessly, I've hur-
ried after you to give you sure tip.
You got me my place and / want to
try and do something for you. There's
a big deal going on with the Aetna
Coal company. NV sister works there
and she says there's going TO be a
merger, and they're buying In all the
stock they can get at any price
asked"
THANK you, Ned" replied Drake.
"That may be worth something to
me-"
Drake was young business man.
but profoundly expert in brokerage
tactics. When he got back to the Of.
fee he looked up the-l list Of the stock
holders of the Aetna Coal company
Outside of officers and directors In
control he found only about half q
dozen scattered holders of the securi
ties Of the company. Out Of these
phoned or wired to, all but one replied
that they had recently sold their
stock. From John Baird, listed "a
holding two shares, brief letter an
nounced that the same had been trans
ferred and were in the possession OF
Miss Elsa Norris, Yorkton.
Then Ned came to Drake with some
decidedly important information. II
was to the effect that each Of the rival
factions In the Aetna Coal company
was straining every nerve to secure
a majority of the stock. Drake in
yestigated for himself. BE lost NJ
time after that in getting down t.
Yofkton. He never forgot the twelve
hours he spent there; he never ceaset
after that to cherish in the picture
gallery of his soul the sweetest face
he had ever seen. Elsa received hin
ingenuously, her aunt with courtes,
and welcome.
81 have been told that you hold TIVE
hundred dollars of the stock Of the
Aetna Coal company" he stated hi
mission.
Eyes, two shares" assented Elsa.
"Mr Baird so informed me and
am prepared to offer you five hundre<
dollars for the securities" and Aun
Norah barely suppressed shrek O
amazement and Elsa cried out, "Oh
that will just pay off your mortgage
dear Aunt Norah!"
Drake counted out the amount h
had named. Elsa, deeminR hersel
fortunate beyond belief, was SO happ.
spirited she could scarcely contain
herself. Aunt Norah invited this bear
sr Of opuience to tea. Just after tn
meal a storm came up. Both Aun
and niece did their utmost to enter
tain their visitor and the hours glide,
away all too swiftly for the city man
fascinated by the simple joys Of tina
humble but hospitable home.
II hope we shall see you again,
spoke Aunt Norah, as, the storm over
Drake arose to take his departure 70
his hotel, and Elsa's bright eyes mute
ly but expressively echoed the implie,
Invitation.
Morton Drake did not rest very vel
that night-for reasons. Every tim
he thought of Elsa Norris he expert
enced a Maynard impulse to make he
q certain confession.
'"Niss Norris" he said, as Elsa cam
to the door," here is a receipt ne
lected to give YOU"
'Why, what is itT asked Elsa Il
surprise.
'Well, you see, being a broker
while I have paid you for that STOCK
have an inkling that it may sell 70
more money, and in all fairness to
client who trusts me I wish you 3
have the benefit OF whatever ma
come of It." Morton Drake was no
wrong in his surmise. Those tw
shares of stock were the only ones oct
standing which could swing the major
ity as to voting power In the coal CON
pany. He knew how to bargain an
received for them an. extravagant sun
It was Ned whom he chose as hi
envoy TO inform Elsa that she was tn
legal owner of seven thousand Nv
hundred dollars and Ned, who guesse
his secret love, blurted out the trut
20 Elisa, who secretly realized that tn
affection OF Drake was more TO he
than the money.
And Aunt Nerah insisted that Drak
come to Yorkton to receive thei
thanks. and at Yorkton he lingere
until he was made happy by the coz
viction that his love was returned
Frenzieder Finance.
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