, 1921-05-05
A Disastrous Deal
in Jumbo Iron
By r. RAY BAKER.

waste basket In Claude Winters office
and a liberal supply lay curled on the
floor, while short bits reposed here
and there about the room.
One piece was held taut in Claude's
myers, as he sat at a desk by a win
dow. Seven stories down the city
roared and clattered, but the young
stock broker heard none of the tu-
multi. He bent over the desk, his
elbows resting on it, his gaze trans
fixed on the tape before him.
Lost" he muttered. 1t was not
a groan, for Claude was not the
grooming kind. He had stamina. al
though the supply was being over
taxed at present. "Lost-a clean
sweep. Only one possible way to re-
trieve, and that's to throw at least
100000 into the whirlpool that sucked
down my half-million. But where's 1t
to come from? l haven't more than
$1,000 left, and that wouldn't affect
Jumbo iron u jot. No, what 1 need
is a whole lot of money in quick time.
I'll not give up. Two hundred thou
sand will bring back the five hundred
thousand; there's no doubt of 1t. But
wherem l get itf'
He rose, dropped the piece Of tape,
and ground it between a heel and the
office rug. Crossing to the telephone
he called up various bank officials,
one after the other. No satisfaction.
Money was tight" and besides, 1t
was the big banking interests largely
that had brought about his downfall.
He was disappointed but not sur
prised.
Claude returned to his desk. but not
TO his attitude of detection. His mind
was busy seeking the signpost of a
highway that would lead him out of
he forest of "frenzied finance"
Six years ago Claude had come to
the city with a comparatively few dol
lars, and acceptance of a lowly posi-
ton in a brokerage office had proved
a lucky step. He made a favorable
impression with the broker and was
educated in the finesse of playing
stocks. Finally he was made a part
ner; shortly after hat the broker died
and Claude became sole owner OF the
Ill III VII lie sue
and money rolled in. Everything he
touched responded as objects respond
ed to the golden touch of Midas. as
told In mythology-until he tried Jum-
DO iron. Then came the crash.
All this time he had neglected the
old home on the farm. On this farm
he had been BORN and raised to young
manhood. On the adjoining eighty
acres had lived Alice Hall, pretty
daughter Of a farmer, and with her
Claude experienced his first affair of
the heart. He had loved her des-
perately-he had thought.
Then his parents had died, one
shortly after the other, and having a
natural-born dislike for farming. he
had gone to the city. TN come back
for you some day." he had told Alice,
but after writing once or twice he had
forgotten her. A member of his office
force had attended to the payments
of taxes on the old farm, but that was
his only remaining connection with
the environment of his boyhood.
Now as he sat at his desk seeking
u way "a VI hIH hiitihlh tht DlIluIt
of a girl arose in his mind-a beauti-
full girl. But 1t vas not Alice. Her
name was Hortense Motion. and she
was the daughter of Ruthford Motion.
n power In the financial world. She
had a million in her own right, and
she was fond OF Claude. He had met
her at n social function and they had
liked each other. Somehow he had
felt she would marry him IL he asked
her, but he had never really courted
her. although he had taken her around
some.
'She's the solution" he decided. as
he harassed his brain for n means of
raising money. "Iu ask Hortense to
marry me. Let's see. she's spending
the month at Troy. I'll Just run up
there in my car. get her consent quick
iy-if ! can-and then put my hands
IN some money. This situation ought
to keep a week Mt least. TIL appeal
10 her romantic nature. and she ought
TO dispense with an elaborate cere-
mony. The trip will do me good. and
incidentally I'll stop on the way and
cast my eye over the old farm"
That very afternoon he started on
the trip, his hopes once more arisen.
Abandoning the cares of financial life,
which his peculiar construction per-
mitted him to do, he assumed n holL
day spirit. and spoke nmiably to every
N he met on the road.
Cities. villages and farming districts
he passed through at a swift pace. At
last strangely familiar sights began
meeting his glance. They were
strangely familiar because never be-
fore had he motored in this direction.
in spite Of the fact that the road led
past the farm which had once been
his home.
Cant stop for more than n minute"
he muttered ms he noticed n landmark
which he realized was not more than
A.. ..Fa. -. - - - v