Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-08-27
NERVE,
AND NOTHING
ELSE BUT
BY M. and r. M. TERRELL


JULIUS LICHTENSTBIN was re-
puted the wealthiest and shrewd
est merchant In Thunder Falls.
y If Julius had had u family motto
1t would have been that the end JUS
titled the means, said end being al
ever avoided the hands of a pursuer
more easily nor with more subtle turns
and twists, than did Julius avoid being
caught by the law, for the very good
reason that he usually stayed inside
the legal fences.
And he intended that his daughter
Miriam should follow in her fathers
footsteps by marrying money. There
fore, when he saw her out riding with
handsome young Sammy Lomberg he
came down on her like the proyerbial
ton of Irish confetti.
what for you waste your time
with that young good-for-nothingf" he
demanded.
81 like SAM" said Miriam, who
might truthfully have used a stronger
verb. Hes Just the kind Of young
man you ought to like, papa. He's
such a good business man." rF.
''HuhT shrilled Mr.. Lichtenstein.
well, he has such splendid quail
ties" she insisted.
Bah Splendid nerve, you pean |"
growled her father. What's he
worth? Nothing at all. A little, out
Of-the-way store up over big empty
basement
Hes only just starting out" de-
Tended Miriam, her soft black eyes
sparkling,
"Oyl Nerve, that all he's got
Nothing else but Don't you let me
catch him comm down our front steps
again, you hear mew
Miriam said nothing, but her eyes
sparkled more than ever.
Julius watched, but he did not see
his daughter with Sam again, which
does not, however, mean that he saw
all her goings and comings.
Just as / thought" muttered Ju-
Illus to himself. "Gevalt Sam Is a
fool No comeback, no courage.
Splneess would like to have seen
the man that could have kept me from
Mriam's mother when I was young
man, and | didn't have no more to
my name than this young pup"
Whereupon julius began to think of
using Dam for a purpose which re-
quired tlmidlty and humbleness. He
could think OF no one else whom he
could trustl
In short, Julius was planning one
OF those coups which had netted him
money In lump sums. He was build
ing big new store and 1t was his
principle to never expend large sum
of money-Of his own. He was willy
old fox Mt lodging the law hounds,
and like many an old fox, he neglect
ed to note that familiarity breeds con
tempt, and contempt of the law is a
dangerous thing.
Julius went to New York with his
wife and daughter and bought huge
supplies for the new store, everything
of the best and newest. The goods
duly arrived In Thunder Falls and
were stored In the capaclous basement
OF Lichtenstein's old emporium. Ju-
Illus promptly called up his insurance
people. explained his doubled stock
and risk and took out added insut-
anee
The following day young Sam LON
berg was surprised to see old Julius,
like merchant king, entering his
humble door. He was very affable to
the young man and even invited him
to lunch.
Several lunches ensued and young
Lomberg was highly fattered. After
few weeks Of shrewd hints and
questions Lichtenstein finally exposed
his purpose. He wanted the use of
Sans huge empty basement for
short time for strictly private trans
action. Young LOmberg agreed, aft
err bargaining shrewdly for stipend
proportlonate to the secrecy. Julius
grOaned, but he was forced to agree.
There was no other basement so large,
nor one so conveniently situated In an
out-of-the-way part of town, among
shabby back streets filled with ware
houses and storage plants that at
night were as the Sahara. And Sam.
poor, splneless, shabby, with bis forlorn
little store, was Just the person to use.
Sam would never dare to offend the
mighty Llchtenstein by blabbing Of
what went on by night In his base
ment, previous to the finishing Of the
new store over on Commerce street.
Besides, he was well paid. No one
would ever suspect.
For several nights thereafter, In the
safe hours past midnight, trucks piled
assiduously between Llchtensteln's old
emporium and Sans basement, and
very nearly all Of the new stock was
transferred there.
A week later, on a stormy night
when no one was out, a terrific Gre
practically destroyed the old en-
porlum.
julius, called from his bed, was a
sight to bring tears to the eyes-a
wild-eyed man lmplorlng the firemen
to save him from ruin, to save the
wonderful new stock which he had
just purchased In New York for the
opening Of the new store. But de-
spite heroic efforts Of the fire depart
ment, the old place burned like tin
der and collapsed into the basement.
All that the insurance inspectors could
find afterward In the debris were
few remains Of charred crates and
stocks TO tell the tale
Julius was confined to his bed from
the shock. Agnin be showed the In.