Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-05-17

land the Mountain Valley Power
company, which Is me-will have
something to say to your subscribers
I'll expect you to print it-and don't
care two boots In a hollow how you
ridicule or condemn it In your edi-
torlal column. That's your privilege"
There must be something wrong with
your head Brainerd protested, but
whatever the trouble Is, / like 1t. How
ever before | fill In this chech-and
you'n take my gratitude for granted
1t is my duty to inform you that from
this day forward the Valley Center
Register Is going to operate In red
Ink. mean that | can never hope to
repay this loan from the profits OF
a losing enterprise"
"Just make certain you can draw
a living out OF 1t, and II you can't,
see me-"
Il owe the bank three thousand, and
there's a deed of trust on this building
for fifteen hundred. I'd like to pay
that all up and have a balance for
operating capital. But there's one
more point you've overlooked. When
| bank this check In Babson's bank
everybody will know you're back OF ms
and 1t will be said that you control
me e%ditorially."
We'll, that will be fine. 1t will
automatically prevent you from show
Ing me any editorial preferment.'
You be mighty careful somebody
doesn't kill you off In the shank OF
your callow youth, my friend. You're
a temptation. With you out OF the
way there wouldn't be any water war,
because the Kershaw girl couldn't put
up a winning fight Do you realize
that?"
Who'd have that much e%nterpriser'
"Babson might instigate It." Joe
Brainerd was very earnest now. 4That
mans private fortune and the future
Of his bank hinges on the future OF
Forlorn Valley, and | don't think he
would give an icicle In Iceland for d
human life II 1t stood between him
and his desires. The battle for water
In this state Is as old as the state
and 1t is amending. There Is more
drama and more tragedy In 1t than
most people realize; enough men
nave died with their boots on beside q
stream to fill my obituary column for
the next ten years. Needs must when
the devil drives, Nate Tichenor, and
the devil Is up ON the front seat driv-
Ing through Forlorn Valley and Silas
Babson was the first man to recognize
him. Now he'll point him out to the
others and the Job OF exorcizing him
will commence at the mass meeting
In the plaza next Saturday afternoon"
II shall attend that mass meeting,
and | shall address It."
provided you're permitted. Babson
will call 1t to order and address 1t
first, and when he finishes you'll have
a hostile audience On your hands"
They'll listen to me. I'm going to
make them a proposition they've got
to listen to. I've about made up my
mind not to install the power station,
but build my dam good and high
and store water for sale to Forlorn
Valley. I'm not going to stand selfish
" by and see those old settlers leav-
Ing their abandoned farms. But I'm
going to smash that blood-sucker Bah
son, by smashing his bank"
"How7"
by starting a new bank here. In
return for the ifegiving water | shall
have to sell them, the people will hare
to do business at my bank. I'll rent
money at six per cent I'll take up
every loan they have with the Bank Of
Valley Center, and when they switch
their deposits to my bank Babson will
be left with insufficient capital to meet
the Withdrawals"
How about the minority stockhold-
ers7 They're rather decent, substan.
tial citizens"
"When the smoke clears away I'll
settle with them privately so they'll
not lose a dollar"
@You may not be able to secure a
state charter for your bank"
Then I'll operate a national bank
no BE CONTINUED.