THE LACLEDE ELAD3

to come ana plant himself in the al 33 of privilege at Smith's desk end. - EAT A AND HOLD TTTrTV"! JOHN SMITH BLUFFS CRAFTY BANKER GETS "Well, son j . you've got the animals ' stirred up good and plenty, at last," OF; SUFFICIENT WORKING CAPITAL TO GO AHEAD he said, when he had found the "mak cigar lie Heal VyiTH THE GREAT IRRIGATION DAM PROJECT Ings" and was deftly rolling a t'i ette his one overlapping habit reach- ing back" to. his range-ridin-g youth. "Dick Maxwell got a wire today from Synopsis, J.. Montague Smith, cashier of Lawrencevllle Bank and his kiddle's grandpaw and my own Flan : company, engaged Mchlander, Trust society bachelor to marry Verda respected. daddy-ln-Ia- w Mr. Hiram By heiress, knocks his employer, Watrous Dunham, senseless, leaves him Falrbairn; you know him the lumber for dead and flees the state when Dunham accuses Smith of dishon- king." ' ' " FRANCIS LYHDE esty and wants him to take the blame for embezzlement actually com- Tm listening," said Smith. mitted by Dunham. Several weeks later, Smith appears as a tramp' "Dick's wire was an order; instruc . at a town in the Rocky mountains and gets a laboring job in an irriga- tions from headquarters to keep hands tion ditch construction camp. His intelligence draws the attention of off of your new company and to work ' Williams, the superintendent, who thinks he ean use the tramp, John ' strictly in cahoots 'harmony' was the GREAT BIG MONEY sflffT Smith, in a more Important place. The ditch company is in hard lines word he used with Crawford Stanton. Producing and Refining V B.MJ financially because Eastern financial Interests are working to under- Oil prices booming. Stocks soaring; Thou How does that fit you?" - mine the local crowd headed by Colonel Baldwin and take over valu- sands drawing- dividends from small invest- The financial secretary's smile was ments In ground-floo- r shares of IllntntUsi UW1H MTEM property. finally accepts appointment sec-- ' reliable oil It able Smith as financial the face-wrinkli- and refining companies. Writ at once for retary Baldwin's company. He has already up pleasant of struck a quarry foreman who has seen BIS FREE BOOK OF PHOTOS AND OIL FACTS Baldwin, of the acquaintance with Corona the colonel's winsome daughter. his. hitch hold to land the big about blg, ,2 crafty banker tackle substantial, Copyright by Cnaa. Scribaer'a Sons He goes to interview a while the financial enemies plan stone safely the top of the pit. oil and refining company (governed by board company. at of bankers) owning ruin for Baldwin's going to do about II conservative 45,000 CHAPTER IX Continued. "What Is Maxwell acres of valuable oil leases deposited In it?" he asked. bank, all paid for and certified by law, in Oklahoma and Texas, the world's richest oil "Dick Is all wool and a yard wide; region. Big now "That Is precisely what I was minutes. Where in the name more difficult well drilling. Dozen wells last ten and it was even to refuse and what he signs his name to Is what to be drilled soon. Modern Oil Refiner? tn h at. Our banker can't run with the jumping Jehoshaphat did you get your of the proffered hospitality at the week he is going to stand by. You won't lose erected. Positively fair and square hare and hunt with the hounds. You'll your nerve, boy? You made him be- end. did quick opportunity (free from humbug or But Smith refuse it. him, but the wire shows us Just about fakir's methods) to buy 11 nar aharea Nnw excuse me if I say you haven't got backing honestly-manage- d, fast-growi- that lieve we'd outside from It was not until after Miss Corona where we're aiming to put our leg Into In company. been altogether fair with Timanyoni somewhere." OSA0E OIL IENNIN0 City. driving to town with her father, as she gopher hole and break it, doesn't C- O- Oklahoma Okla. Ditch, or with Colonel Baldwin, Mr. did the "I didn't say anything like that, frequently did had thrice visited the - Kinzle. A friendly banker doesn't it?" I?" new offices that Smith began to con "I'm not borrowing any trouble. Mr, help sell You know ; out his customer. "No but you opened the door and he gratulate himself, rather bitterly, to colleagues are that, as well as do. Still, you did Falrbairn and his Just I walked in." be sure, upon his wisdom In staying too StarbUck. It." I'm not respon few minutes late.. JF yam are analog ka. let w teU you bow you no lo "That's all right; away from Hillcrest. For one thing, We've got our footing inside of the crauc Tour income aelllftt Auwricu Liihtioe Pilots, Kinzie threw up his hands and tried sible Mr. Klnzie's imagination. Portable Laaipa, Lantern, etc OM wU koown product for he was learning that Corona Baldwin corral." Eaajly old. work all or spare tine. No compttitloa. to defend was a straight a ad- Ooly email capital requires. himself. "It We were obliged to have little rose-colore- d. aot aaceiury. was able to make him see The who was now Exclurir territory nuarlera. business transaction. Mr. Smith. As vertising we couldn't turn a to capital; When she was not with him, he was a well up on the middle rounds of for- AMERICAN CAS MACHINE CO, long as we're In banking business, me in touch kit. lUkm LM, Miaa. the wheel without it Put man in daily peril of meeting the ladder, shook his head doubt we buy who comes good lawyer, and I'll tune's and sell for anybody with a business sheriff. But when she was present, fully. along." legal machinery. Then you W. N. U.f KANSAS CITY, NO. 42-19- 17. start the calm sanity had a way of losing its "Don't you make any brash breaks, "No, we don't, Mr. Kinzle; we pro can get into your car and go around grip. John. Mr. Hiram Falrbairn and his tect our customers first. In the pres-en- and interview your crowd, man by A pretty girl Is upt to be less Inter- Miss fourth to can swing twenty millions to instance you thought your cus- man. I want to know exactly where Corona's visit the crowd esting than the bank account of a of offices" over your old dollar and a half, tomer was a anyway, so we stand with the old stockholders be- handsome suite the one little homely maid. dead one. it Brewster City National chanced to they're not going to leave any of wouldn't make much difference if you fore we make any move in public. Can and fall upon a Saturday. Her father, the pebbles unturned when It comes to Unfair Question. should throw another shovelful of dirt you do that?" - president of the new company, as be savins- their investment in the Esca- - or so onto the coffin. Wasn't the .Baldwin lifted his hat and shoved his "I'll never ask Jlbway to lend me an- that had been of old, had a private of- just thought I'd way of It?" fingers through his hair. the Iante. That's all; I other cent!" fice of his own, but Miss Corona soon drop In and tell you." The president fairly pushed to "I reckon I can ; there are only sixty "Did he hurt your feelings?" was out railed-ol- f ropes, or seventy 'em. And Bob Stllllngs drifted to the end of the Smith went to his rooms in the hotel "I should say so! I asked him to the and he showed it. of room, sec- Come the cor larger where the financial few minutes later to change for din lend men dollar until Monday and "Answer me one question, both , of Is your lawyer. around he retary had his desk. ner. He tne linen arawer in nis you," he snapped. "Are you big enough ner and I'll Introduce you." found asked me, 'What Monday?'" 'Colonel-dadd- y tells me that you are dressing-cas- e overflowing. Opening to fight for your own against Stanton's coming out to Hillcrest for the week- another, he began to arrange the over- crowd?" CHAPTER X. A Poor Financier. . end," was the way in which she in flow methodically. The empty drawer "You'll see; and the sight going ne We'll have to give up our in is terrupted the financial secretary'i n8 lined with a newspaper, and a sin to cost you something," said Smith, The Rocket and the Stick. tended trip. My account at the bank brow-knittin- over a new material gle headline on the upturned page and the oil For a full fortnight after the pre Is already overdrawn. blandest could have been contract. "I have Just wagered him a sprang at him like a thing living and no smoother liminary visit to the Brewster City She Oh, John, you a than his tone. nice fat little round iron dollar of my venomous. He bent lower and read are such "Is right, National bank Smith was easily the wretched financier. Why you that Dexter?" allowance that you won't. How about the underrunnlng paragraph with a don't "That's the way looks to me. busiest man In Timanyoni county. Es- keep your account In a bank it it?" dull rage mounting to his eyes and that has Dave," said the ranchman capitalist, tablishing himself In the Hophra plenty of money? Smith looked up with bis best-n- a serving for the moment to make the who, whatever might be his limitations House, and discarding the working khaki only because he was shrewd tured grin. gray of the printed lines turn red. in the field of high finance, was not Resourceful. enough to the new part becom "You win," he said 6hortly. Lawrencevllle, May 19. The grand Jury lacking the nerve to fight unquestion- dress Stutle A need $5 and I've only ingly, he flung himself into what "Thank you," she laughed. "In has found a true bill against Montague I ing in any partner's quarrel. Smith, the absconding cashier of the got $4. Colonel "miracle-working- " minute or so I'll go back to the presi The president City Baldwin called the Lawrencevllle Bank and Trust, charged Stude B easy, of the Brewster campaign with a zest dent's office and collect." Then: "One That's Pawn the National turned to that with embezzling the bank's funds. The $4 for $3 back Smith. knew no flagging moment. dinner, lodging and breakfast of us crime would have been merely a breach and sell the pawn ticket "What do you want, Mr. Smith he for $2. T Within the fourteen-da- y period new was about all you could stand, wasn of trust and not actionable but for the asked, not too : Smith, by owning stock in the cordially. town oflices were occupied on the sec it? I thought maybe it would be that fact that "Nothing ; bankrupt Westfall industries lately taken that you'd give us, I guess ond floor Brewster City Na way." by company, so Quite True. a little of the over the Rlchlander had business loyalty, for one tional building ; Stlllings, most efficient "What made you think so?" made himself amenable to the law. Smith "Would you consider marriage to a thing" of corporation counsels, had secured She had seated herself in the chair disappeared on the night of the 14th and count these days?" "And a checking Is still at large. He is also wanted on balance for Imme the new ; and the stock-book- s reserved for inquiring Investors. There "Oh, yes," replied the American diate charter another criminal count. It will be remem- necessities for another?" sug of Timanyoni High Line had been was a little interval of glove-smoot- h bered that he brutally assaulted President heiress. "Some of those foreign no- gested the banker. opened, with the Brewster City Na- ing silence, and then, like a flash out Dunham on the night of his disappear- blemen have behaved gallantly In the ance. fl.OOO appre- With all his trained astuteness tional named as the company's deposi- of a clear sky, she smiled across the The reward of for his trenches." hension and arrest has been increased to they trained in Klnzie's own school, at tory and official fiduciary agent. desk end at hta and said : $2,000 by the bank directors. "So have." that Smith could not be sure that the At the dam the building activities "Will you forgive me if I ask you a "And after a man has proved him gray-face- d old Westerner was not set had been generously doubled. An elec- perfectly ridiculous question?" CHAPTER XI. self a hero, the public Is willing to ting a final trap for him, after all. But tric light plant bad been installed, and "Certainly. Other people ask them overlook his disinclination to work." lie took the risk, saying, with a decent Williams was working day and night every day." - The Narrow World. show of indifference: "Of course it shifts both in the quarries and on the "Is Is your name really and truly At the fresh newspaper remlndet Rolling Rapidly. would be more convenient here than in forms. Past this, the new financial John Smith?" that his sudden hound upward from Tom Moore called on Campbell one Denver or Chicago. But there is no manager, himself broadening rapidly "Why should .you doubt it?" the laboring ranks to the executive evening, and in the course of conver- hurry about that part of it." as his field broadened, was branching "I I don't want to tell you," she headship of the Irrigation project had sation Campbell mentioned a poem he .Liie president toon a sup or paper out in other directions. After a brief stammered. merely made him a more conspicuous had just composed and the manuscript a s, from pigeonhole and wrote rapidly conference with a few of his principal "All right; you needn't" target for the man-hunter- Smith of which he showed to Moore. It was upon it. Once more his optimism was stockholders he had instructed Stlllings "If you're going to take it that easy, scanted himself of sleep and redoubled entitled "The Battle of Hohenllnden," looking horns with prudent caution. It to include the words "Power and Light" I will tell you," she retorted. "Mr. his efforts to put the new company on the last line of the first verse of which was the optimism, however, that was in the cataloguing of the new com- Williams thought your name was an a sound and permanent footing. In read: driving the pen. Baldwin's word was pany's possible and probable, charter alias ; and Inf not sure that he doesn't the nature of things he felt that hi "Of Iser rolling rapidly." worth something, and it might be dis activities, and by the end of the fort still think so." own shift must necessarily be short. When Moore was departing he astrous to let these two get away with night the foundations of a powerhouse "The Smiths never have to have The more or less dramatic coup In sUppedon the stairs, which caused out anchoring them solidly to the were going in below the dam, and ne aliases. It's like John Doe or Richard Timanyoni High Line had advertised Campbell to ask: Brewster City National. gotiations were already on foot with Roe, you know." nun thoroughly. He was rapidly com "What's that? What's that?" "Sign this, you two," he said. the Brewster city council looking to- "Haven't you any middle name?" lng to be the best-know- n man in Brew "I, sir, rolling rapidly!" Instantly re- don't know even the name of your new ward the sale of electric current to the "I have a middle initial. It is M.' " ster, and be cherished no Illusions plied Moore. . outfit yet, but Til take a chance on one city for lighting and other purposes. He was looking her fairly in the eyes about lost Identities, or the ability to piece of two-nam-e paper, anyhow. Smith had made the planting of his as he said It, and the light in the new lose them, in the land where time and Smith took up the slip and glanced financial anchor securely to windward offices was excellent Thanks to her space have teen wired and railroaded at it. It was an accommodation note his first care. Furnished with a select horseback riding. Miss Corona's small pretty well out of existence. for twenty thousand dollars. With the ed list by Colonel Baldwin, be had oval face had a touch of healthy out It was needful that he should work money fairly in his hands, he paused made a thorough canvas of possible in- door tan; but tinder the tan there while the day was his in which to to drive the nail of independence vestors, and by the time the new stock came, for juste flitting Instant a flush work; and he did work. There was squarely before he would begin. was printed and ready for delivery of deep color,' and at the back of the still much to be done. Williams was "We don't want this at all, Mr. through Klnzie's bank, an ironclad pool gray eyes there, was something that having a threat of labor troubles at l.p"Bg&J unless the bank's goodwill comes of the majority of the original Timan Smith had never seen there before. the dam, and Stlllings bad unearthed with it," he said with becoming yoni Ditch stock had been organized. --It's It's Just an initial T she another possible flaw in the land titles j and Smith had sold to Maxwell, Star-- queried. dating back to the promotion of a cer Til stand by you, was the brusque buck, and other local capitalists a suf "Yes ; it's just an initial, and I don't tain railroad which had never gotten rejoinder. "But It's only fair to you ficient amount of the new treasury use it ordinarily. I'm not ashamed of far beyond the paper stage and the ac both to say that you've got the biggest stock to give him a fighting chance; the plain 'John. " quiring of some of its rights of way. J kind of a combination to buck you this, with a promise of more if it "I don't know why yon should be," Smith flung himself masterfully at. THERE'S a national utilities corporation with should be needed. she commented, half absently, he the new difficulties as they arose, and the strongest sort of political earned his meed praise from the backing,' , Not to Maxwell or to any of the new thought And then : "How many 'John of NO DOUBT T doubt if you can tell us anything investors had Smith revealed the .full M. Smiths' do 70a suppose there are men for whom he overcame them. But that we don't already know," said dimensions of the prize for which Tim- In the United States?" under the surface current ef the hurry- ABOUT Smith coolly, as he" put his name on anyoni High Line was entering the 'Oh, I don't know ; a million or so, I ing business tide a bitter undertow was the note; and when Baldwin had race. Uoionel uaiawin ana one Wil guess. beginning to set In. He took his first signed: "Let this go to the credit of liam Starbnck, Maxwell's brother-in- - "I should think' yon would be rather decided backward step on the sight Timanyoni Ditch, If yon please, Mr. law, by courtesy, and his partner in glad of that" she told him. Bat when when he went into a hardware store and bought a pIstoL - free, fair-- MSTiJM Kinzle, ana well transfer it later. If the Little Alice mine, alone knew the he tried to make her say why be should The quite possible that we sha'n't need it, wheel within the wheel ; how the great be glad, she talked pointedly of other fighting spirit which had sent him bare but we are willing to help out a little eastern utility corporation represented things and presently went back to her handed against the three claim-Jumpe- rs AS A on your discount profits, anyway. Fur by Stanton had spent a million or father's office. was gone and in Its place there was ther along, when things shape them- more in the acquisition of the Esca-- There were fine little headings of a fell determination, undefined as yet, HEALTH selves up a bit more definitely, yen lante grant, which would be practical perspiration standing on the fugitive's bat keying Itself to the barbaric pitch. haH know all there is to know, and ly worthless as agricultural land with- forehead when she left him. IMPROVEMENT well give you just as good a chance out the water which could be obtained After the other members of the of to make money as youH give u." only by means of the Ttmasyosl dam fice force had taken their departure, Try as hard as he may. Smith OVER Wbea they were safety out ef the and canal system. be still sat st his desk striving to finds that he cannot keep senti- brier ment out his tack sad half a square away from it. With all these strenuous stirrings la himself back with some degree ef clear- ef life. His fear ef COFFEE Dexter Baldwin pushed hie hat back the business field. It may say itself that headedness to the pressing demands of discovery and arrest Increases, I etad BM?ned tfs forehead. Tby gay Smith found LrtJe time for social In his job. Jut es he was sheet to give Important 4evelepmeie eeme la e next installment mas cea't wst at tUs altitude," he dulgences during the crowded fort- ft vp sad go across to-ti- Bopbra the rrsRrk4. "I'm her to tell you, night. Dty after day the toloci beared noose for Us 6Iaser,'WIIUa fUrirck f.!?t, that Tve lott tea fsad la 11 Usa to Uit a tfitt cZ st the rises, drifted in to cca the rililrx rite tzA