Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

508 let me in at a special price for a good-sized block; it’s going on the curb in a month, and the price ’ll be three or four times what I paid.” ““ Stokes says so.” “Stokes is all right, Beth. He treats every one square. No one can say he has ever laid down on an obligation since he’s been in Templeton.” “ Most any one can keep up an appear- ance of honesty for a few months, Win; and that’s his policy. Have you your stock certificate?” “ They'll be delivered in a couple of days; the subscriptions have to be forward- ed to New York and the stock trans- ferred—” “Did Stokes tell you that?” “cc Sure.” “Wasn’t the stock already standing in your name, after you’d put up all those bonds?” ‘““Why—why, I hadn’t thought of that. I just put up the bonds with Stokes to hold the oil stock at the price he let me have it for. And, by the way, he said it was lucky he hadn’t sent the bonds to New York for safe-keeping. He had ’em in his safety deposit box over at the Sands.” “H-m,” mused Beth. “I see; at least, I’m beginning to see. Now, Win Sayles, what are you going to do for a living?” “T’m sure I don’t know. I'll start job hunting right away—provided you don’t proceed against me on account of the bonds.” “Win, I don’t want to proceed against you; but I can’t see that this incident has proved a very sharp lesson to you—so far. It’s pretty easy for you, my coming forward. with four thousand dollars because I’m forced to do it te protect the bank; believe me, if it had been just to save you, I wouldn’t have done it. I doubt if you’re worth it. However, we’ll see. I wish you’d get on the phone and have Alice come right over.”’ “Oh, Beth, you don’t mean—”’ “To make you tell your wife? tainly do.” ‘““Do you want to break her heart?” “No, I don’t want to; but there’s only one way to save you, and Alice will have T cer- . f PA ¢ a al s — | a. ys a ee ~ ys —_—_ _ ee - ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. to help. It ‘li be one of her penalties for having married any one as weak as you. She thought you were al! right because you had a job in the bank. You traded on the bank’s reputation, in a way, when you were courting Alice. Well, I want Alice to un- derstand the situation plainly. The bank isn’t responsible for you. You are lucky to have a wife like Alice, Win. She’ll back you and help you when lots of girls would turn you out. You send for her right now.” “I’m not going to do it.” “Very well; the whole matter goes be- fore the board to-morrow morning. Good day, Mr. Sayles.” “ But, Beth—” “ Good day, Mr. Sayles.” Half an hour later Mrs. Win Sayles was closeted with her husband and the presi- dent of the Benson Bank of Templeton. It is not necessary to go into the details of that conference. When it broke up, Mrs. Sayles’s eyes were observed to be méistly red, and so were her husband’s. Beth looked tired. The Sayleses left the bank building together, Mrs. Sayles remarking: “Isn't she a darling? Isn’t she a won- der?” The president came out of the directors’ room and took ker place at her small desk in the front office. On her way thither she bent over Garvin’s shoulder and said very sofily: “Tt’s all right, for the present. Lucky you and I are the only ones who know. The bonds are back in the vault. I’ve hired Win Sayles on commission, with a drawing account of thirty dollars a week, to go out and sell securities for a new depart- ment I’m starting. It gives him a chance, and besides that there’s something I want him to do incidentally that may lead to de- velopments.” “But what—what securities are you going to have him offer?” “ Bonds—oil bonds. I know where I can buy a hundred thousand seven per cent first mortgage World Oil & Refining on a five-point spread, and I’ve wired I’d take them. They’re good as gold.” “Oh, of course; absolutely. But you’ve got your nerve.” “I don’t know. I don’t believe it’s nerve Gomichbooks.com