The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 290: what you’re looking at

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

286 isting now—a something about bulls and bears and panicky things—I don’t understand—and in a few days if 1s ex- pected that the money market is going to take a devil of a tumble. “ Now, the managers and directors of the Metropolis Bank, all your high- minded Christians, haven’t jugged that money to help any poor devil who can’t hold his own. Not by a—any kind of sight. They’ve just got this money from the sub treasury in order to have the cash on hand to buy the holdings of the poor devils who are going to be driven to the wall. “There, Merrill, is Christian charity for you. They are making money cnough. They are all rich, and yet with the prospect of widows living on small incomes, and business men trying to make a little fortune, they have stored up a vast fortune to sweep these little people, the small holders, out of exist- ence. Is that honorable? ” “You told ine not to speak.” “But I’m asking a question.” “Well, then, it looks like a mean transaction, but that is Wall Street life. Everybody who goes into Wall ” “Blow Wall Street. This ain’t a matter of Wall Street. This 1s going to be an affair in which people who are not speculators, but small investors owning their stocks, are going to be crushed down and ont, and these big, nice men with enough already are going to scoop in their little fortunes. What do you think of that?” “Tt is wrong, certainly,” I said. “To make a few rich men richer, thev'll ruin thousands who can just live.” ; “Well, how are vou going to stop it?” “Play their own game. Were going to make a few poor men rich in our own way.” ce How ? a2 “ Well, you see, there are improve- ments in ways. It so happens that Wilson, who knows something of this hank, and how to entcr it, 1s ready for the undertaking. We need three. We've got to have a team of horses, for gold is heavy. One must mind the team, another watch outside, while Wilson THE ARGOSY. goes in. There are four millions of dol- lars there waiting for us.” * Jarvis, I regret my oath. It is true that I have no reason to like Mr. Els: mere, and if he is doing this wrong you speak of, he should in some way be pun- ished, but I cannot entcr into any bank robbing scheme.” His face grew dark. “Then I s’pose your oath is no good, and you'll tell the police.” ‘““ My oath 1s sacred.” “Well, we ain’t such friends as we used to be, are we, Gentleman Jim?” “YT will never forget your kindness to me. But I do not think that under these circumstances I had better re- main here.” “ No,” said Jarvis with a leer, loung- ing out. “ I guess not.” CHAPTER XI. SAVING THE BANK. I 11AD some money left, some of that which I had earned in the prison, and at once packed the few meager belong- ings I had and prepared to leave. “Think over this, Merrill,” said Jarvis, coming back and speaking in a conciliatory tone. “Tve thought enough,” I answered. “Twill not turn thief.” “ Well, good-bv, Gentleman Jim,” he said with a laugh. With a small grip, in which were all the possessions [ had, I left his house. [ had made no plan, and did not know where to look for a place to stay. It was useless at that time of night to be- sin a search for a boarding-house, and, passing a hotel, I turned in and ob- {ained a room. Onee inside, I hghted a cigar and sat down to think. There were many strange emotions tearing at mv soul, some of which were natural and some of which I could not analyze. Y thought over all the meanness of Mr. Elsmere to me after the law had seized me, and contrasted it with his very friendly spimt when I was on the upward road to wealth. I was no more dishonest because Wil- kins ran awav than [ had been before. (GO) MICO SS (COL