Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1046) (1925 10 16)

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OCTOBER 16, 1925 ih Price 8 Cents No. 1046 “$felp!” cried Rob, as Parkman pressed him ac the window sill. The satchel of money fell from his grasp. Tim Walker, seeing his opportunity, snatched up a cana and, leaning out of the window, aimed a blow at the cashier

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY West 23d Street, New York, N. ¥. the Post-Office at New York, N._ _ Issued weekly—Subscription ea $4.00 per ba ASE, Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. Harry E. Wolff, Fagin as sne., 166 7 Q 3 r Entered = s Betond- Class Matter, na ye 4, 1911, , under. the Act of March 3. NEW YORK, OCTOBER Ione s ; ‘From Newsboy To Banker OR, ROB LAKE’S RISE IN WALL STREET Bet uy Price 8 Cents, By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER 1I.—The Lost Paper. = “Hi, there! Why don’t you move on?” cried the driver of a heavy truck, the foremost of a Jong line of other heavily-laden teams, headed - for the Pennsylvania Railroad freight dock. “What are you blockin’ the way for?” roared the driver of a south-bound Beit Line car, sud- denly brought to a standstill, ringing his gong furiously. “Move on, can’t you?” bawled a cabman aim- ing for the ferry with a passenger who had to : eahch the train-boat across the river. “What in thunder are you stoppin’ for?” de- Pe manded the driver of another cab coming from the opposite direction with a fare who was in a sweat to get uptown. The eause of all this disturbance was a covered automobile which had stopped near the middle of “West Street, between Cortlandt and Dey Streets, --and thereby got tangled up in the traffic that overflowed that particularly wide thoroughfare - facing on the river-front. The hour was eleven _in the morning, when business was at its height, 2 mae the stoppage of a stream of vehicles going yp and down, and across West Street, meant a : facia, which became every moment more serious. The chauffeur of the motor car was ‘hunting around for something in the street, and his passenger was trying to direct him where to look. The howls and swear-words of the drivers _ of the stalled vehicles increased with the lapse There was a prefect Babel of sounds rising ebove the ordinary noise of the neighborhood, which was loud enough of itself without any additions. _ ‘river, the clang of the warning bell and short, sharp whistle blasts from the outgéing ferry- ‘boats, the cries of newsboys with the early after- noon editions—all these made up the ordinary 5 sounds of that section of West Street at that hour. A couple of policemen rushed forward to z and get things moving once more, and pre- eding one of them was a®bright-faced newsboy, with a bundle of papers under his arms, who dived - right into the center of the mix-up: on his way to the ferry house. oe are you looking: for?” he asked. the ar. = a ara ; : The shrill toots of tugs from the. “A piece of paper,” was the reply. “What kind of paper?” “About so big.” “Tt must be valuable,” “It is—it’s worth——” “Here you, are you the chauffeur of this auto?” interposed a stout policeman, squeezing into the midst of the trouble. “Yes.” “Then move your machine out of here, and do it quick!” ordered the officer. “T’ve got to find something first.” said the boy. “What did you drop—your pocketbook?” sar- ‘ castically. “No. Mr. Drew lost a valuable document out of the window, and I’ve got to find it. It’s worth: z “Don’t you see that you’re creating a blockade? Move your machine across to the curb and then come back and hunt for your document.” “Ym afraid that wouldn’t do,” replied the chauffeur, thrusting ‘his head under a big horse. “It’s got to do, d’ye hear? If you don’t move your auto I'll arrest you.” “But, Mr. Drew. “Hang Mr. Drew!” roared the policeman. The second officer now came up. He backed'u the first one, and the chauffeur turned appeal: ing to Mr. Drew. “I can’t find it, sir, and the policemen say I’ve got to move on.” “It’s got to be found,” cried the Wall Street man, excitedly. importance tome. I have simply got to have it.” “But you can’t hold traffic up in this way sir,” objected the officer. “Your man will have to move on, no matter what you've lost.” “John, move the machine over to the corner of Cortlandt Street. I’ll get out and look myself.” With those words the banker and broker sprang out of the auto and began hunting for his paper, while the chauffeur proceeded to untangle the machine from the maze of vehicles that had accumulated. In the meanwhile the newsboy was hunting around forthe precious bit of paper. Finally he saw a piece of paper néarly. vy uuder the front hoofs of a dray horse and he made a ~ break for it, but at that moment the blockade was oo lifted and the horses started ahead. i saiheiy Samy off. but kept iis: ,eyes on be “That paper is of the utmost - ENO Aes

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2 FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER - paper, which was presently ground under the wheels of the truck. “What you goin’ to do about it? qn a “I found out that his name is Drew, and that ; “Hi, hi! Get out of the way, you young mon- he’s a Wall Street banker. I’m going yover to- en key!” roared a voice behind -him. Wall Street by and by and hunt him up.” abe The boy turned to. find* a: pair of horses on “Expect to get a reward for returnin’ the ee top of him almost. He jumped out of the way, paper, don’t you?” ae only to get into the track of another team. “I hope so. The cop told me that he said he — = wouldn’t lose the paper for $10,000.” “Let’s see it.” For the next five minutes he was kept dodging backwards and forwards, but he wouldn’t move from the locality on the speculation that the _ j r € paper he had seen was the one lost... He per- fully and saw that it was some kind of a re- sisted, however, and at length was rewarded ceipt with Mr. George Drew’s name in it for ~ with another sight of the paper sticking out $100,000 worth of bonds. 5 _ of the dirt. He sueceeded in getting hold of it. “If it ain’t spoiled so as to be no use you 4 Glancing at its dirty face he saw that it was ought to get a tenner for returnin’ it,” said “Times some kind of receipt and was satisfied this was Walker. the missing paper. Three-quarters of an hour later Rob fisposed “Now to find the owner,” he said to Rivieale of his last paper, and then he made a bee-line Fr darting for Cortlandt Street. : for Wall Street. oe Before he reached the curb he was seized by - = : another newsboy, a stout, freckled-faced lad, # whose countenance Seerhed to be cast in a per- CHAPTER II.—Rob Lake Secures a Pouitien petual grin. “T want five pennies, Rob. Got ’em?” he said. As a Wall Street Messenger. ne The boy stopped and handed hinmr the coppers. _“Where you goin’ in such a rush?” asked the boy who got the pennies. “To find an auto.” “What you want with an auto? Goin’ for a spin?” grinned the other. “Don’t get funny, Tim Walker. what you wanted, now sneak,” “Here’s your nickel. I’ll see you later.” The ,boys parted, the one named Rob, whose other name was Lake, running over to the corner, where he began to look.around for the covered automobile. It wasn’t in sight. He saw the stout policeman standing on the opposite corner and he rushed over to him. “Do you know where that auto is—the one that blocked up the wagons a little while ago?” he asked, eagerly. “Tt went up the street. What have ‘as got to Rob Lake was a poor boy, but an uncommonly — smart one. He was fifteen years old, sold papers as an occupation and lived with his aunt, a wid- © ow in very modest circumstances, in a tenement — ce in Cherry Hill.- He attended the publie school oe for several, years, but before he got’ as rauch? | schooling as he wanted he had to get out and hustle. Rob hadn’t sold papers steadily. He had worked in a bottling establishment for a while, and was discharged because the foreman had a friend he wanted to provide for. Rob next got a situation in a printing office as office boy, and after giving perfect satisfaction for a month ; was superseded by the nephew of the boss. Since — You’ve got « though he was on the lookout to better himself. His friend, Tim Walker, who lived in the same tenement, had always sold papers, and was satis- fied to continue at the business for the present, do with it?” at least. When Rob reached Wall Street. he / a as the paper, I guess, the man was look- stopped into the first. broker’s office et came 4 ing for “Let’s look at it. He said he wouldn’t lose it ~ Pree ane ee Re eould Saas George for $10,000.” . “His office is in the Globe Building on th street, on the other side of Nassau Street,” re- plied ‘the clerk to whom he applied for the in- formation. “Thank you, sir,” said Rob, isathely: and started to find the building in ‘question. a He found it without much trouble. It was modern office building, and a constant stream | people were going in and coming out at the bi entrance all the time. “There must be an awful lot of offices in this building,” he said to himself. “The elevator man 3S will be able-to direct me where I want to go.” Rob let the cop have it. The officer took it gingerly, for it was\covered with dirt, and he objected to soiling his fingers. He looked it over with some curiosity, but couldn’t make out where- in lay its value. 3 “Do you know who the man is?”-asked the boy. _ “His name is Drew. He’s a Wall Street ban- ker, according to his chauffeur’s statement.” “Do you know where his office is?” - “Tf you walk over to Wall Street probably any broker will’ tell you where his office is.” -“Then Vl go over as soon as I sell my papers at the ferry,” said Rob. He put the dirty paper in his pocket and start- ed across West Street to his regular stamping “grounds. His friend Tim Walker was’ standing m front of the ferry entrance. — He found a man in uniform standing near elevators. : 2 “What Hoot: 1 is Mr. Drew, banker, on, please he asked the man. “Second floor front. Take that elevator there Rob took it and béfore he could draw than a decent breath the elevator was up second floor, and the pee was flung. open for. to get out. : asa “First corridor to your right,” said "What did you want with that- auto?” asked at Tim, curiously. ee, “The man who as riding in it: oy an so ger _. “tant, paper out of the window on ie aiteehs found iB vot wanted uaa ra ‘to him,”

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Rob followed ‘directions and saw a glass door straight before him. The sign on the door read: “George Drew, Banker and Broker. Stocks and bonds bought and sold. Money on eall.” -“That’s the place,” said the boy, walking to- ward the door. He turned the knob and entered a good-sized room. It was the banking depart- ment, and was fitted with a counter, guarded by a bright brass wire fence, with little openings in several places. Down the corridor was a door marked “Reception room,” and Rob directed his steps in that direction. He entered the room. It was furnished with several settees, chairs, a ' ticker and a blackboard. A small youth of four- _ teen was putting more figures: on the board when Rob came upon the scene. A clerk came out of an inner room, and crossed to the counting: room. Rob stopped him and said he wanted to see Mr. Drew. _ “What is your business? - gaged.” “T wish you’d tell him that I believe I’ve found the paper he lost in West Street.” . “What is your name?” “Robert Lake.” “Til deliver your message,” _ retracing his steps. He came out of the inner room right away and told Rob to go in. The boy recognized the gen- tleman he had seen leaning out of the automobile window. - “Well, my lad, sit down. Am I to understand that you found the paper I lost in West Street an hour or more. ago?” “Yes, sir. I found a paper that seems to be a receipt for $100,000 worth of bonds,” said Rob. _ “Yhat’s the document,” answered the banker, with some ‘eagerness. Rob produced the paper and laid it on his desk. a “It’s pretty dirty, sir, but that isn’t my, fault.” “Of course it isn’t. How did -you know that I lost this paper?” E: “{ came up when your driver was hunting for ~ it. He told me you had lost a valuable paper, and I started to look for it. I found it after Bet cngiic around the spot a while and doging a whole lot of teams.” “Ym yery much obliged to you, my boy, and will reward you for your trouble.” He drew a roll of bills from his vest pocket. _ “Here are fifty dollars. Will that satisfy you? “Fifty dollars!” ejaculated Rob, the amount aking his breath away. “Why, that’s too much, sn’t it, sir?” _ “Not for the service you’ve rendered me. Are yu employed on West ‘Street ?” 4 “No, sir. I’m selling papefs at the ferry house US: Mr. Drew is en- Said the clerk, t now, but I wish I could get something bet- ‘ou say you'd like to get something better do than selling papers?” “a Soa sir.” ; ; ‘How long have you gone to school?” ¢ Ps Rob told him. - . “Write your name and addres 3 ‘Mr. Drew, handing him a pen, Rob did it in a neat and legible hand. The 4 nanker rewarded it approvingly, © 3 _ “How would you like to work in?Wall Street?” ° S on that pad,” FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER 3 “First rate, sir. I wish I could get the chance.” “Well, you look bright and smart.. I’ve a great mind to try you as a messenger. I need one right away. The boy I had is in the hospital ill with a fever. Are you at all acquainted with the financial district?” - : “Not very well, sir; but it wouldn’t take me more than a day to learn the ropes. I’m willing to work for any wages that will help me support my aunt. J would rather have a good situation ~than this fifty dollars. I am anxious to make my way ahead in the world, and I can’t do it by selling papers.” : “Well, I'll try you for the balance of the week, -and if you give satisfaction the position is . yours.” Rob was so delighted that he couldn’t thank the bariker enough. The banker then proceeded to give Rob an inkling*of what would be expected of him as the messenger of the establishment. “Tt will be your duty to sit out in the recep- - , tion room, in a chair right under an electric. bell attached to the wally When I want you for any- thing I will press a button in my desk, the bell will buzz over your head, and you will come right in here at once. Generally your: work will be to run to various offices in the neighborhood, or to the Stock Exchange, and deliver notes to the brokers to whom they are addressed. Some- times you'll have to deliver° verbal messages, and it will be up to you to see that you make no mistake in such cases. You must never waste your time when you’re out on errands, for much depends ‘on your promptness in carrying mes-/ sages to the, different people’ with whom [I do business. I shall expect you to be polite and-at- tentive to those you meet in the course of busi- ness, and when spoken to you must answer civil- ly. When you ask a question, do it courteously. : It will also be your duty when you are in the office to wait upon customers who ask to see me. You will first take their name, and try to learn what is the nature of their business with me. This latter is sometimes very important, and you will have to use tact in securing the in- formation, for my time is very valuable and I cannot waste it on cranks and people who merely’ have an axe to grind. Such. persons you must sidetraék by telling them_that I am out or too busy to see them. The names of all legitimate callers you will bring in to me and I will then tell you whether I can see them or not. Finally, I want you always to be neat in your attire and “person. If you haven’t a better suit than the one you have on you can procure ‘one with a part of that fifty dollars, as well as a new hat, necktie, and such other things as will give you a gentlemanly appearance. It is not necessary for you to look dudish. I think you understand what I mean, Now you can go and make your arrange- ments for beginning your work here to-morrow. You will report promptly at nine o’clock, and © take your seat in the messenger’s chair. | sel- dom reach my office before ten, and come in by yonder private door. Therefore, until: you know I am ready to receive visitors, you will request early callers to wait or come later.” With these words Mr- Drew: dismissed his new (nie ‘ cee Al CPL ete b Date: Mt eas messenger,’° ©!

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ee FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER CHAPTER III.—Rob Surprises His Aunt and Tom. When Rob left Mr. Drew’s office he hurried to his home in Cherry Hill as fast as he eould. He was anxious to carry the good news to his aunt. He knew it would make her very happy -to learn that he had escured a chance to make good in a first-class situation. He rushed upstairs to his aunt’s apartment on the fourth floor back and entered with a whoop that startled the little wo- man, who was busily at work on a pile of goods she was putting together for a Br oadway factory. “Why, Rob, whatever is the matter with you?” she asked. with an affectionate smile. “lve got-a job in Wall Street, auntie,” cried the boy. his countenance beaming all over with satisfaction. “A job. in Wall Street! Is it possible?” ex- claimed the little woman, much astonished. “Why, how. did you get it?” Mrs. Grant knew that Wall Street was the financial center of New York, and to a certain extent of the country. A New York banker was in her eyes a superior being. He lived and moved in a golden atmosphere, and could hardly be ap- proached by common mortals. That her Rob,-as she called her nephew, had actually got a posi- ‘tion in the office of such an august personage seemed almost incredible to her. “Well, auntie,” said Bob, “if you’ll listen I'll tell you how I caught on. It was just one chance in a million, and it happened to come my way at J grabbed it on the fly.” _Then he related the West Street incident. -. “Tf T hadn’t persisted in searching for that paper IT never would have found-it. . The banker himself had to give the hunt up, as valuable as the paper was to him. I had a mighty strenuous time dodging the trucks and wagons. but I never like to own myself beaten at anything I under- take. At any rate, I found the document and carried it to the banker’s office. The first! thing he-did was to thank me»and then hand me out $50 as a reword.” “Fifty dollars!” ejaculated his aunt. “Yes. Don’t you believe me? Here are the bills to prove it,” and Rob pulled the money out of his pocket and tossed it into his aunt’s lap, She took the bills up and counted them. “And this is actually your money, Rob?” she cried. “Tt was, but it’s yours now.” “Mine!” : “Yes; yours. “You need it, don’t you? You’re behind in the rent, and you owe the butcher and the grocer small sums. You'll be able to square up everything now and have a small surplus ta fail back on.’ “But-I couldn’t think of taking all the moneg, Rob,” she protested. “You want a good many things yourself.” “That’s true, aunty. You can give me a por- tion of it back. T’ve got to havea new suit, hat and other things to look decent in Wall Street. e boys who work down there have to look well, ‘because they’ re up axainst gentlemen ~~ all day Jong.” “How much wages are you going to get?” ee don’t ge Mr, Drew didn’t tell me. ‘That well. then: the small boy said: : will be all fixed up on Saturday. if I make pood, and you can bet your life, auntie, I’m going to hold on to that job with both hands and teeth as : It’s the chance of my life.” ee “Tt certainly is, Rob. You have been most fore tunate. It is a godsend to us. You ought to get $5, I should think. The balance of the $50 will carry us along very nicely until you get well started.” z The dark clouds that hung about the heads of herself and her nephew showed a silver lining at last, and she hoped that the future was goi 4 to be brighter. Rob took $15 with him when went out to purchase his new clothes. His a ; wanted him to take $20, but he wouldn’t. He had a good-sized bundle when he returned and an- nounced that he had spent all the money but a — few cents. Then he went out and paid the bal- — ances due the tradespeople in the neighborhood ~ and laid in all the supplies that they would need ~ for the balance of the week. He and his aunt had a better supper than usual that night. While they were eating it Tim Walker walked in with- out taking the trouble to knock, as was his cus- om. “Hello, Rob,” he said, “where have you been keepin’ yourself all the afternoon? Did you find the banker?” ~~ ee “Sure, I found him.” : oa ‘Did he give you anythin’ for returnin’ ee 5 paper?” “Yes. He gave me a job.” “He gave you a job!” ejaculated Tim, in as-. tonishment. “What kind of a job?” ; “A job in his office as messenger boy.” “Ts that straight goods?” . “Straight as a die and a yard wide.” ; “Gee! Talk about luck! You’ve got slathers— s of it. Do you think you'll be able to hold down oy the job?” sae “Tf I don’t if won’t be for the want of Sana : “Well, I hope you do.. Maybe you'll be able to get me somethin’ to do down there by and eb¥e when you get solid.” a “Td be mighty glad to pet you down there, | Tim. You and I are good friends, and if I can do you a favor I’m going to do it.” ; “I know you would, Rob,” replied Tim. “You 3 and me is all right, betcher life. How: many plunks are you goin’ to get a week?” os “Don’t know yet. I'll tell you when I find out. mt “Gee! The fellers’ll be surprised when they hear you’re workin’ in a Wall Street bank. I s’pose you'll haye to dress like a dude to hold your job.” «- “T guess not, but I’ve got to look decent.” : Rob having finished his supper, he and Tim’ went out together, as usual, ; - ¥ s— CHAPTER IV.—Bob’s First Day In Wall Street. 6 Promptly at five iieates before nine Rob made — ie his appearance at Banker Drew’s office. Two of the clerks and the stenographer arrived at the same moment. Rob went into the reception room and found the small boy whose duty it was. to | attend* to the quotations already there, ccleani Be off the blackboard for that day’s. operations. 1 looked at each other a moment in silen

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FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER 5 “Are you®the new messenger?” “Yes,” replied Rob. . “What’s your name?” - . “Rob Lake. What’s yours?” . “Dick Cunningham. I’m the marker.” “What's that?” “Don’t you know? I mark the quotations on ae blackboard here as they are recorded on the “ticker, so the customers can keep track of the game.” “Oh, -I see. I noticed you doing it yesterday when I was here.” mae you a relative of the boss?” « fy “How did you catch on?” “Mr. Drew offered me the position and I ac- cepted it.” “Yd sooner have it than doing this. better.” “Does it?” “Sure it does. I’ve been here three months and l-ought to have been promoted.” “T would have accepted your job if Mr. Drew had offered it to me and promoted you. I was willing to take anything in the line of work.” “We won’t quarrel over it,"anyhow. I guess he - thinks I’m too small to carry messages and hold my own with the other messengers.” “They wouldn’t interfere with you because ~you’re small, would they ?” - “Wouldn’t they? Well, I guess they would! They’re always up to monkey shines with new messengers that ain’t strong enough to hold their “own. You want to keep your eyes peeled for the bie fellows. They’ll do you if they can.’ ; aa “They won’t do me much,” replied Rob. “I know how to handle myself.” “Where do you live?” _ “No, — Cherry Hill.” “You don’t look like a boy’ who lived down there,” said Cunningham, tenet Rob over critic- =aalby,-° ; “Don’t hf as - “No, You’re dressed too well. live on Cherry Hill?” ja ‘eel i do. ” I nevér would have believed it. _ not ody but poor folks lived there.” at’s where you’re wrong. Some of the peo- Mele who. live in that neighborhood have good- sized accounts ‘at the savings banks. They don’t “put on any style about it, though. They're just ommon people who believe in saving up for a ainy day.” “Well, I’ve got to finish my job. I'll talk rs you later on?’ and Dick returned to his work on z the blackboard. Customers began to drop in as the hands on ‘the clock indicated the approach~ of ten, and, ekapinghans: chalk in hand, prepared for pusi-» ness. Rob amused himself reading the news in a Wall Street daily until the bell buzzed above his head. He sprang to his feet and rushed into the private room. The banker was seated at his desk looking over his mail. if “Good-morning, Mr. Drew,” _ politely, ; fe ear Rob,” replied the banker: look- at him critically, and noting with satisfaction at his new geese was an uncommonly fine- It pays Do you really é I thought said the boy, looking. lad when well attired. “You look im- proved this morning.” » “This is a new suit I bought yesterday after- noon, sir. Of course, I could have bought a finer one, but I thought this would answer.” “Tt is all right. It. looks well on you. Have you introduced yourself to Mr. Smart, my cash- ier?” : “No, sir. I’ve spoken to nobody in the office yet but Dick Cunningham,.the marker. He in- troduced himself when I came in.” “Well, I want you to send my stenographer,’ Miss Haley, in here. You will find her at a table in a corner of the counting room. On your way back you can stop at the cashier’s desk and make yourself. known to him. I spoke to him yester- day about you.” : Rob hurried into the counting room and told Miss Haley that Mr. Drew wanted her, and then he went up to the cashier’s desk. “Mr. Drew told me to introduce myself + you, Mr. Smart,” said Rob. “My name is Robert Lake.” ee ee “ANl right. I’ve got your name and address. By the way. when I want you my signal will be three buzzes on your bell.» Understand?” “Yes, sir.” “That is all.” Rob returned to his seat in the waiting room and kept his ears and eyes open. Presently a stout man entered the room and walked toward the door of the private room. Rob hurried: over to hint and asked what he could do for him. “Is Mr. Drew in?” “Tf you will give me your name and an idea of your business I will go in and see.’ The gentleman laughed. 2 “You’re a new boy here, I see. You can tell-- Mr. Drew that Havelock wishes an interview with him.” “All -right, sir.” Rob went inside and told the banker that a gentleman named Havelock was outside and wanted to see him. “Let him come in whenever he calls, Rob. <Ele’s my representative at the Exchange.” So Rob ushered Mr. Havelock into the private room. In a few minutes there was another caller who wanted to see the banker. He had such a swell look that Rob merely asked him his name © and carried it inside. “T will see him in a moment,” said Mr. Drew. “Take a note of his face and admit him whenever I am disengaged.” As soon.as Broker Havelock came out the other gentleman was shown in. Presently Rob’s bell buzzed and he promptly answered the call. “Take these notes to the different addresses on — the envelopes. The Mills Building is on Broad Street, the Vanderpool on Exchange Place, near New, and the Astor is at the corner of Wall and Broadway. Remember them, for you will often have to take messages to brokers who have offices ; in those buildings.” Rob took the notes, put on his hat and started . out to make a record trip of his first one. He was so fortunate as to find two of the brokers in their offices; the third was at the Exchange, and he went therg to deliver the message. Just as he was gk to enter “the Exchange by the main — | Fat tae beh a or yey mene eo BE gr Ae Te pope © i ie sist bib wat ae Ses, aoa es 0 wg tS eae ce ae sd 3

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6 FROM NEWSBOY TO- BANKER doorway oe the brokers went in, his sharp was Sure of his job at the bank he began to re- eye caught the words “Messengers’ Entrance” near the end of the building. “Came near showing how green I am at the business,” he said to himself, as he hustled over to the proper entrance. He found a crowd of brokers on the floor. He joined them, and noting the fact that an at- . tendant hunted up the brokers for them, he asked for the gentleman to whom he had to deliver the note. The broker showed up presently and Rob handed him the message. There was’no answer and the boy made haste to get back to the office. He delivered the one reply that he brought back to the banker, and then retired to his seat. He was kept on the move up to one o’clock, whem Mr. Drew said he could go to lunch. The young mes- senger only took fifteen minutes to consume a sandwich and drink a glass of milk and was back, in his chair again. The cashier called him into the counting room and sent him to a stationer’s on Nassau Street, and when he returned Mr. Drew was back and waiting for him to take an- other message to the Mills Building. At three o’clock Dick Cunningham chalked up his last quo- tation, put on his hat and told Rob that he was through for the day. Half an hour later Rob was told he could go home himself, and thus end- ed his firgt day’s experience as a Wall Street messenger. CHAPTER V.—Rob Catches a Thief. Rob did so well during his four days of proba- tion that Mr. Drew complimented him at the end of the week, told him that- he might consider ' himself a fixture, and that his wages till further ~ notice would be six dollars. At the end of three months the banker was so pleased with his work that he was satisfied there wasn’t another mes- senger in the Street who could hold a candle/ to Rob. At the end of six months Rob decided that he and his aunt had lived long enough on Cherry Hill, and persuaded her to move to a cheap flat - uptown on the East Side. Mrs. Grant gave up working like a slave at home on factory work, which paid but a poor remuneration, and turned her hand to .dressmaking, It was uphill work for her to get customers at first, and foramany weeks she had a hard struggle to keep the pot boiling on her nephew’s wages and what little she earned herself. Things, how- ever, gradually got better with them. Rob got another dollar added to his wages, and work be- gan to come his aunt’s way. And so two years passed away since the day our hero made his first appearance in Wall Street as a messenger, and many changes took place in that time. Rob: secured Tim Walker a job as a messenger, and Tim was mighty proud of his new occupation. Tim still lived in the Cherry Hill tenement, for his father was a longshoreman, and that neigh- borhood was. convenient to his business. They were still chums, although every day marked a wider difference between them. Rob had made it his business to study Wall Street and its methods thoroughly almost from, the day he made his debut in the district. \ As soon as he } ¢ out of ten. except when you got hold of a ti gard the. financial district as his legitimate sphere of action. While he faithfully attended to his duties, he kept his eyes. and ears open with a view to the future that he was gradually map- ping out for himself. When not otherwise employed Dick Cunning- ham mark up the figures on the blackboard, and after a while he began to keep track of the ups and downs of the more active securities traded in at the Exchange. He studied the market re- port daily, and sémetimes was able to figure — pretty correctly which way some stock was likely — to go. He might have been tempted to speculate in a small way himself on the strength of the knowledge he was acquiring if he had had any — money to do it with, but money and Rob were hardly on speaking terms. An hour after he got his pay envelope on Saturday it was in his aunt’s hands, and generally he did not even see the color of the money he earned. But as times. grew better with Mrs. Grant, Rob began to find himself supplied. with small sums of pocket : money. Rob was well liked by all the brokers with — whom he came in contact. He proved himself a one of the most gentlemanly miessengers in the — Street, and many a broker would talk to him in a friendly way who would not think ‘of wast- ing his time on another messenger. It happened — that one day a broker for whom he had done sév- era favors stopped him on the street. “Got any money lying around loose, Lake?” the broker asked him. {2 “No, sir; I wish I had.” “That’s too bad. If you had, $50 I could show - you how you could double it.” “Then I’m sorry that I haven’t $50. Ud: like : to double that very much indeed.” ; “You have a father and mother, haven’t you?” — “No, sir; they’re both dead. Pm living with — my aunt, and she’s the best little woman in the world.” : “How lone have you been working for. Mr. Drew? “About two years, sir.” a “He seems to have a splendid opinion of you: sds “lm glad to hear it. I’ve tried hard to de- serve it, and I hope to hold. on to it.” sg “There isn’t much danger but what you. will: — Well, if you should be able to get even $25 to- — gether within the next or four days let me know, — and I will put you’ next to something that will double it for you.” aes “Much obliged to you, Mr. Clarke, Bue ie afraid there is very little chance of such luck — for me. Some day I expect it will be different, a but it will take time to get there.” ; “Well, you can’t expect to begin to make 2 much money yet.” ) “Tf I had a little capital to start with 1 think I could start the ball rolling.” | > - “I suppose you mean you would try to make _ money speculating in stocks. I hardly think you — would succeed on your own responsibility. It is a game of chance with the ecards mostly stacked ae against you. You would probably lose nine times ere. tee ty Saale Nee yt eee Bh ag Bo as Le such as I had some idea of giving you. But course it’s no use to you without a HES mon to back you.”

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FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER The broker walked away, leaving Rob to de- plore the fact that he wasn’t worth a dollar, and wasn’t likely to be worth many dollars in the near future. When he got back to the office there was a note waiting for him to take to the John- stone Building, and so he started out again. The broker he had to deliver the message to had his office on the third floor, and the elevator soon dropped him off at the entrance to the cor- ridor on which the trader’s office faced. He no- ticed a smoothly-shaven man, with green goggles ~ over his eyes, standing about midway of the corridor, looking over some papers. Rob paid no attention to him as he hurried past, though the ‘man with the green lamps regarded him quite “sharply. The young messenger had to wait sev- eral minutes for an answer to the message he brought. When he stepped out into the corridor again his attention was attracted by a struggle going on between two men near the elevator. As he approached them, wondering what was - up, he saw that one was the man in the green gogeles, and that the other was a well dressed portly individual, with a heavy gold watch-chin across his vest. Both men had hold of a Russian leather satchel, and that seemed to be the object of the scrap. The man with the goggles saw Rob coming, and the boy’s presence spurred him to fresh action. He suddenly pulled back and struck the stout man a heavy blow in the face, at the same time snatching the satchel from his fingers - and darting for the stairs, down which he dis- . appeared like a flash, taking two steps at a leap. The portly man fell in a heap, half stunned, against the elevator, just as Rob reached him. ~ “ffelp! I’ve been robbed!” he gasped. “At that moment an elevator cage came gliding down. “Stop!” roared Bob. The man shut off power and swung open the ‘door. The boy sprang in, crying: “Down, quick! A robbery has been committed and the thief is flying down the stairs. I must ~ eut him off or he will escape.” Be "The elevator man seemed te grasp the situa- tion. He yanked the lever over and down shot -. the cage toward the ground floor. “Who was robbed?” he asked Rob, for he had not noticed the fallen man where he lay against '- the side of the elevator casing. - - “1 don’t know him out and——” ee Rob said no more, for the cage reached the ground floor at that moment, and as the man - pulled the door open the young messenger darted 2 steps of the staircase with the satchel swinging -. in his hand. A score of people were coming in and going out of the main entrance at the time, but no one paid any attention to the man. - Rob went through the crowd with a rush, push- ing people aside without attempting an apology, and sprang upon the back of the man with the Rrreen goggles as he was going through the door- They went to the ground in a heap, and as b straddled his prisoner, a crowd gathered t them and’ considerable excitement ensued. is, but the thief knocked ye fa nec: .. Son‘ who assaulted and robbed you?” j out. He say the thief springing down the last few- 7 CHAPTER: VI.—Rob’s First Deal And How It Turned Out. “Let me up or I'll kill you!” hissed the man in the green goggles, struggling violently to unseat his young captor. “Tl let you up when a cop comes along to © take. charge of you,” replied Bob, coolly, digging his knees into the rascal’s sides in order to’ - maintain the advantage he had gained. The fel- low thrust. one hand into his breast, flashed out a-short, ugly looking knife and made a lunge with it at Rob’s breast. The boy, however, was not caught off his guard. He grabbed the man’s wrist as the point of the blade pricked his skin, ~ and held it with a vise-like- grip. around -the pair had now inereased to a mob,-al- most stopping ingress to and egress from the building. Opinion as to the merits of the case- had been divided until the man drew his knife, and then the tide turned overwhelmingly in the boy’s favor. The man’s arm was seized by two of the spectators, drawn back .and the weapon forced from his grasp. _A detective forced his way to the scene of the disturbance, and to him Rob explained the situ- ation. The thief put up no defence. He just lay there and glared vindictively into the boy’s face. The detective slipped a pair of handcuffs on the rascal’s wrists. 3 “You can get off of him now,” he said to Rob, and the young messenger got on his feet. The man with the green goggles was yanked on his legs by the officer. At that moment the stout gentleman who had been robbed of the satchel appeared on the scene. : “Here’s the gentleman now,” said the boy to the officer. “He’s the owner of that satchel.” The. gentleman was greatly excited, and “the first thing he did was to make a grab for his property. The detective however interposed: “One moment, please,” he said. “I want to understand this thing. Do you lay claim to this satchel ?” * “I do. It belongs to me. It was snatched from my hand by that rascal on the third floor of this. building. He struck me down and got away with it. Who caught him?” “This boy. What is your name?” : “Edward Lester. I’m a lawyer, with offices at No, — Broadway.” “You positively identify this man.as the per- “ “Very well. You and the boy will have to! ac- company us to the nearest police station, where you will have to make the charge against him.” The procession took up its line of march: for the police station. Naturally it attracted a good deal of attention, and received many additions from the boys who caught on to its meaning. Only the principals in the affair were admitted to the station, where they lined up before the sergeant’s desk. Mr. Lester accused the prisoner of assault and robbery. Rob corroborated his statement. y ” The man with the green goggles had nothing “to say in his own behalf. His pedigree was ta- ken down and he was sent to a cell. Lawyer Les- ter tried to recover his satchel, but was not The crowd - ye, i 4

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i: : FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER successful. He put up a strong protest, but it availed him nothing. Rob accompanied him up the street after they left the station. “I’m under great obligations to you, my lad,” the lawyer said. “But for your alertness and pluck I should in all probability have lost the satchel altogether. My inability to get it back from the police will occasion me considerable loss; but for all that it will ‘be nowise as bad as if the rascal got away ‘with the satchel and its contents. dress. I want to send. you a, reward for your services.” oo “’m not looking for a reward, sir,” replied Rob. “I don’t think I did more than my duty in trying to prevent that man from getting away with your property.” : “Nevertheless, you are entitled to some evi- dence of my appreciation, and I should not be satisfied unless I made you a suitable acknowl- edgment.” Rob gave his name and business to the lawyer, and they parted at the entrance to the Globe Building. Mr. Drew was in his office when Bob re-entered the bank. After laying the answer he-got from the broker inethe Johnstone Build- ing’ on his employer’s desk, the boy explained the cause of his lengthy absence. _ “Well, Rob,” replied the banker, after reading the note, I’m bound to say that you did the right thing to follow that raseal. It is clear to me that if you hadn’t acted so promptly he would have made his escape with the satchel, and it is a question whether the police would have found it such an easy matter to catch him afterward. Those green goggles were evidently a disguise, and probably he wore a wig as well, so that any description you could have furnished of his personal appearance was almost certain to be faulty. By capturing him with the goods on you simplified the whole matter. In time he'll be sent up the river, and the lawyer will recover his property.” ; On the following morning Mr. Drew | called him in and handed him a letter that had ‘come in the early mail. The envelope bore the imprint of Lawyer Lester. Rob opened it and found a _note and a check made out to his order for $250. Rob was surprised as well as delighted at the size of the reward. . “Auntie -will be tickled to death when I hand her this money after I cash the check. We never had sé much money as this in the house —no, not a quarter of it. She can put it away against some future emergency.” i An hour later he had to go to. the Tombs Po- lice Court to appear against the man with the green goggles. Subsequently, while on his way to the Exchange, he met Broker Clarke again. “Oh, Mr. Clarke,” said Rob, with some eager- ness, “I’ve got hold of a little money: since I saw you last. You promised to tell me how I could double it.” “Yes, so I did. Will you promise me not to let the information go any further than your- self?” “Yes, sir, I promise.” “AN right. I’m giving you a valuable tip in sfrict confidence, remember. Buy C. & O., which is now ruling at.47, on a five per cent margin, Let me have your name and ad-. and hold it till it goes up to 60, Then sell and you will make a good thing for yourself.” ae, After giving him this information in a low tone the broker passed on. : Fairly enchanted with the idea of making so much money in a stock deal, Rob, as soon as he had completed his business. at the Exchange, made a bee line for a little banking and broker-~- age house on Nassau street, that made a spe- cialty of taking the accounts of small specula- Lore and stepped up to the margin clerk’s win- ow. “I would like you to buy me 50 shares of : O. on margin,” he said to the slim, genteel looking young man who attended tp stock trans- action. fk “Who for?” asked the clerk. “Myself.” “That's quite a deal for you, young man,” he said. Then, after looking up his market report and making some figures he added: “Have you $235?” re “Yes, sir.” ; Fae “Hand it over, then.” : Rob produced the check for $250, shook his head. Z “We can’t accept that without identification. Are you Robert Lake?” se “Yes, sir.” bi ; “Do you know anybody here who will iden- tify you?” ; “No, sin? age “Then you’ll have to get the check cashed and bring the money if you wish to put your deal” through.” “All right,” replied Rob, rather disappoifited, “I am known at the bank it is drawn on. Tl — go there and cash it. I hate to have to waste _ The clerk ~ the time, but I suppose I’ll have to.” lle : “You certainly will,” answered the clerk,/turn- ing away. So Rob hurried back to Wall Street and went to the Manhattan -National Bank, presented the — check and got the money. Then he rushed back — to the. little bank again. epee. “Here’s the cash,” he said to the clerk. “Put the deal through and give me $15 change.” > ; The. transaction was soon concluded and the 4 boy returned to his own bank feeling that at last he had a personal interest in the market. . After that he watched the blackboard in the of- _ fice with unusual attention, for C. & O. was one ~ of the stocks that was daily posted up there, The - later quotations that day showed an advance of — half.a poirt in the value of C. & O., and next day the stock went to 49. The third day saw it — 4 up to 50 3-8, much to Rob’s satisfaction, and he _ figured out that he was already about $150°to a the good. It hung around 51 for two days, and ES then the boom set in, when, in the course of a few hours, it went to 58. Next day it opened at 58 5-8, and went to 62 3-8 before Rob gota chance to run around to the little bank and or- der his shares sold. Then he sat down and com- putated that his profit amounted to $750, 2 r 3 = x 2 2m “Why, I’m worth $1,000!” he exclaimed, joy- fully, hardly believing.that such good luck was his; but the next day he found that there wasn” any doubt of the fact, for his check from the dittle bank called for a trifle over $1,0 ng

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pos Another Surprise. Rob looked at his check fully a dozen times that day. To be worth such a sum as $1,000 was scmething that the boy hadn’t dreamed of real- izing for a long time, and yet here it was a - positive fact. : He met Tim Walker at the quick luhch house where they both took their midday meal when “business permitted them to take the time for it. “Hello, Tim!” he said, slapping his friend on _ the back. “You seem to be piling into that beef ,stew as if you were hungry.” “I am hungry, betcher life. I didn’t have much | - breakfast this morning.” 2 _ “Why not? Get up late?” - **No, but my old man cleaned up about every- _ thin’ there was in the house’ this mornin’, and I came in for what was left.” “Your father works hard when he’s busy and . has a big appetite. He can eat as much as you and me together.”. — “I should say he can. He worked all day yes- - terday and all night, too, so he was mighty hungry this mornin’ when he came home. That’s how I got left.” “How would you like to be worth $1,000, Tim?” said Rob, who felt that he couldn’t keep his good fortune to himself. : = “Why don’t you ask me how I’d like to be a millionaire? I never expect to be worth a ee thousand.” : y “What would you say if I told you I was worth $1,000 at this minute?” : 2 “I'd say you was talkin’ ragtime.” ; _ Thereupon. Rob related to Tim the circum- stances leading up to his acquired wealth and his chum listened spellbound, finally making the ‘ought to treat a feller to a show on the strength of that.” ; “I mean to. We'll go somewhere Saturday fee “All right,” replied Tim. “You’re a brick!” . The age having finished their lunch, paid their checks and went back to their offices. Rob rot his check cashed before he went home. He took a certificate of deposit for $900 and $100 : eS: When he reached home he handed the bills to his aunt. - ‘ % _,.“There a present for you, Aunt Mary,” he said. + “Why, where ~ you get all this money, Bob? ‘she asked in surprise. : abe pie it in the stock market,” he replied. "You did?” oie : “Yes, auntie, and I’ve got $900 more, if any- _ hedy should ask you,” whereupon he showed her lis certificate of deposit. : “Why, Rob, how could you make all this mon- ? It’s a little fortune.” F ae ell, ’'m going to tell you all about it, and explained how the lawyer gave him the $250, how he had used that in a stock deal and le $750. oy ‘ul,” was the little woman’s com- ae FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER ° 7 9 She did not ask him what he was going to do Ba ‘CHAPTER VIl.—Rob Gives Tim And His Aunt * with the $900, which she regarded as a big sum of money, for she had perfect confidence in his ability to take care of it. She felt grateful to him for remembering her to the extent of the $100. : In her opinion he was the best boy in the world, and had more than repaid all the care and attention she had given him. Rob, on the cgn- trary, did not believe he could ever fully repay all the love and kindness she had lavished on him, but he meant to make her™life as happy as he could make it. The possession of $900 ail his own money aroused .all the ambitious jin- stincts of his nature. With this little capital he meant to get ahead in the world, as rapidly as possible, and as the stock market offered ‘the most enticing road to that end he now gave his attention more to the study of Wall Street af- fairs than he had ever done before. CHAPTER VIII.—Trapped. Rob found as the days went by that nobody: was Seemingly anxious to hand him out another sure pointer on the stock market. A good many so-called tips came his way, but he didn’t have confidence enough in them to yise them, and it was just as well that he didn’t, for he found ‘that: most of them would have dumped him on the wrong side of the market. This made him wary of pointers that had no solid backing to them, and they were about the only kind that flew around loose in the financial district. One day, however, after watching a certain stock for several days, he came to the conclusion that it was on the eve of a rise. He did not expect that it would pan out anything very big, but believed it was good for half a dozen points, at any rate. The name of the stock was M. & N. and it was then going at 60. He bought 100 shares, and five days later his judgment was vindicated by the price going up to 65 1-2. He sold out ati that figure, and realized a profit of $500. That was so satisfactory that he kept his eyes wide open for another chance of the same kind. Nothing, however, turned up for nearly four months, when one day he found out on the very best authority that a number of traders had formed a pool to boom R. & S. This stock had been selling low in the market for some time, owing to unsatisfactory traffic conditions. which caused the passing of the semi- annual interest on the common stock. It was now quoted at 62, and Rob bought 250 shares, the margin taking nearly all of his money. It was about this time that the man with the green gogeles, who had been in the Tombs all this time because he couldn’t get bail, was brought to trial for his crime in the Johnstone Building. A few days before the time set by the judge a man walked into Banker Drew’s office and asked for Rob. Be “That’s my name,” said the messenger. f “You’re the boy who nailed Jim Larkin that day when he tried to get away with the lawyer's — eatchel, aren’t you?” the visitor said. Rob admitted the fact and looked at his ques-. tloner searchingly. He didn’t like the looks of ,

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10 the man, and he couldn’t understand what. his object was in calling on him. 7 “Well, Jim: Larkin is a friend of mine,” said the caller. “He’s got a wife and six small kids, and they ain’t got along very well since he’s been in jail.” : “What have I to do with that?” asked Bob. “Well. you’ll be a witness against Jim at the trial which comes up next Tuesday, and your evidence is sure to send him up. That would kill his wife. and then the six kids will have to “go to the Children’s Society. Now, suppose you didn’t testify at the trial, Jim would stand a show of gettin’ off. The lawyer’s evidence would be unsupported, and Jim could swear that he wasn’t the man, and that his arrest was a mis- take.” “How could he when the satchel was found in his possession?” replied Rob. “At any rate, I’ve Rot to appear at the trial. I’ve been subpoena- ed.” “S’pose you have? You could go out of town for a week, couldn’t you, if I made it an object for you to do so?” “No, I couldn’t. I’m not going to put myself * in a hole to oblige you. I don’t know you, any- »way. » “My name is William Darbv.” # “Well, I’m not acquainted with you. You have no right to come here and try to induce me to keep away from the trial of James Larkin. A detective called on me day before yesterday, and told me I’d have to be on hand at the Court of Special Sessions, Part One, next Tuesday morn- ing, and I’ve got to be there. If Larkin has a wife and six children I’m sorry. for them. He ‘ovght to have thought of them before he com- mitted the crime of which. he is accused. So far as he is concerned I haven’t any sympathy for him. He drew a knife on me, and it was not his fault that he didn’t stab me. He deserves to be sent up.” - “He didn’t know what he was doit’ when he ‘did that. He says he’s sorry he did it, and he hopes you'll be easy on him.” “When I go in the witness chair Tl have to tell the truth. me “Pll give you $100, and pay all your expenses, ? if vowll make yourself scarce next week.” ~ . *No, you won’t do anything of the kind,” re- # plied Rob, firmly. Then you mean to appear against him in “ eourt?” said the man almost fiercely. “T can’t help doing it, whether I want to or not. ” the trial comes on.” “And when I came back what would happen to me? You must take me for a fool!” — 5 “Tf you appear against Larkin you'll get into trouble,” said the visitor darkly. “He’s got friends who'll make things hot for you. Better _ aecept my offer and you'll act sensibly.” as “T don’t want to talk to you any more on the ~* subject. Why don’t you give that. $100 to Lar- - kin’s wife? She needs it, by. your account. That - would be doing the right thing jinstead.of trying to bribe me with it. There’s my bell now. 1 can’t talk with you, any more anyway ’ oe inte the private office, FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER “You can help it by not bein’ in ann when © on him, so he flatly refused to go a ha ys ¥ : ‘ f é es eer ghey al See OP SRL LI Eee ees MURR ASE Oo, visitor, with a smothered imprecation, took his departure. ; On Monday night about eight o’clock there. was a sharp ring at the front doorbell of the flat where Rob lived. His aunt pushed the but- ton, but nobody came up. The bell continued to. ring, and finally Rob went downstairs, thinking ~ that Tim Walker might be there and didn’t want to come up. He found a sallow-faced man ~ at the front door. “Did you ring our bell?” asked Rob. aad “Tf your name is Rob Lake, I did.” “That’s my name. What do you want?” “Your boss wants to see you at his house on — important business,” said the man. “He sent a cab for you.” : This statement. looked suspicious to the young messenger. He couldn’t think of any reason why Mr. Drew should want to see him at his home. It didn’t look reasonable on its face. : “Did you bring a note to that effect from Mr. : Drew?” “No. What do yyou want a note for? He ae me to fetch you.” “T’'d like some better evidence than your word,” replied Rob coolly. : “Ain’t my word good enough?” demanded. the. 3 man angrily. ay “It may be good enough but if Mr. Drew reat! ay eee me to go to his house he’d send me a note. “That is as much as to say you doubt my -_— word,” replied the stranger in an ugly tone. “© “You needn’t get mad over it. I am merely telling you that your errand is rather irregular.” «hre you goin’ or ain’t you?” <2 “No, I’m not going on a mere verbal request.” “Then yow’ll be up ag’ in it tomorrow when you | get down to your office.” “You needn’t worry about that.” Shes “All right, I'll tell your boss what you said, 3 . that you won’t come,” <said the man making a . sign with his arm. The door of the cab opened and a man got out. He walked to the doorway where Rob and the caller were talking. The boy recognized him at once as the visitor who. — had called on him at the bank on the Friday pre- vious and introduced himself as William Darby, a friend of Jim Larkin, the satchel thief whose’ trial was to take place next day. = “Well, what do you want?” asked the young, messenger. © “I want you,” said Darby. “I want to take 4 around to séé Jim Larkin’s wife and kids.” “T don’t know that I have anything to do with them,” replied the boy. “When you see them maybe you'll change your mind about bein’ hard on J “I don’t see -how that will make any differ-- ence in my evidence at court. I’ve got to state Se the facts, for I’ll be under oath.” a “Oh, there is more than one way of Killin’ Ps cat. When you see a woman and six kids starv. in’ to death all because her man is in jail yon’ feel like helpin’ her out of her trouble.” Rob, however, was very suspicious of the man’s intentions, and he judged that he and the man who said he called to take him - Drew’s house were trying to- work nee d. deliver et

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FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER beth men suddenly seized him by the arms and started to drag him toward the eab. Rob-strug- gled with them, and wrenching his arm from Darby, struck that individual a heavy blow. in the face, and then tried to repeat the nerfor- mance on the other man. Before he could land suecessfully Darby hit him a stunning blow in the temple. Taking advantage of the boy’s dazed condition they hustled him across the sidewalk and imto the cab. Darby followed him inside, while the other chap mounted to the box, seized * the reins and drove off down the street at a rapid pace. Jim Larkin’s friend took a hand- kerchief from his pocket, saturated it with a sweet smelling liquid from a bottle and pressed it over Rob’s mouth and nostrils. Inside a minute the young messenger was unconscious and at the mercy of his captors. CHAPTER IX—Rob Strikes for Freedom. ~ The cab drove to the Ninety-second street ferry and boarded a boat. That landed the ve- hicle at the foot of Fulton street; Astoria. The cab was then driven along Fulton street, thence - into Main street, along which it took its way toward Flushing. The cab finally stopped at a ‘lonesome looking house on the outskirts of the _ town of Flushing. It had once upon a time been a prosperous roadhouse, but was now on its last “ jegs, being a mere cheap gin mill and a resort for amateur prize fighters and shady characters. In a barn behind the house one-horse glove con; tests that went the limit were often pulled o without the knowledge, or at least the interfer- -ence, of the police. — ; 4 Cheap sports patronized ‘these mills whenever they got the tip, and they gerferally got the worth of their. money. Rob was taken up into the garret of the house and after his arms were tied behind him he was left to recover his senses. Jt was about two o’clock in the morning when he began to take an interest in his surroundings. - He found himself in the dark, Jving on a rude bed, with his arms secured. His first impression was one of astonishment. at the extraordinary state of affairs. : A “Where the deuce am I, and how did I get here?” he asked himself in ‘a dazed way. Recollection gradually reassured itself, and he began to have a dim idea that he was the victim of foul play, In a short time he was sure of it, and then he began to wonder what kind of a problem he was up against. : 7 .. “Tt's a job to keep me away from the trial of Jim Larkin, that’s what it is,” he figured out. “fT don’t imagine that it will do them any good, but it’s bound to subject me to a lot of trouble and inconvenience. They never would have got- ten’ me to this place if they hadn’t doped me. ‘It will be tough if they intend to keep me tied ‘up in this fashion till they get ready to let me go. I must try to get free myself and give them the tip. I suppose .I’m somewhere outside of ew York, but I guess I’m-not a great way. Hi ould get out of this house I’d soon be able to tae my way-back, and probably have these aps mM a) boy of action, and he lost no time eee aw a arrested and put through for abducting. il in trying to get his arms free to begin witt, but the job had been. well done and he found the task hopeless. j “T'll have to have patience and watch my chance,” he said, as he lay back on the bed, tired with his unsuccessful exertions. “In the morning I may find out just what plans those raseals who carried me off have with respect to me. I don’t see that I can do anything more for the . present.” In a little’ while he was asleep, and did not awake until long after daylight. Then he saw that he was in the attic of a house. The un- finished room, whose ceiling was peaked, was about thirty feet Jonge by twenty in width. There were two small windows in front, two on one side and one in the rear. The shutters of all were closed tight, but the sun filtered through the slots of those on the side. Rob arose from the ~ bed and went to each window in turn, but he couldn’t see beyond the inside of the shutters. All the window sashes were well nailed, two of them being let down about an inch to admit the air. The floor of the place was unearpeted, and the entire furniture consisted of the bed in the middle of the floor, two rickety-lookine chairs and a common déal table. Rob, after making a complete survey of the room, returned to ‘the bed and lay down to await developments. In about an hour the one door connecting with the room was opened and William Darby entered with a tray in his hands on which were two plates containing food and a cup of’ coffee. He - placed it on the table and went to the bed. f “T see you’re awake,” he said, with a malici- ous grin. “How did you pass the night in your new quarters?” “How do you suppose I passed it?” replied Rob, looking him steadily in the face. “I guess you think you’ve done a smart thing by kid- napping me so that I can’t testify at the trial “of your friend.” “Y told you that you'd get into trouble if you persisted in appearin’ as a witness against Jim. If you’d taken up my offer you’d been paid while you stayed out of town.” Be Tre “T wouldn’t take your offer up now if vou re- peated it.” replied Rob. “As it is, I’m not res- ponsible if I don’f show up at court, but you'll be held responsible for keeping me away.” “J not worryin’ about that, young feller.” “How long are you going to keep me here?” “Not very-long. I’m goin’ to ship you to sea in a day or two. Then you'll be out of the way for some time to come. How do you like the idea, my laddybuck?” ; , Rob didn’t like it for a cent. It was something he hadn’t bargained for. ‘ His case was evidently much more serious than he had figured on. \y 2 “Do you really mean that?” asked the boy, — with a sinking at his heart. “I do. The matter is all arranged. The skip- per of an Italian barque bound for Genoa has agreed to take you and make you work your way across. When the vegsel.gets to Genoa you'll be taken up the count¥y somewhere and kept a prisoner for some time. Possibly you’ll never return to this ,country...That’s the now sit up and eat your breakfast. , Programme, ne << e T2 Perey

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12° “How am I going to eat with my hands tied?” “Tm goin’ to. untie them.” It immediately occurred to Rob to attack the man and make a break for liberty as soon as his hands were free. Darby, however, wasn’t taking any chances on such a thing, for as soon as Bob got to the chair he produced a thin line and bound him firmly to the seat. Then he re- leased, his arms. Rob was disappointed. He saw that if he exvected to escape he had his work cut out for him. There was nothing for him to do now but eat what the man had brought and saw wood. He proceeded to do it. His appetite being in no wise impaired by his troubles he ate and drank all that was in sight, the man watching him in silence. Darby gathered up the dishes and started for the door. “Are you going to leave me tied to this chair?” asked Rob. % “Yes. I don’t care to let you be at liberty. You might give us trouble. You’re safe that way, So you'll remain so.” : Thus speaking, the man left the room, and Rob heard him lock the door after him. “This is mighty pleasant—I don’t think,” Rob said to himself, not at all satisfied with the con- dition of things. “This is the first hole I ever was in, and it looks like’a pretty deep one. If that’ scoundrel gets me aboard of an outward _ bound vessel I’ll be in a pretty bad fix. A good many moons are likely to pass before I get back - to New York again. Auntie is surely in a great sweat over my disappearance. She’ll notify the ‘police, but unless they can get a clue to my ‘whereabouts I don’t see how they’re going to find me. I think it’s up to me to get away my- self, if I can. Mr. Drew will also be in a sweat when I don’t show up at the office a&S usual. He’ll be sure to send one of the clerks, or a mes- senger, up to the house to find out what the trouble is. Then there’ll be the dickens to pay at the court, too. They’ll have detectives out looking for me and they might even have to ad- journ the trial. Well, I can’t help all this. I’m not staying away because I want to.” i Rob started in to see if he could release him- self from the chair. He found that he-couldn’t reach the knots, which were at the back. As he desisted to consider what he should do next he suddenly bethought himself of his penknife. This: - was in his trousers pocket, unless the rascal had removed it while he was uneonscious. With a thrill of hope he felt for it and found it. “By George! This is luck, for fair} The rascal made a mistake in thinking me safe in this chair. Had he tied my arms as-they were before I would have been helvless, but with my hands free, and this knife in my fingers, it will be as easy for me. _ to. get free as rolling off a log.” He was about to cut the cord when he paused. “How will I get out of this room if I do have the use of all my limbs? The door is locked and the windows are nailed up.” : -That was certainly a serious problem. Sud- denly an idea struck Rob. The man would no doubt fetch him* some dinner about noon. When he thought it was time for him to ap- pear he could take the chair, or a slat from the . led, hide where the door when it was opened: - would conceal him for the moment, and then Knock Darby down with his weapon. A heavy —and left him. — FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER blow would put the fellow out of business for a: while, and he could seize tha opportunity to make his escape from the room and the house. One difficulty presented itself, and that was— Could he get away in broad daylight? Perhaps it’ would be better for him to delay the crisis ~- till night, when Darby brought*his supper. But. suppose the rascal tied his hands after dinner and released him from the chair, then he would have lost his chance. He hardly thought the ‘man would do this, and finally decided to risk it. Darby: didn’t show up till one o’clock, and then he brought Rob’s dinner, as the boy expected he. would. He placed the tray on the table and then examined ,the boy’s bonds. exactly as he had left them he appeared to be satisfied that his prisoner was a fixture. He had little to say, and Rob was just as well pleased, as he didn’t care to hold any conversa- ‘tion with the fellow. The young messenger ate his dinner and then Darby earried the empty ~ dishes away, locking the door after him. Rob was now encouraged to believe that he stood a- good chance of escaping when his captor ‘showed up again. asbeom ; He was in no hurry to free himSelf, thinking that Darby might take it into his head to revisit him during the affernoon. He did not, however, ihe and the afternoon wore slowly away. The sun- shine shifted around to the front of the house, Finding them and finally died out altogether. When dusk be- . gan to fall, Rob judged the time had come to get ready for business. In five minutes he was — free of his bonds. It was with a feeling of great relief that he stood up and excercised the muscles - of “his arms. the door when open would hide it. After that he went to the bed to..see if a slat was available. — He had his pick, of several and took one of them. Then he moved the chair where — “Pk bet that will make his head ache,” said —— Rob, regarding’ the weapon with satisfaction. — “So he’s going to ship me to sea, is he? Not if I know it, he won’t. He deserves all that’s com- ing to him.” é roo ay: It was dark when Rob heard steps on'the attic stairs once more. Judging that Darby was com- ing he nerved himself for the encounter. He was. not wrong. A key rattled in the lock,-the door ae swung open and his captor strode into the dark room with a tray on which was the boy’s ‘supper and a candle for him to eat it by. Rob stayed his hand till the raseal put his load down on the table, for he did not care to raise any more rac- ket than was necessary, Then he slipped behind the ‘man and struck him a heavy blow with th slat. Darby ell to the floor like an ox stricken’ in the shambles and lay perfectly motionless. CHAPTER X.—Rob Rescues Elsie Lovell, Rob went over him with wildly beating heart. : He was afraid he had killed the man, and that made him anxious. The boy knelt down and felt Darby’s heart. He found that it was beating and experienced a feeling of great relief. “T_ guess I'd better tie him to the bedpost. He might come to his senses any moment and arouse the house before I succeeded in getting away.” * So Rob tied him in the most satisfactory w: ‘ mats #2 oe

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- FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER - “When he recovers I’ll bet he won't think I’m such an easy mark after all,” the boy chuckled. “Now to leave the house.” ~ He put on his hat, took a few rapid bites of his supper, drank the coffee, and then with the candle in his fingers he left the room, closing and locking the door after him. He cautiously descended the stairs to the floor below. Here_his candle was extinguished by a draft of air, and that left him in the dark, for there was no light on the landing. A glean, however, came from the door of a room at one side. Believing the ‘apartment had an occupant, and not wishing to arouse attention, Rob crossed on tiptoe to the head of the next stairway. As he was: passing— the door he heard a tearful girlish voice exclaim: “Please do let me go home. You have no right toe keep me here a prisoner, ,Papa and mamma will be so worried about me. How can you be so wicked as to keep me away from my home?” = “Shut up, will you!” snorted a coarse woman’s voice. “You'll stay here-till your folks stump up the price we want for you, d’ye understand ?” “Qh, dear, oh, dear! How can you be so cruel ? Let me go home and-I’ll promise to send you whatever money you want.” : “You'll promise,” replied the woman, sareasti- cally. “I think I see myself taken in by such tommyrot. No, no; when the money is paid down in good bills and no questions asked, Miss Lovell, then you'll go back to your people, but not till then, if you stay here till your hair turns gray.” ~~ _ ®You’re a wicked old woman, and you'll be pun- jshed ‘Some day for treating me this way. My father will have the country searched for me, - and you'll go to prison.” -- *Pyt, tut! All the detectives in the city of ~ New. York will never be able to find out that --you’re here. You're as good as dead to the -- world, miss. So stop your snivelin’ and eat your supper, or it’ll be wuss for you.” *. - The unfortunate captive broke out into a fresh ~ fit of weeping, and then Rob heard a couple of slaps followed by a seream of pain. = «Stop I tell you!” snarled the woman. Stop, or Tl beat you black and blue.” -_ Rob heard the girl sob and then crys don’t hit me again.” ; : -. His hands clenched and he debated with him- it wasn’t his an to rush to her “yescue at any hazard to himself. “It’s some poor girl who has been abducted . and is being held for ransom,” he muttered. “I ” must rescue. her even at the risk of being recap- - tured myself.” ~ : ; Then he listened as the woman spoke again. - “Pm goin’ downstairs for a minute. If you haven’t eaten your supper by the time I get pack Vl take it away and you'll get nothin’ till mornin’. Ill break that high spirit of yours ‘afore I’ve done with you, I promise you. Now, mind, I'll be back in a minute, so make the most of it if you don’t want to go hungry to bed.” . Rob saw that the woman was coming out, so he darted back up the attic stairs in order to wa avoid detection. The door opened and a hard- looking woman came out. The boy only caught a fleeting glimpse of her ere she shut the door nd turned the key in the lock, but he saw enough to convince himself that she was: a tough 3 __ €ustomer. She walked leisurely downstairs and “Please ee 13 finally he heard a. door bang after her. some- where below. : “Now’s my chance to try and help this girl,” Rob said. “I believe that old virago left the key standing in the lock. If she did I’ll have that girl out in a twist of a lamb’s tail.” He glided back to the door, felt for the key and found it in the lock as he had supposed he would. He turned it, opened the door and *entered the room. A very pretty girl of sixteen turned her tear-dimmed eyes upon his face in a startled manner. She was seated at a table on which was a tray with dishes containing food, but she hadn’t touched @ morsel of it. “Quick, miss,” said Bob. “Put on. your hat and. follow me. I’ye céme to ‘save you.” She looked at him in a dazed way, as though she did not comprehend his meaning, and he had to repeat his words, adding: “You can trust me, miss; I’m escaping from this house myself. Come without delay, and I’ll see that you get to your home,” < : : She realized at last that he was a friend in. need and jumped to her feet with little cry of < joy. “Will you take me home, oh, will you?” she asked, clasping her hands together. “Sure, I will. But you must not delay. That woman may be back any moment.” » Her hat was hanging from a hook and she seized it, together with a short jacket. Rob rushed her from the room, shut and locked the door. As they were about to descend the dark staircase, Rob heard a door open below and the woman’s Voice say: : “ll be back in a minute, Luke, just as soon as I look after that little vixen upstairs.” Then the door banged and, steps were heard in the lower hall. : “Qh, she’s coming back!” palpitated the. girl. “What shall I -do?” ; “Don’t be frightened,” whispered Rob. “ll stand by you and defend you. Just you trust _ me and I'll save you. Come, creep up that stair- way a Short distance, and be ready to run down to me when I call. you. What’s your name?” “Elsie Lovell.” s: - “Mine is Hob Lake, and I work in Wall Street.” He said that to reassure the trembling girl, — and then gently pushed her up the attic stairs. The woman was coming up ‘in the dark, breath- ing heavily from the exertion: Rob held his — breath as she stepped on the landing within a few feet of him. The woman had no suspicion _ that any one else was on that landing. She un- locked the door behind her. Rob heard her ex- clamation of surprise when she didn’t see the girl at the table. : : , “Where have you hidden yourself, you little cat?” she cried, angrily. “Show yourself or I'll take the strap to you.” sf Rob took advantage of the moment to softly lock the woman in the room. He removed the key, dropped it into his pocket, and then called. the girl down. \ While the woman, unconscious * as yet of her predicament was searching under < »the bed the prisoner she thought was hiding _ there, Rob and the trembling Elsie were hurry- ing down the stairway. From the landing of the second floor they continued on to the ground floor. Here Rob struck a match to study his 5 TY

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14 surroundings. The front door was before him with the key in the lock. There were two bolts that were shot. Rob drew back the bolts, un- locked the and’ opened the door. As he led his fair charge outside and shut the door he heard \ a vigorous banging and screeching going on up- stairs. “We have no time to lose, Miss Elsie, ” he said. *The old woman:is raising the dickens of a row upstairs where I locked her in the room.” They were soon standing in the middle of a road with the lights of many, houses. winking yt them in the near distance. Foward the lights Rob hurried his companion, and +a he went along he told her the outline of his own story— how he had been abducted from his own home the night before and how he had just managed to effect his escape from the attic. “T was on my way downstairs when I heard you erying in that room, and appealing to that woman to let you go home. I decided that you, ‘tooy-had been kidnapped and were being held for a ransom, and I determined to assist you to escape. I am glad to know that I was able to eet away, and before very long you'll be safely *pack with your parents.” “You are so brave and good,” fluttered the girl, as they hurried along. “Papa will pay vou well for your trouble.” : “No, he won't,” replied Rob stoutly. “What. dor you think I am? Do you suppose I would accept a reward for saving you from such a fix?” “But papa is rich. He’s a banker.” “IT don’t ‘care how rich he is. He can’t pay me for doing my duty. ed came you to be ab- ducted ?” “T came over. to Besie to visit my aunt. I had only been at her house a little while when a cab drove up to the door. The-driver rang the bell, and told the servant that he had been sent to fetch me home in a hurry, as’ my mother had been suddenly taken ill. We all believed he told the truth, and’so I got into the cab and he drove off. But not toward the ferry, though I did not pay much attention at the time, for I was,worri- ed about mamma. I know we must have gone 2 long distance when I: began to wonder why we had not crossed the bridge. I could not do any- thing, and so the cab went on till it reached that house we just left. I was forced inside and then realized that something was wrong. I was ¢ar- ried up to that room on the third floor and locked in. I screamed, but no one paid any attention to me, and there I have been since till you came to free me.’ “When were you carried off front your aunt’s _ house?” ak Where do yot live in “arly yesterday afternoon.” “Then you have not, been a prisoner a great while.” ~ “But Pve suffered dreadfully while I was in that house.” “Never mind that now. You'll be home soon. "New York?” “At No— Madison avenue.” “Tl take you there before I go home myself. I'd like to know where we are.. Evidently some- where on Long Island, from your statement. _ However, we’ll know very soon, for we re almost at what seems to be a good sized town.” In five minutes they were walking up 4 street ~ FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER ‘phoned to the Flushing police to raid the:o with small stores here and there on either side of the way. At the first of these Rob made in- quiries that developed the fact that they were in the town of Flushing. He then asked his way to a car that would take them to the nearest ferry. In a short time they were aboard of one, with a long ride before them. Elsie felt very ~ grateful to the plucky boy who had come ess her” rescue. a She liked his Stewie 200d looking face, and: was soon talking as ‘freely to him as though she had known him all her life. As for Rob he was — quite taken with the pretty girl he had saved and did his best to make himself solid with her. which was not a hard matter under the cir-. cumstances. By the time they reached Manhat- — tan they were great friends. He took her to her — home, but would not go further than the. door with her, as he said he was anxious to get © home and relieve his aunt’s anxiety. “But you will call on us, won’t you, very soon?” she pleaded. “Certainly, if you wish me to.” “Why, of course, I wish you to,”.she insisted. “Papa and mamma will want to thank you. I will tell papa that you work for (Banker Drew, in the Globe Building. Don’t forget our number,” she said as the servant opened the door and she rushed inside, the surprised and overjoyed wo- man closing the door after her. a Then Rob went home and surprised his dis- tressed aunt by dashing in upon her almost with- 1: out warning, and hugging her to beat the band. After that he told her the story of his abduction, ” and how he had managed to escape that evening. He also surprised her with the aecount he gaye of the reseue of Elsie Lovell, the daughter of a- Wall. Street banker, who had been a prisoner in the same ‘house. His aunt told him that the police were looking for him. ; “A messenger was here from your employee j and another from the district attorney’s office. I told them how I had not seen you since you went downstairs to answer a ring at the Bel and that I feared something had happened to you.” ; “Well, never mind, auntie, I’m home spiaka® and I’ll eet everything all right tomorrow. I must run around to the police station now, report my return and put the detectives on to that house on the outskirts of Flushing.” ~ Accordingly, Rob put on his hat and left the fiat. After the captain of the precinct had li: tened to the young messenger’s story he tel roadhouse. Rob then returned home and went to bed: > “CHAPTER XI—In Which 'R. & §. Proves To. Be a Winner. 4 pat A When Rob turned up at the office next morning: the clerks, with whom he was quite pare —— ‘to know where he had been the day be ore. “There was a court officer here lonkiene for you,” said the cashier. | “And in the afternoon detective from the district, attorney’s office cal The Larkin case had to be adjourned morning, as your evidence: was regarded 2 t

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he found Banker Lovell with his employer. was called into the private office, and there Mr. FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER utmost importance in securing a conviction. I hope you’ll have a good excuse:to offer the judge, for your absence from court is a serious matter.” " A have the best excuse in the world, replied ob. “T’m glad to hear it,” answered the cashier. When Mr. Drew appeared at the bank Rob went into his private office and toid him the eause of his involuntary absence from the city. The banker expressed his astonishment at his messenger’s adventure. He also complimented him on his courage and tact in rescuing the d&ughter of Banker Lovell. “The papers yesterday had the news ofthe abduction of the girl from her aunt’s home in Brooklyn, but no clue had been- found as to her whereabouts. By freeing Miss Lovell and taking her home you have made a good friend for your- self in Banker Lovell, who will not fail to show his gratitude to you in some substantial way.” “T don’t object to his friendship,” replied Rob, “but I’m not looking for any favors from him for getting his daughter out »f a bad fix. I didn’t do any more than my duty. The girl was in trouble, and I stepped in and helped her out of it. I’d do that for any one, whether he or she was rich or poor.” “You showed the stuff you’re made of in face of an emergency, and you deserve the highest praise. I must telephone the district attorney’s office and let them know that you are back and will appear in court this morning with a satis- factory explanation.” i Rob told his story to the assistant district at- _ torney, who had charge of the Larkin case, and he explained matters to the judge when that personage appeared on tthe bench. The kidnap- ping of so important a witness in the case was not likely to do the prisoner any good as things had turned out. As soon as the lawyer for the defense got wind of the true facts he had a consultation with Larkin and advised, him to plead “guilty,” as the easiest way out of a bad box. . -*“Tf you don’t,” said the lawyer, “in case you’re fh convicted, and I’m afraid you will be, the judge ‘will give you the limit. By saving the court the - trouble and time of a trial you may get a lighter ‘sentence. At any rate, your friends made a great - mistake in running off. with the witness, and are ‘likely to pay a high price for the act.” Accordingly, Larkin put in a plea of guilty, and the judge remanded him for sentence. Two days later he got six years at Sing Sing. Wil- liam Darby and the others implicated in the ab- . ‘duction of both Rob and Elsie Lovell were not found when the Flushing police raided the road- house. They were fortunate enough to take time ‘by the forelock and vanish to parts unknown. When Rob returned to the bank from the oe e Lovell expressed his gratitude for the services the boy had done for him and his family. He wanted to give Rob a check for $5,000, but the ‘boy refused to accept it. Banker Lovell was much pleased with Rob’s manly attitude, and as- sured him that if he could ever be of service to him he would gladly grant him any favor he ight ask. As my daug hter is very anxious to see you. 15 again, and Mrs. Lovell is also desirous of adding her thanks to mine, I hope you will find it con- venient to call at my home some evening very soon,” concluded Banker Lovell. “T will do so, Mr. Lovell. If to-morrow evening. would be convenient I will call at-eight o’clock.” “Very well,” replied the banker, “we will ex- pect to see you to-morrow evening.” He then shook hands with Rob. told him that he would be glad to see him any time at the bank, and then the boy withdrew to his. chair outside. While the young messenger was await- ing a call to carry a message he bethought him- self of R. & S., the stock in which he was ‘so vitally interested. He had bought it-at 52 and the tape now recorded sales at 54, which was quite satisfactory to him, as it meant that he was already $500 to the good. On the following evening he kept his engagement to visit Banker Lovell’s home. He was received by Elsie, who had on her best gown, and was looking unusually sweet. She gave him a very warm weleome, once more expressed the gratitude that she felt toward him, and then laid herself out to entertain him. If Rob had been impressed by the girl’s good looks on the night of her rescue, he could not fail to be sensible of the added charms that she showed off on this occasion, He thought her the loveliest girl he had ever met, and thought he did not tell her so in words, his manner showed that he was deeply interested in her. She, on her part, also showed-that she was not insensible to the many advantages possessed by the good-looking young messenger, So it seemed to be a case:of mutual admiration on both sides. sf Mrs. Lovell came into the room soon and Elsie introduced Rob to her. She was very gracious to the boy, thanked him with much. feeling for rescuing her daughter from he ‘serious predica- ment, and assured him that he would always be a welcome guest at their home. The banker also made his appearance later on and treated the boy with much consideration. Altogether, Rob spent a very pleasant evening with the Lovells, and when he rose to go he received a very pressing invitation to call again soon. Elsie accompanied him to the door. “Now, you will come soon again; won’t you?” she said in a tone that showed she meant- it. “J shall be glad to do so, Miss Elsie,” he an- swered, much pleased. ; “Suppose you come next Wednesday,” she said. “All right. That will suit me as well as any other evening.” “Then I shall expect you, remember,” she said, “holding her hand out to him. “¥ will be sure to be on hand,” he replied. Then he bade her good-night and left: Before Wednesday came around R. & S. stock got a lively move on and went up to 60 in an hour. Its sudden rise put the brokers in a ferment of ex- citement, and there was great doings at the Ex- change that day. It closed at 62 and opened next morning at 623-8. At noon it was going at 68, and by two o’clock it reached 725-8, at which figure Rob ordered his share sold. It didn’t take much. figuring on his part to show that he had cleared $5,000 on the deal, and he was as happy — as a clam at high tide. ‘

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16 es just like finding money,” he said to him- self, That same afternoon a messenger from Tif- fany’s jewelry store delivered a package at’ the bank addressed to him. On opening it he found a splendid gold watch and chain, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lovell, and a pearl and diamond watch- charm to go with it, from Elsie herself. “T’ll look swell with these on,” he said to him- self, as he examined his expensive presents. “They’re altogether too nice for a messenger boy to sport around the Street, so I’ll keep them for Sunday wear.” He showed them to Tim that day on their way up Nassau Street. “That watch is all to the good,” said Walker, regarding it with wistful eyes. “I’d be satisfied if somebody would give me a silver one.” “Would you?” replied Rob. “Then I'll see that you get a good one. I’ve just made another haul in the market and I feel liberallv disposed. At any rate, you’re my varticular friend, and I can’t do much less for you than. supply you with some- thing that’ will be useful as well as ornamental.” “Are you really going to give me a watch?” said Tim, with glistening eyes. “J am. You shall have it to-morrow afternoon as sure as your name is Walker.” “You’re a brick, Rob. The gang will have\a spasm when I show it to them. I’m afraid they’ll think I’m too high-toned for Cherry Hill. How much did you pull out of the market?” “J’d hate to tell you, Tim, for fear you’d have a fit.” “How is that?” “It was quite a sum. I made $20 on every share of the stock I had.” “How many shares did you have?” “T won’t tell you exactly, but I had more than a hundred.” 5 “Then you made over $2,000?” F “T did.” ; a: 4 Eats se: “Gee! Youw’re a capitalist for fair,” said Tim, a bit enviously. : ; Next afternoon Rob presented Tim with a first-class silver watch and chain, and took home $400 to surprise his aunt with. And he.did sur- prise the little woman, to whom the’ sum looked like a small fortune. 2 + oe CHAPTER XII.—Rob Decides To Become a Banker and Broker. — Kfew weeks later Rob, finding that everything pointed toward a rising market, looked around ‘for some good stock to speculate in. He selected D. & G., and bought 500 shares at 72. In a week the whole line of stocks began to advance and D. & G. went to 75. j He bought 300 more shares at that price, and in three days it was selling at 80. Rob then con- eluded that it was time to sell out, and did so. His combined profits on both deals amounted to $5,500 and raised his capital to $11,500. As soon as he saw the market weakening again he be- gan to think of selling a few hundred shares of the same D. & G. for future delivery, expecting to be able to buy it in at a price that would give him a profit. He was encouraged to do this by a conversation he overheard between a couple of £. ia ai BRE RAAT SON Ee ee see et nes paar es FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER brokers who had the reputation of being very ac- curate judges of, the way the market was likely to go. So he sold 1,000 shares of D. & G. at 79. A week later the market took on a heavy slump and D. & G., in sympathy with the other stocks, went down. Rob bought in the 1,000. shares at 73 and cleared $6,000 by the operation. He was now decidedly fascinated with the Wall Street game of chance. “I, don’t see any use of my continuing as a messenger at_$9 per week when I can do so well by vrading in futures,” he said to himself. “igre I’ve made about $10,000 in a few months, and I’ve had to skin around at a lively rate to find the chance to carry my deals through success- fully, for I can’t afford to neglect my duties at the bank. It would pay me ever so much better to get a small office and work the market on my own hook. ‘Robert Lake, Banker and Broker,’ would look«fine on a frésted glass door, and it’s my ambition to see it there. A capital of $17,500. isn’t So much to start out with, but I’ll soon add \ more to it, while at the same time I’ll gradually work my way into a good paying business. [ may be only a little over eighteen, but I have a - whole lot of confidence in my ability to succeed. Many of the most successful. men in the Street started out as messenger boys,'and to-day they have fat bank accounts; while other=messenger boys merely graded themselves up to ordinary clerkships and are scratching around to support _ their families in any kind of style. I believe in getting ahead in the world as fast as I can. The only way to do that is to either work vourself into a fat job or get to be your own boss. As I — don’t see my way to a fat pob, which takes strong influence, as well as ability to secure and hold, it remains for me to make my own future. It might look funny for a boy like me to hang out his shingle as a banker and broker, and no doubt the people down here would consider it a good joke, but I don’t care for that, nor what people may think. A boy has as much right to start out for himself as a man has, and many a boy has done so and turned the laugh on those who made fun of him.” i t The more Rob thought the matter over the more determined he became to start his own business, B; terms of intimacy with Elsie Lovell that he ven- — tured to take her into his confidence on the sub- ject. He talked so enthusiastically and so con- vineingly. about his prospects backing his posi- tion up with the evidence of his past suecesses under disadvantageous circumstances that she fell right in with his plans, and gave him all the ~ encouragement in her power. “Papa will help you get a start,” she said. “Tl speak to him about it,” Ie “Not on your life, Elsie,” replied Rob, prompt- ly. “I don’t want anybody to give me a start. I mean to depend entirely on my own efforts. After I get going, if you father can put any business in my way, I'll accept it gladly. Vd By this time he was no sueh close

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FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER N “Then you don’t want papa to know that. you’re going into business for yourself?” “fT don’t care whether he knows it or not. After I’m started he can drop in and see me if he wants to, and size me and my establishment ‘up. Whatever he can do for me in a business way will go, but nothing else.” “I suppose I may call and see you, too?” she ‘said, archly. : “T_ shall consider it an honor to welcome. you to my_ ffice.” ae 2 “Thank you. You are very kind to say so. “Not at all, Elsie. I consider you the finest little girl in the world, and in my opinion there’s nothing too good for you.” : d “Dear me, how nice you say that,” she replied, laughingly. =e “Do you believe I mean it?” : _ “Why, of course I do,” she answered, with a little blush. “I hope you'll always have suck a ‘good opinion of me.” “Don’t you worry about that. I couldn’t help having a good opinion of you. You are always so nice to me, considering I’m not rich like yourself, “just one of the common people, you know, that I couldn’t find words enough in the dictionary to suitably express what I think of you.” “Oh, dear! If ‘you recap me so much I'll be sure to become conceited.” : “T don’t believe you're built that way. You’re too nice——” ; : “T won’t hear another word,” she said, putting - her hand over his mouth. - = Rob seized her fingers and kissed them, and then looked a. bit confused at his boldness, while : e colored vividly. ae hope you aren’t offended,” he said, after a ause. : : “Oh, no. I couldn’t be offended at you.” “Y’m glad to hear that. I think I’d better go before I commit any more breaks like that.” “Oh, no, you mustn’t go. It’s early yet.” “Still, J think I’d better remove myself from temptation. You’re looking so pretty to-night that if I stay much longer Ill forget myself and kiss you.” = Elsie flushed right up to her hair. ; “Are you angry with me now?” he asked edg- ing a bit closer to her. “No,” she answered, softly, Sure of it?” : “Quite sure.” * j : aah “But you’d be angry if I—if I kissed you, ouldn’t you? ‘ ; y pha made no reply, but looked very intently - at the carpet. He slipped his arm arouhd her waist. She did not draw away. -Then he bent his head down to hers. ek ca gree I kiss you?” he asked, boldly. ¢ There was a pause, then she turned her face up to him, and he didn’t ask for any other per- mission. The next hour was the happiest one ‘they eyer passed in their lives, for though the word “love” was not mentioned between them, each knew ‘that the other shared in the senti- ments that moved their young hearts. A month later Rob surprised Mr. Drew by tendering. his resignation as messenger at the bank. _. “Why, Rob, do you really intend to leave Wall Street after getting so nicely started? I'd sooner lose almost any other member of my tablishment than you,” é 17 “Tm not going ‘to leave, Wall Street, sir. Um ogg into business on my own account down ere. This answer amazed the banker. ) “Going into business on your own account?” “Yes, sir. It may strike you as funny, but I don’t look at it in that» light.” “What business, may I ask?” é “Banker and broker,” replied Rob, with some dignity. Mr. Drew whistled softly. If his messenger had said he was’ going down to the Battery to jump off into the bay because he had been disap- pointed in some love affair the banker couldn’t have been more surprised. “I suppose you think I’ve slipped a cog, Mr. Drew, but I haven’t. I’ve been thinking the mat- ter over for the last three months, and now I’m going to act on it.” “I presume you know it takes some capital as well as experience to embark in sych'a business,” said the banker, with an amused smile. _“T have a small capital, and the experience I expect to get.” “You are certainly thinking of making an early start.” ; After some further conversation Mr. Drew saw that his messenger was thoroughly: in earnest, so he decided that the boy had better have his own way and learn. by actual experience how Quixotic his project was. “Tm sorry to lose you, Rob, but I guess you'll — come back again when you see that it is quite out of the question for a boy of your years and ex- perience to make even a start at such a pre- tentious business as a banker and a broker. {, myself, did not think of branching out until I was nearly thirty, and then I had an uphill fight of it for*many years.” “Well, sir, I’m prepared to take my chances, and I do not expect to fail.” Mr. Drew did not ask Rob how much capital he had, but judged that it could not be very much. He thought it doubtful if the boy would be able to‘hire anything better than desk room in some office, and presumed that was what he was going to do. - Rob, however, had no intention of sharing an office with anybody else, and so as soon as the ensuing week was up, and he had severed his con- nection with Mr. Drew, he looked around for a - suitable office. He found a corner room on the third floor of a big office building. The ‘rent struck him as being pretty steep, but on in- quiry he found that the price was the customary one for a third floor office overlooking the street. The agent, however, refused to rent it to a boy. “Won’t you rent it to me if I get satisfactory reference?” said Rob. : “Well,” hesitated the agent, “if you'll get a red sponsible man to guarantee the rent till the first of next May you can have it. Otherwise I must refuse you.” . “Will Banker Lovell be ‘satisfactory?” asked the boy. “Will he stand for you?” “l'm going to ask him to.” ; J “All right. Bring me_a written guarantee from Mr. Lovell and the office is yours till May 1.” Rob hurried across the street to see the banker. He’ was at once admitted to that gentleman’s = 35) ; at

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18 FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER sanctum, and without loss of time stated the ob- ject of his visit. “You promised to do my a favor if I ever ask- ed one of you, Mr. Lovell,” he said. . “I did, and I stand by my promise. What is it you want. me to do for you?” “I want to rent an office in the Ajax-Building. The agent won’t let me have it without I can get ‘omebody to guarantee the rent, although I am financially able to make good. Will you furnish the guarantee?” “Certainly; but tell me what you want an office for? Have you left Mr. Drew?” “T have Jeft Mr. Drew and I am going into business on my own account,” “What kind of business?” “Banking and brokerage.” Mr. Lovell whistled just as Mr. Drew had done. The idea of a messenger boy proposing to branch out for: himself in such a business was almost too ridiculous. -He kept his thoughts to -himself, for he had a great regard for the manly young fellow who had done such a great service for his daughter and then refused pay for it, and he did not intend to hurt his feelings. After studying the boy’s face for a moment or two he began to question him as to his reasons for making the venture. Rob surprised him by explaining how he had made $18,000 out of the stock market in a few months from a capital of $250 received from Lawyer Lester for saving his satchel that morn- “ mg from the man with the green goggles. The boy further impressed the banker by his reso- lute, straightforward way of talking business, as well as the intelligent manner in which he seemed to regard the pros and cons of his projected ven- ture. After an hour’s interview Mr. Lovell came toi the conclusion that the experiment Rob was about to tackle was not so ridiculous as he had thought... He seemed to be a man in éverything tut years, and so thoroughly in earnest as to win ee gta and encouragement of the banker in the end. meat ” said Mr. Lovell, “if you fail it won’t harm you to any gréat extent, and you may be able to hold on long enough to establish yourself in a small way. any banking business for some time to come. You will have to confine yourself largely'to per- sonal operations in the market. If you hold out you may be able to build up a brokerage business in time, and afterward, when you get a footing and more capital, you can add banking to your business. I will assist you in any way I can, and you can come to me at any time for advice when you feel that you need it.” ~ ~. Rob thanked him for his -encouragement, and taking the written guarantee that the banker handed him, he went back to the agent and se- eured the office, paving down the first month’s rent, CHAPTER XIII.—Rob Opens Up. Rob lost no time in having his office fitted up with a desk, a rug, a small safe, three chairs, a railing to’ divide the room in two parts, and > such other furnishings as would give the place an air of business. He hired a painter to letter the following legend on the frosted glass of the ‘door: “Robert Lake, Banker and Broker. Stocks aut Bonds Bought and eis on Commission.” — But you can’t expect to do’ /me, and I’m ready to do the same for you, bet A broker named Isidore Goldbeck occupied the two large rooms adjoining Rob’s small office. He was a member of the Stock Exchange, and he - carried on quite a large mail order business, ad- vertising extensively in all the more important financial journals. He came along while the sien painter was at work. The man had got as far as “Robert Lake; Banker and Broker.” Goldbeck stopped and surveyed the painter’s work. Then he began to wonder who Robert Lake was. “Must be some new man from Philadelphia, or Boston, or Chicago,” he said to himself. “I must make his acquaintance. I should like to unload some of the stock I’ve been carrying for some time because nobody in the Street wants it. The only chance I'll have to work it off will be on some stranger new to little old New York. The last man was occupied that office was pie for me. I cleaned him out of $10,000. He was an easy mark. I hope this will be another.” With those words he entered his office. Rob — was inside putting the final touches on his estab- lishment. While he was thus engaged the door opened and Tim Walker entered. , “Hello, Tim, come up to see my den?” “Yes,” replied Tim, without any great en- thusiasm. Rob noticed the tone of his voice, and looking at him sharply saw that he appeared to be down in the mouth. ips “What’s the matter, Tim?” he inquired. “You look as if you’d been eating something that dis- agreed with you.” > “Lost my job,” returned Tim, with ‘a discon- solate expression, “What for?” “I lost an important message on the street, — and the boss was so mad that he bounced me Re right off the reel.” - ) : “That's hard luck,” said Rob, in a sympathetic _ one. . G “Don’t vou want to hire a messenger?” asked — Tim, with a faint smile. ‘ “Y’m afraid if I hired one it would only be for — show at present. Not having any business yet, — a@ messenger would be a costly luxury.” : “T’'m willin’ to run any errand for en till TS get another job,” said Tim. Re “All right. Dll giv@ you a dollar a nee: to act as my assistant until you strike a position. That will help you: out, and I can afford it whether I~ have anything for you to do or not.” ae “You’re a brick, Rob. You’ve always stood by ORES Ae yer life,” said Tim, earnestly. “You’ve got a fine little office, all right. I s’pose you bah to work up a business herein time.” ' : “That’s what I’m out for, Tim.” ; “Yowll be called the boy banker and broker of Wall Street,” grinned Tim “T don’t care what I’m ated as long as I can ae keep the ball rolling.” “V’ll bet you'll keep it rollin’ somehow. You're about as smart as they come.” “Thanks for your good opinion, Tim. Now, think I can give you a small job to do for Eon’, Go over to Bangs & Co., stationers and printers canis on Broad Street, and see if they’ve got my and other printing done. Take your time, f there’s no rush.”

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FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. S “Come in,” said Rob. : The door opened and Isidore Goldbeck entered. cd around the office curiously and then Sal 2i- just dropped in to see Mr. Lake. When is he likely to be in gee _ “He’s in now. My name is Lake.” Broker Goldbeck stared at him incredulously. “Do you mean that you are Robert Lake, ban- . ker and broker?” “Yes, sir. Will you take a seat and let me know how I can serve you?” Mr. Goldbeck sat down and stared at Rob some more. “T hardly expected to find that you were a— that is, so young,” he said. “Well, sir, I hope to be older some day. May ' J ask your name?” “Tsidére Goldbeck. My office is next door. I always like to get acquainted with my neighbors. _ $o you have started in business for yourself?” : “Yes, sins” The trader regarded him with a thoughtful eye, as if sizing him up. “Have you made arrangements, with any broker to act for you at the Exchange?’ “Yes, sir,” replied Rob, who had made a deal with Broker Clarke, the gentleman who had given him his first tip. “Are you doing sesso in mining shares? asked the trader. : “Not as yet, sir.’ ps “T have several Sake of first-class mining shares I would recommend to your attention. i Come in and see me by and by, and I will show them to you. They are sure winners, all of them, and were left with me for sale by customers. J am so busy that I have hardly time to give ae) ‘much attention to them. If you would like to make a stake I can let you have these shares cheap. I should say you would be able to double ~ your money in a month,” “TF will give your offer my consideration,” re- plied Rob, politely. : He knew Goldbeck by reputation. He was.con- Bates sidered a pretty slick broker, and one who .had - gotten the best of many of the sharpest men in the Street. Rob consequently was wary about doing business with him. Rob grinned as soon as the door closed behind his visitor. - “Pll bet he thinks I’m an easy Ie ap ue ae e” ° Hen I go in to see him. ag nei fool himself, g with Mr. Goldbeck.” A few minutes later Tim returned with a package. Rob then asked him to look after the office while he went over to the Exchange to xe in things from thé visitors’ gallery. on 5 ay rae - CHAPTER XIV.—Rob Buys Some Mining Stock and Also Some: Options. Rob was out about two hours and came back h his eyes sparkling with’ subdued excitement. By the merest accident in the world he had dis- ed that a pool of Dae traders had been form- 19 ed to boom C. & O. This stock at present didn’t look very good as an investment, as the road was reported to be in the dumps, with little prospect of a rise from its low-water mark. For that reason the syndicate had selected it for a coup. All this Rob had learned, and he was anxious to turn the information to his profit He had also learned something about a mining stock called. “The Ne Plus Ultra.” It had been popular on the Curb some months before, and sold as high as $2 a share, with prospects of going to $10, when the bottom un- expectedly dropped out of the mine and the price had dropped to 25 cents a share, with few takers at that figure. broker tell a friend that he couldn’t do better than buy all the shares he could of the stock, as a new lead had been struck in the mine, an- nouncement of which fact would be made in a few days, when the price was sure to go to a dollar or over. Rob, on the strength of that, de- termined to buy some shares himself if 5 me any money to spare after getting in on C. & C. & O. was going at 29, and he decided to a 5,000 shares through Broker Clark if it was pos- sible. to get that amount. That would leave him money enough to buy a few thousand shares of Ne Plus Ultra at 25 cents. “T think I’ll call on Mr. Goldbeck and see if he has any for sale. It would give me a whole lot of satisfaction to buy the stock from him and have it go to a dollar afterward. How he would kick himself,” said Rob to himself, with a chuckle. He also wondered if he could buy a ten-day op- tion on 5,000 shares of C. & O. from Mr. Gold- beck." He decided to try and do'so. So, leaving Tim in charge of his office again, he walked into his neighbor’s office and asked for him. After a brief conversation the trader went to his safe and brought out certificates of various mines, most of which were a drug on his hands. Among them was a certigcate for 5,000 shares of Ne Plus Ultra Mining & Milling Co. “There,” said Mr. Goldbeck, spreading them out, “I can offer you bargains in all of these. There’s one I can highly recommend,” he added, pointing to the “Golden Dawn” certificate of 8,000 shares. “It’s selling now at 18 cents. I'll let you have it for 16 cents. That’s $480 for the block. I’ll_ warrant it will be up to 80 in three months. Then here is the ‘Little Giant.’ I’ll let you have this block of 20,000 shares of $1,000. That's 5 cents a share, and ‘it’s like finding money to get it at that price. You ought to clean up $2,000 on that inside of six months. I ean not bother with such small things, as I can use my piney. to better advantage in the regular mar- e ” “What are you asking for that Ne Plus Ultra?” asked Rob, almost eagerly. “I'll sell you that for 25 cents a share. That’s what it is going at now.” “Isn’t that the mine that the bottom fell out of some time ago?” asked Rob. “To/be frank with you, Lake, it did slip a cog, and dropped from $2; but it’s sure to go up — again. It’s a bargain-counter sale at a quarter a share.” EAE wouldn’t mind giving 20 cents for it‘on a spec.,” “T don’t think I could ‘do that, for it’s selling on Rob overheard a prominent Curb. said Rob, with well assumed hesitation. i

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20 the Curb at 25 to-day. TI’ll tell you what I'll do. If you take the whole batch—Golden Dawn, Little Giant and Ne Plus Ultra I'll knock off a nickel on the latter.” “No,” replied Rob, shaking his head. “T’ve only $1,000 I can spare on mining stocks.” “Then take the 20,000 Little Giant. That’s just $1,000,” said Mr. Goldbeck, shoving the cer- tificate toward him. Rob, however, wouldn’t consider anything but Ne Plus Ultra, and finally, after considerable haggling, Goldbeck let him have the 5,000 shares for 23 cents a share. : “Now, Mr. Goldbeck, what I really come in to see you about was C. & O. Could you sell me an option on 5,000 shares? If So what will you charge me for, say ten days?” “You want an option on 5,000 shares of C. & 0?” said Mr. Goldbeck, in surprise. “Yes, sir, if you are willing to let me have it at a reasonable rate. It is now going at 29. What do you want for it on a ten-day option ? 7 haven’t the money to pay for it now.” “Pm not in the habit of dealing in options,” ‘said Mr. Goldbeek, “but I don’t mind accommo- dating you. Just wait a moment.” He looked up his market report, made some figures on a pad and told Rob he could have the option at 35, with a deposit of five per cent. of pee current value of the stock. Rob shook his he AY give you 32,” he said. “That’s the best I can afford.” The trader came down to 34, but Rob said 32 was his limit. Finally, after some argument, Mr. Goldbeck reduced his price to 33. “Is that. the best you will do? pe asked Rob. “That’s the’ best.” “Then I can’t, make the deal,” said the boy banker, rising. “Send one of vour clerks in with the Ne. Plus Ultra certifieate and. I will pay him for it. “Hold on a minute,” said the: trader. Broker Goldbeck went outside and had a talk with his confidential bookkeeper and cashier, and ' the result was that he came back and said he would sell the option for 32. “Write it out at once, then,” said Rob. “I will go in and get the money. Five thousand shares at 29, the current value, is $145,000. Five per eent; deposit will aomunt to $7,250. The option calls for 82, which will amount to $160,000. Des ducting the $7,250 deposit I will owe you a bal- ance of $152,750. Is that right?” “Quite correct,” replied Mr. Goldbeck. “I'd like to sell you 5,000 more at the same rate.” . Rob said nothing, but went back to his office for the money. He returned with $8,750, of which $1,000 went to pay for the Ne Plus Ultra _ eertificate. My. Goldbeck counted the bills, and finding them all right, handed Rob the certificate for 5,000 shares of mining stock, the option, and his. receipt for the deposit. As soon as Rob had them in his hands he said:.- “You said you'd like to sell me another option for 5,000 shares of C. & O., didn’t you? Well, Fil. take it.” Mr. Goldbeck was staggered by his ready ac- eeptance. ; “Say, have® you heard anything: about that -ptock ?’ 3 ay pe. 62 ER SENS PIERO FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER | “T did,”. replied Rob, coolly. “T heard that - it was likely to go up inside of ten days. : That’s ‘why I bought the option.” “What’s your authority ?” : “Well, I can’t give you my authority. I might say that it’s the peneral opinion in the Street that it will go up.” Mr. Goldbeck looked at the boy. He knew that the “general opinion” of the Street amounted to nothing. He had not heard any general opinion expressed about a possible rise in C. & O. If this boy banker was buyine on the strength of the general opinion of the Street it was certainly the easiest mark he (Goldbeck) had ever run across. — Jt. was almost a shame to take his money. On | the other hand, the trader figured that if Rob had imside information that was reliable, and C. & O. was really going up, say to 40, it would still pay him to’sell the option to the boy, be- © cause he could go right out and buy the stock at that moment for 29, hold it for the ten days, ac-— cording to, the option, and no matter what the stock might’ go to he’d make the difference be- — tween 29 and 32, that is, three points, or $3 a share profit.. If he gave Rob a second option for —— 5,000, his profit would® amount to. $30,000, less the interest. on $290,000 invested, or tied up, for ten days. That was not to be sneezed at. Ac- cordingly, he wrote out the second option and Rob got the money to pay for it. Rob returned _ to his office in high feather. He was sure that — C. & O. would be above 40 inside of ten days, and he was also confident that Ne Plus Ultra. stock would be worth in a few days much more’ — than 23 cents a share. As soon as Rob left his ~ office Mr: Goldbeck turned over the money and ‘the three transactions. to his cashier to record, put on his hat and went out to see what he could learn about C. & O. He spent more than — an hour looking the matter up, but could find no indication that there was likely to be any ad- vance in the stock. In fact, everything pointed in the other direction. “That boy must be a fool,” he said to himself. “Somebody has been giving: him a stand-up about — the stock. It isn’t worth while buying the 10,000 . shares. They’d cost me $290,000 and I’d have to hypothecate them to raise the price. That boy’s deposit of $14,500 is as good as in my pocket for keeps. If the stock should start to rise it will be time enough for me to think of buying it in. It’s my opinion he’ll never call for the shares. Where would be get $305,500 to pay for them? No, no, if the price doesnt go above 32, he'll let the options expire by default and Vi be in hi money, at any rate, That’ er is.a rich thing!” tee ats ! CHAPTER XV.—Rob’s Ultimatum. Three days passed and C. & O., instead of ad- vancing even a fraction of a point, went down to 28. Mr. Goldbeck chuckled when he saw the quotation. His cashier, who had_ an interest in his business, also chuckled. ~ 2 “That boy is a chump,. said Mr. Goldbeck, complacently. a “He’s a rank one,” coincided Mr. Beer. the cashier. reat luck, his taking that beni next 5 “It was to ours,” Said the trader.

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| “It was,” agreed Mr. Parkman, rubbing his” hands together. _ “We can consider that we’ve made $14,500 out of him, besides gettine rid of that block of Ne Plus Ultra. I wonder if he’s got any more money = to‘ lose?” > 3 “JT hope he has, and that we get it,” grinned the cashier. An hour later, when Mr. Goldbeck was coming from the Exchange, he saw some excitement among the Curb brokers. He asked one of the ~ brokers what was in the wind. , “Ne Plus Ultra has taken a suddeh jump.” re- plied the Curb trader. “A rich vein of ore has been discovered in the mine, and the news had scome from Goldfield fully confirmed. All hands are trying to get in on it, and the price is going up, like wildfire. It will easily reach a dollar a - share by the time the Exchange closés.” Mr. Goldbeck gasped. He had sold Rob 5,000 shares at 28, and it was now at 63 and going higher. The boy had simply fallen ‘into hog - luck, and it made the trader mad to think he had thrown away such a good thing. “Maybe he hasn’t heard about the rise yet. “VY call on him and see if I can buy that certi- ficate back.” a Accordingly, Mr. Goldbeck lost no time in eall- ing on Rob. e ‘He found the boy in. '. “By the way, Lake, have you sold that Ne Plus Ultra yet?” : “No, sir. I found nobody wanted to give more an 24 for it, and so I’m holding on to it. You id-it was sure to go up.” “T won’t go back on my word)” replied Gold- beck, “but it may be months before it rises. I’ve got an order for 5,000 shares. If you want to sell the certificate back to me I'll give you— well, I'll give you as high as 30, so that you'll make a good profit on your investment. I al- ays like to do the fair thing with my friends.” “J am much obliged to you for your liberal offer, Mr. Goldbeck,” replied Rob; “but, on ‘the whole, I don’t think I’ll sell the stock. I can afford to keep it for six months, if necessary.” - Rob hadn’t heard about the rise as yet, but the fact that Mr. Goldbeck wanted to buy the stock back at an advance of seven cents a share on the price he had sold at gave the boy the im- pression that the trader had heard something about the new lead that had been discovered in e mine. Naturally Rob didn’t propose to have Mr. Goldbeck profit by the news. He had been oking for the rise every day, and his object was to make all the profit there was in it himself, the stock on the eve of the rehabilitation of the “‘nine. Finding the boy was firm in his refusal, Mr. Goldbeck raised his offer by degrees to 50 cents a share, but it did him no good, so he left ’s office in disgust, knowing that the boy ban- would presently learn of his good luck. Rob hear of it shortly afterward, when Ne Plus a was going at 96. and he laughed quietly to imself at Mr. Goldbeck’s evident discomfiture. im was still acting as his office boy and gen- assistant, and he told him about his luck. ! There’s no fiiés on you, Rob,” grinned ; will be a pretty chilly day Spee ae Oe em. and make. the trader feel sick that-he had sold . FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER ros ae “T hope it will be a lone time before T do get. left,in a deal. I can’t afford to just at vresent.” Nevt morning Ne Plus Ultra went to $1.25 and stopped there. Rob, however, decided not to sell even at that price. He believed it-would go still higher in the near future. At any rate, he was $5,000" ahead on the transaction and he was satisfied. About noon Mr. Goldbeck got another shock.. A big broker apneared on the floor of the Exchange and began to bid for C. & O - shares. He offered 29, 30, 31, 32, up to 35 in quick succession, with no takers, because no- body seemed to have the stock for sale. Before - Mr. Goldbeck knew where he stood C. & O. was being bid for at 40. The rapidity of its rise fairly took his breath away. Already he was out $80,000 on those two options, and the boy he had reckoned a fool was that much ahead of the game.. For the first time in his life he was rattled. He didn’t know what to do. The options had two days yet to run. The stock might fall back during that time, but then if it continued to go up he couldn’t tell where he would land. And to think that he was the victim of a mere boy of: eighteen years. Why, if the news got out he would never hear the last. of it.. He knew the estimation in which he was held by most of the, traders, and was well aware that the Street would - hail his setback with the greatest of satisfac- ~~ He couldn’t squeeze out of the matter, for tion. as a member of the Exchange he would have to keep his engagements of get out of the ‘treet for good. When C. & O. reached 43, and he was another $30,000 out, he began to see that there were powerful interests behind the stock that might send it up to any price. So fearful of in- curring further loss he began bidding for 10,000 shares. Then to his dismay he found that the stock must haye been cornered by the people be- hind it, for he couldh’t seeure a single share. For the next hour-he acted like a crazy man. but the stock. kept risine and nobody was sell- ing. When the chairman’s gavel fell at three, stopping business for the day, C. & O. reached 52, and Mr. Goldbeck was $200,000 out so far on his options. He returned to his office like a demented man. His cashier had already learned from the ticker how things were going, and as he was vitally in- terested in the result he waited nervously for Mr. Goldbeck to show up, expecting that he had bought the stock in at a small loss. When Mr. Goldbeck came in and he learned the truth he al most collapsed. _ oe “We'll be ruined if this thing keeps up two days longer, and by a boy,” he groaned. -Then both he and Mr. Goldbeck hurled a stream of imprecations at the boy broker in the adjoin- ing office. This position was simply maddening. Finally they decided to send for Rob and try and — force him to make some kind of a settlement. Rob and. Tim were talking gleefully together over the situation. The boy banker had promised him a steady job, work or no work, at $10 a week, and. Tim was feeling like a fighting cock, for that was $2 more than he had got from Millburn for running his legs off about. the Street. In the midst of their conversation one of Gold- beck’s clerks came in and said that his boss want- _ ed to see him on particular business. So Rob went in to. see what he wanted. Bete Sat i

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’ . poF assault. , 22 “What can I do for you, Mr. Goldbeck?” asked Rob, politely. “T want to know what you'll let me out of those infernal options for,” said the. trader. “Let you out for?” replied Rob. “Why, they have two-days to run yet.” : “T know they have. But I want to settle with you. now.” “But I’m ‘hot prepared to pay for the stock yet. Besides, the price may be higher two days _ from now. In fact, as matters stand, I’m sure the options will be worth a good deal more money than they are now.” “Never mind paying for, the stock. How much eash will you take to call the deal off?” “Then you haven’t got the stock to deliver?” asked Rob, who easily understood the situation. “Never mind whether I have or haven’t the _ stock. Name your figure.” “My figure is $250,000,” replied Rob. ; “Two hundred and fifty thousand furies?” roared Goldbeck. “Do you want to ruin me? I'll give you $150,000.” Rob shook his head. “T’ve only one price and I’ve stated it. You're a member of the Exchange and I can hold you to the limit of your resources. I’m not obliged to settle with you until the options have expired, , But to oblige you I’ll settle for a quarter of a million, as I said. To-morrow afternoon I may find it to my interest to demand $100,000 more. Those are my terms. Take them or leave them. CHAPTER XVI.—Conclusion. At that moment Parkman, the cashier, entered the private room. He heard Rob‘s speech and it made him furious. He sprang at the boy with blood in his eyes and a howl of rage. Rob, scenting trouble, picked up. a small hand bag to defend himself with. It was fairly heavy, for there was nearly $1,000 in loose’ silver in it. ‘He swung it at the cashier as the angry man rushed at him. Parkman, however, was too furi- ‘ous to notice such a thing as that. He closed with Rob, and a rough-and-tumble serap ensued between them. There was a closed door between the private room and Rob’s office, and through that Tim heard the racket. He was afraid that his chum was in trouble and rushed to the side window and leaned out to listen better. He was just in time to see Rob pushed half way out of the other window by the cashier. “Gee! What shall I do to save him?” palpi- tated Tim. : ; “Help!” ‘cried Rob, as Parkman pressed him across the window sill. g 2 - The satchel of money fell from his grasp. Tim Walker, seeing his opportunity, snatched up a cane and, leaning out of the window, aimed a blow at ‘the cashier. The knot of the cane hit Parkman on the temple and dazed him. _Rob took advantage of his slackening grip to wriggle out of his grasp and make a break for the door. In a moment or two he rushed into his own office and locked the door. _— : “What was the trouble?” asked Tim. | Rob told him all that had happened in Gold beck’s office. ‘ “ier “You ought to have that cashier arrested for - throw you = out of the window,” Er permease It looked to me as if he was trying to. FROM NEWSBOY TO BANKER “I believe I will,” said Rob, going to the tele- phone with the intention of calling for a police- man, when there was a nervous knock at the door and the handle was turned once or twice. “Who’s there?” asked Tim. “Goldbeck. I want to see Laké” “Shall I let him in?” asked Tim. : Rob nodded and Walker opened the door. Goldbeck, who had realized the seriousness of the case, began to- apologize for Parkman, saying that he was subject to fits, and he hoped Rob would excuse him. ' : “T won’t make any promises,” replied the boy banker, who was indignant-at the rough usage ’ he had been subjected to. “Let the matter drop and I’ll give you your price for the option,” said the trader. - “Have you. got the cash?” “No. ll give you my check’ for $100,000, and gilt-edged securities at theiz market rates.” “Look here, Mr. Goldbeck, I'll give you till to- morrow at eleven to bring me a certified check for $250,000. If you fail to do so I'll sell your options at the best figure I can get. That’s all I've got to say. I’m going home.” © , : Mr. Goldbeck returned to his office to arrange about raising the money on the securities, while Rob and Tim closed the office and started for Nassau Street. At eleven next day Goldbeck ap- peared with the certified«check, and Rob handed him back his options. The trader also had to ~ refund Rob’s deposit of $14,500. Altogether, his © deal with the boy banker left him badly crippled — financially, and it was a long time before re- covered his former standing. x Rob collected the check through Banker Lovell, explaining how he had euchered Isidore Gold- beck on a couple of ten-day options. Mr. Lovell was amazed at the boy’s shrewdness. That night the boy banker paid his regular — weekly visit on Elsie Lovell. He found that the banker had already acquainted his wife and daughter with the particulars of his wonderful coup. Elsie insisted that Rob was the most won- . derful boy in the world. . . Whereupon he kissed her several times and led her to the piano. A month later Rob sold his Ne Plus Ultra mining shares for $5 a share, and. he managed, through Tim, to let the fact reach Mr. Goldbeck’s ears. The foxy old trader almost — had a fit over the news. Rob’s capital was now close on to $300,000, and in the ‘course of a few months he raised it to half a million. Then he ~ hired a suite of rooms on the second floor of an- other building, and customers began to come to — him. Mr. Lovell got him a competent man to organize and take charge of his banking depart- _ ment, and soon he managed to get quite a num- —— ‘ber of depositors to place their money with him. — When Rob reached his twenty-second year he had acquired his million, and then, as arranged _ between him and Elsie, he asked Mr. Lovell for — his only daughter’s hand. Mr. and Mrs. Lovell accepted him as a prospective son-in-law, and a year later the young people were married, and — after their honeymoon settled down in their own ~ home, with Aunt Mary Grant as a cherished — companion. 2 ES cel Next week’s fers will contain “A GOLD ; 3 STAKE; or, THE TREASURE OF ‘THE IN-, — DIS ss Seas RENT SSeS Be pore peers mas Se et B ay if zs ery Se

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BUCKSKIN BILL, THE COWBOY a PRINCE Or, he Rough Riders of the Ranch By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) 2 -» CHAPTER XXII—Getting the Ponies. he began to stuff the packages of greenbacks up later on, boys.” —» He could not carry it all, so one of the gang ‘seized the rest, and they finally emptied the box. and Flood finally said to them: “We'll git back toward Crows’ Nest now and try ter git back our nags; we can’t do nuthin’ on oot.” _ “Blow up ther car first,” admonished one of the ‘gang. “It will block the road and stop pursuit.” “Right yer be, Andy,” assented: Flood, with a nod. “I’m only too glad ter do this blamed road some damage.” : - They retreated from the car. '_A terrific explosion soon followed. - The bagguge-car was blown to pieces, only the remains of its running gear littering the rails. - Flood then struck off through the ee, lo his men, and by a circuitous route they ‘ 4 Cas ae back to the neighborhood of the Crow’s Nest ‘station. ~~ Here they paused and hid, for they saw that ill’s party were all there. The passengers. had ghted from the cars, and surrounded the luck- s station agent who had been released by Bill. There was a conference going on at_the sta- tion, and when it was over Flood saw Buckskin fs Bil separate himself from the rest and walk to- rd the timber alone, ‘lood and his gang were crouching. Bill was intently gazing up the track, expect- 1g to see a relief train coming which Porter, the erator, had telegraphed for. ; ‘By thunder, we can capture that feller,” said od “an? if we gits him in our power we’ll hold y whip hand. I can’t imagine how he escaped rom ther snakes’ den at all.” a ‘Let’s nab him,” advised Dan. “Come ahead, then, an’ see that he don’t yell ” alarm ther rest.” : ey stealthily as two beasts of prey they crept oward their victim and got behind him. en they pounced on him. : od got the boy by the throat and, hurling she ground, he fell upon him. shed to his assistance.. — +h Buckskin Bill fought Flood and D. : atch for the , and th oo Hp vias 2 ix pets ‘some bank’s money,” chuckled Flood, as— _ into his pockets and shirt bosom. ‘We'll whack it - =~ Alitheir disappointment was now turned to joy,. an Delb zaidot Shety, enemies FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY _ eee Having bound and gagged the boy, they car- ried him back to where the rest of the gang were waiting among the gloomy trees. Their arrival with a prisoner created no little excitement, and when it was seen who the cap- tive was the bandits were elated. “All ther passengers from ther train an’ this galoot’s friends is at Crows Nest station a-talkin’ ter Porter, ther telegraph operator, who recovered from my shot,” said Flood to his men. “Ther bag- gage-car man has joined them, an’ we've got ther money, but thar ain’t ther ghost of a show ter git” our mustangs, which we tied near the station, un- less we show ourselves to thet gang nigh ter ther Crow’s Nest deppo.” , “Waal,” drawled one of the men, “we've gotter hev them thar horses at any risk, Jim, or we can’t git away nohow in comfort. I’m a mighty poor walker, I kin tell yer.” 4 “Thar’s only one way ter git ’em, but it’s a big risk.” : re “Give yer plan a name,” “All hands must creep as near to ’em as yer kin, then let each one select his pony, rush.out, grab him, an’ ride fer Four Flush,” “If those rough-riders see us it will mean a chase,” said another of the men. “It won’t do to stay here, either, for as soon as they miss Buckskin Bill they will be pretty sure to go hunt- ing for him, and we will be discovered, “I know it,” replied Flood, in surly tones. : “You'd better divide the money you got out of the baggage-car now,” continued the bandit. “How much was there?” “Six thousand dollars.’ “A good haul.” “Tl whack up’ when we reach Four Flush,” continued Flood, after a moment’s reflection, “We ain’t got no time ter waste now. Tie thet kid to a_ tree so he can’t git away, an’ me an’ Nick will ride back this way an’ pick him up after we gits our nags. Are yer all ready?” “Ready!” came the reply on all sides. Flood waited until Bill was secured, then cried: “Forward, all!” : They stole through the woods like a band of shadows, and presently arrived at a place from whence they could see their horses and the crowd at the station. None of the rough-riders was mounted, which. Flood considered a point in their fayor, and ali hands were so intent upon discussing the train robbery that they did not see the bandits creep- ing toward their horses. In fact, Flood’s men gained the ponies, untied them and had began to mount before one of tha cowboys happened to detect them, and gave a yell of warning to the rest. - d “There’s Flood’s men now!” was his shout. The outlaw scowled and, vaulting into the sad- dle, he yelled: “Chuck a volley into ’em—quick!” Bang, bang, bang! went the outlaws’ weapons, _and as several people sunk down wounded, the rascals dug spurs in their mustangs, gave a yell of defiance and went thundering away toward the — woods. = __ It was several moments afterward before Bill men recovered from the j es. 25,

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24 “Ther chase has begun, Nick,” muttered Flood, as jhe gazed back over his shoulder. “Go like fury fer ther place whar we left Buckskin Bill tied ter ther tree.” “But we won't have time to pick him up.” “T know it,” snarled Flood, “but we’ll have time ter fire a couple of shots inter his carcass as. we , Pass him. J’ll never have no peace while that var- ‘mint is alive.” “Lead the way. I’ll go with you.” Along they rode, the rough-riders crashing on in hot pursuit, and in a few minutes they came near the place where they had left the prisoner. The moon was shining now, and as the two villains peéred among the trees they saw Buck- _ skin Bill fastened to the cottonwood. “Thar he is, Nick!” “Give it to him!” Bang! bang! Four shots were fired as they flew by within a dozen yards of the captive Ree and Flood saw Bill’s head sink forward, although not a cry came from his lips on account of the gang. It con- vinced him that the cowboy prince was dead. “We plugged him!” he hissed. “Good enough! Are you sure?” “Waal, his head fell forward.” 4 “A pretty_good sign.” “Spur on, Nick, them rough-riders is a-comin’.” Away they went, disappearing in the dark depths of the forest a moment before a band of _ cowboys dashed into the clearing at one side of which Bill’was secured: - They might have passed him by unnoticed, too, had he not just then given a deep groan. One of them saw him and reined in. “Stop!” he roared. “Thar's Bill!” The rest looked in the direction at which he pointed and fairly hauled their mustangs up on their haunches. Over to the boy dashed the cowboy who dis- covered him “Hey, Bill!” he shouted, as he flung himself from the saddle. There was no reply. : He went nearer and scrutinized the boy. Blood was trickling from a wound in his head, his face was drawn and pale, and his eyes were closed: : “What's the matter with him?” cried one of the others. “Dead, I reckon.” =; “What!” chorused the rest. - Startled, they alighted and rushed over to their young boss, whom the first man was cutting free. When they got him free of his bonds and the gag, they laid him on the grass, and one of them earefully examined him. “Heart’s beating!” he exclaimed. “Then he lives. How did he get hurt?” - ' “{ can only find a bullet gash on his scalp, but it’s only skin deep. and must have stunned him.” There was a small brook near by, and one of the men ran to it, filled his sombrero with eee and they bathed the boy’s head. Under this treatment he recovered his hekips: He gazed at his friends in silence a moment, ‘then felt of his aching head, and asked: “Am I badly hurt?” _ “It’s omy a@ scalp wound,’ # ;Teplied | one of ‘the ness.” %y FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY “Flood did it while riding past me.” “Confound him! We heard the shots, but didn’t know but what they were fired at us, as we were chasing him.” “No, I was the target.” “Who tied you here?” “I was captured by Flood and his gang, and they left me tied to a tree so they sa go and ~ recover their horses.” Sr es they tock us unawares and got them, too, i “So I observed. More than that, they robbed the train of six thousand dollars, and they are to meet at Four Flush tonight.” “Then we'll know. where to go and look for them.” “Yes. How did you happen to find me here?” The cowboys told him. One of them got his horse and another took ; eare of his wound, Bill resolved to go to the mining camp after the gang with his men. He was a game boy, When Dandy arrived he mounted. “There’s no use of staying here. any longer,” he said. work ‘don’t end | in the downfall of Jim Flood, I miss my guess.’ “Lead on, Bill, ain’t we?” « A shout of assent from the rough-riders greeted this question, and the next moment Bill rode away. through the woods, followed by his men. Four Flush was in full blast when Bill and his friends rode into the mining camp and galloped down the main street. we are ‘wath you to the end, The boy rancher reined in when they reached — a saloon called the Prairie Chicken and alighted, the rest doing the same and fastening their ponies” to the hitching-bar. “Going in here, Bill?” demanded the colonel]. “We may as well begin to search all the sa- loons until we land on the one that holds Flood’s | gang.” “Come ahead, sir; I’m with tie a They passed into the dive, but a glance around failed Me show, them one familiar face. “Not here,” was Bill’s comment. “Say, landlord!” ‘Well, colonel?” “ want Flood and his gang.” “None has been in here to-night, sir.” “Are you sure?” “Oh, yes. I’m not trying to fool you.” “All right. That let’s you out.”, “Goin’ ter have a lynchin’ bee?” “Perhaps! Perhaps,” and out went the colonel after Bill; the word was passed to the rest, and then they. proceeded down the street to the’ next saloon. Several resorts were searched, Nothing was seen of the gang, however. “J don’t know whether they are- hiding, or whether they haven’t arrived yet,” remarked Bill, in some disgust, “but I’ll tell you one.thing, col- onel, and that is, I’m not going to quit this town until I either meet that gang or find where they have gone. It’s got to be a finished job, as far ag I am concerned. As long as those villains ave al lowed to roarn at large they will rob our hous and raid our cattle until we are put ont, of bi S ~~ (To be continued) / Raat “Ym off for Four Flush. If this night’s ~ $i

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 25 GOOD READING DYING THIEF RETURNS WATCH . A year ago burglars entered the home of E. F. De Bower, president of the American. Academy of Letters, Chicago, through a window, and stole jewelry, including a specially made $800 wrist watch that enabled Mrs. De Bower, who is blind, to tell the time. There was said to be only one ' other watch like it in Chicago. The other night the same window was raised and a package pushed through. It contained the watch and this note: a “Jem Connors is dyeing, want you to have this : and pray for him. : Sis fat. , THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS According to an article prizited in the National Geographic Magazine some months ago. “The _. Hawaiian Islands, the crossroads of the Pacific, - are the most isolated inhabited islands in the world, more than 2,000 miles from the nearest neighbor, California.” Because of their daring trips out at sea the people who occupied these islands before the white man came deserve the name of “Vikings of the Pacific.” The islanders went to sea in canoes hollowed out of single logs, made by tools of hard rock and hard lava. They had no metals. Some of the canoes made on the islands were 70 feet in length and could earry fifty men. The giant goa trees from which they were made were cut half way up the moun® tains, painfully and laboriously with stone axes. : and then with ropes made of vines, dragged _' shoreward by hundreds with willing hands. It is believed the Polynesians, to which the Hawaiians belong, originated in India. Their voyages across _ the pathless seas rival those of the Vikings. With no compass to assist them and with only stars to guide them, they broke through the skyline to journey 2,000 to 3,000 miles in their frail but unsinkable craft. THE DEAD SEA The Dead Sea, a lake in Palestine which lies about 1,290 feet bélow the level of the Mediter- ranean Sea, is given its name because it is so salty that no fish can live in it; only the lowest forms of animal life survive there. The prin- cipal reason for its saltiness is that water car- _ rying mineral salts is continually running into it. ‘The intense heat evaporates the water, leaving the lake always at about the same level, and the salts remain behind. The lake lies so low that it has no outlet. Occupying the lowest part of the great chasm through which the Jordon flows, the - Dead Sea is about five times as salty as the.water of the ocean. If we try to swim in it we cannot possibly sink, but bob up and down like a -cork. _ his extreme saltiness is due to rapid evaporation. - Each of the numerous streams that flow into it _ brings a small amount of salt. The Dead Sea de- ‘serves its name, for fish put into its water die immediately. Such scanty vegetation as is found _ is covered with a white salt crust that makes it look as though it had been “mitten with leprosy.” fet, seen from a distance the water appears bril- pene blue and clear. On the east and west are ‘all cliffs, white or tawny or almost red in color, that glow in the light of the setting sun. ~~ TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC IN FOUR DAYS What is the likelihood of trans-Atlantic pas- sengers being able to cross the ocean in four days? To do this they would have to travel in a ship capable of maintaining an average speed of 80 knots. The highest average speed of any existing ship for the whole passage is credited to the Mauretania, which soon after her recent overhauling made the crossing at an average speed of 26.25 knots. It is probable that the maximum speed of this vessel for a single day’s tun is about 27 knots, for she has actually aver- aged that on one or two occasions. Variable con- _ ditions of the wind, sea and ocean currents, how- | ever, render it unlikely that she will ever make the whole crossing at 27 knots. At the speed of 27 knots she must have developed at least 80,000 horsepower and to drive the ship at 30 knots in smooth water and under favorable conditions would necessitate raising her horsepower to 108,000. E It is questionable if this could be done with steam turbines. Her present motive*power is of the early type, with large direct-connected tur- bines turning at the low speed of 180 revolutions per minute; moreover, she is equipped with Scotch boilers. If she were re-boilered and re-engined, she would carry water-tube boilers. and smaller high-speed turbines with a single or double me- chanical reduction gear. Thus - equipped, she would undoubtedly be faster, but she would be incapable of making the required 30 knéts for a four-day trip. 2 If ever a 30-knot ship is placed on the trans- Atlantic passage, she will undoubtedly be fur- nished with improved Diesel engines of two- eycle double-acting type, which has been showing such excellent results in the later motor ships; but in the present state of the art, we doubt if there is any Diesel engine builder who would be prepared to guarantee an output of 108,000 horsepower on four shafts. It is true that a ship designed for this speed would be given a finer form even than that of the Mauretania, and in such a vessel, of the displacement of the Mauretania, 100,000 horsepower might prove to be sufficient.. In that case, two engines placed tandem on each of the four shafts would call for 12,500 horsepower per engine, or “say about 2,000 horsepower per cylinder. However, the develop- ment of the Diesel engine is going ahead by leaps and bounds, and its low consumption of four-tenths of a pound per horsepower-hour re- lieves the problem of the obstacle of high cost of operation, which renders a steam-driven ship of this <—s impossible from the shipowner’s stand- point. “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays afd Players | PRICE TEN CENTS PER COPY Hach number contains ‘Three Stories of the B on_the Screen—Klegant Half-tone Scenes from the Pla ine ay eee eyes epics People in the s—Doings 0. ctors an tresses in and Lessons in Scenario Writing. He BARBIES HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. 166 West 23d Street _ New York City

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26 cAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLi ___NEW_YORK, OCTOBER 16, 1925 — TERMS TO SUbBSUKibEKS Single Copies....-....0eceeseeee Postage Free & Cente Une copy Three Months......-« ti 4 one Copy Bix Menths....s.-«> ee . 2.00 vue Copy One Yeur,...-.sreeee as ‘ 4,00 Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. Money Order, ‘nm any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same ae cash. When sending sil¥er wrap ‘he Coin in a separate piece of paper to the envelope. rite your name and address plainly. Address letters to Marry E, Wolif, Pres. HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., Charles K. Nylander, Sec. ig Widatks ered 166 W. 23d St., N. ¥. ITEMS OF INTEREST FIND VAST TABLELAND 160 FEET UNDER SEA. An immense submarine tableland only 150 feet below sea level has been discovered in the Bay of Biscay 125 miles, east by northeast of- Cape Ortegal by the French naval transport Loiret. When passing over the spot the Captain was surprised to see a huge tidal wave approaching. ‘Taking soundings he found bottom at 125 to 150 feet although the chart showed a depth of 15,- 500 feet. The tableland may have been thrown up by seismic disturbances which would account for the recent tidal waves on the Atlantic coast- line of Europe. The observations in the Bay of Biscay were made on May 23 when there was a tidal wave at Penmarch, Brittany. There was also an earth- quake-in Japan on that date. : SHOE LEATHER FROM SHARKS The increasing scarcity of mammal hides in recent years has caused leather manufacturers to turn to the sea for their raw_ products, says Popular Science Monthly. To-day, through experiments under the direction of the United States Bureau of Fisheries, the skins of sharks, porpoises, and other fish have been de- veloped into excellent leather. For this purpose shark fisheries have been established on the Florida and Gulf coasts, and new industries are being established to utilize the new product. This has been made possible largely by a pro- cess of tanning developed in the laboratory of Dr. Allen Rogers in the Pratt Institute of Brook- lyn, N. Y. One company, it is reported, now is turning out 200 shark hides daily. The hides are made into high grade waterproof leather that can be used just as ordinary leather. There is faid to be as much leather value in a shark as in a cow, and the cost of a fish is far less. THE “CIVET CAT” What is known as the civet cat in America is the cacomistle, which is not a true civet, but is more closely related to the raccoon. These ani- mals are similar in haunts and habits. The ani- inal is slender, about ten inches long, with sharp, fox-like face, large bright eyes, surrounded wi + ¢ largely . FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ~ 3 light patches and erect ears. The long soft fur is light brown, darker along the back; the under parts are white and the bushy tail has six broad white rings around it. The civet is an inhabitant of the warmest regions of the Old World, chiefly - Africa and the Malayan Islands. It is about two ‘or three feet long and ten inches high, is more slender than a raccoon.and has a long tail. The fur, gray above and white below, is tinged with yellow marked by dusky spots im rows. Civets live in holes, like foxes, and eat birds and other - small animals. They are also fond of crocodile _ eggs and are considered valuable along the Nile because they prevent too rapid increase in the crocodile family. Most of all, civets are valuable for a fatty substance with a musky odor, which is taken from pouches in-the body and used in mak- ing perfumes. In London an ounce of pure civet is valued *more than $10, and many thousand — ounces are imported every year. : -- LAUGHS “Louise, I really cannot permit you to read novels on Sunday.” “But, grandma, this novel is all right; it tells about a girl who was engaged to three Episcopal clergymen all at once.” _“Feyther,” said little Mickey, “wasn’t it Path- rick Henry that said, ‘Let ts have peace??” “Niver!” said old Mickey. “Nobody by th’ name of Pathrick iver said anything loike thot.” : Ke “What is your idea of an optimist?” “An optimist,” replied Mr. Growcher, “is a man who thinks he has the makings of an automobile be-— came he has managed to get hold of a gallon of | gasoline and a spark plug.” eee “Does the baby talk yet?” asked a friend of — i the family of the little brother. “No,” replied the little brother, disgustedly. “He don’t need to talk. All he has to do is yell and he gets every- ‘Son thing in the house worth having.” Sree “Brown, do you know the lady across the ~~ street?” asked Smith. “Let me see,” replied Brown, “she certainly looks familiar. That’s my wife’s dress, my daughter’s hat, my mother-in- law’s parasol. Why, yes! That’s our cook.” “Children,” said the teacher to his pupils, “You should be able to do anything equally well with either hand. With a little practice you will find — it just as easy to do anything with one hand as it is with the other.” “It is?” inquired the urchin at the foot of the class.-.“Let’s see you put your left hand in the right-hand pocket of your trou- — sers.’ ‘ Ten-year-old William came home one day ina regrettable state of disorder and with a some- what bruised face. “Oh, Willie! Willie!” ex- claimed his mother; shocked and grieved. “How often have I told you not to play with that naughty Johnson boy?” “Mamma,” said William, — in utter disgust, “do I look as if I had been play- ing with anybody ?” : eee en

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY CURRENT NEWS . 3 SLEEPS OUTSIDE PRISON 5 Frank Tortino, a life prisoner, 55 years old, : has been permitted to have sleeping quarters, ; from which he could easily escape, in a garage | outside the walls of Sing Sing Prison. Warden 3 Lewis E. Lawes explained that Tortino, who is an automobile mechanic, looks after supplies and ~ -accessories for the prison ears. “He has been here thirteen years,” said the Warden, “and there is not a mark against, his record, He has only a couple of years more to serve.” : ' Tortino was committed for second degree mur- der in Orange County in 1912 for a term of from twenty years to life. rs LAMPS OF REMEMBERANCE The French imagination devised an unusual ; * -eeremony in honor of the dead of the great war, ae on July 14, the national fete day of the republic. 3 On the grave of France’s Unknown Soldier, under : the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, burns a lamp that is never allowed to go out. It is the Lamp of _ Remembrance, and is tended as carefully as-was * that of the Goddess Vesta at the height of the _ plories of Rome. : ; Be This year another act.of tribute was added to ‘that of the keeping of the lamp. At mid- night on July 138 a wounded veteran lighted .a * second lamp of remembrance in the very heart of that fortress of Verdun that never fell, and = of the history of the war years. And throughout _ the night and the long, scorching July day that followed, the burning lamp was brought by re- lays of runners to Paris. It came along a route already written in history by the name of many battles: Grurie, le Four de Paris, Perthes, la - Pompelle, Reims, Epernay, Chateau-Thierry, -. Meaux, by the Porte Doree into the capital, across the city and to the Are de Triomphe. The boys chosen to carry it the two hundred and ninety-three kilometers along a highroad lined with holiday makers come to do honer to the Lamp of Remembrance as it passed, were too young to have themselves shared in those years of fighting. They were for the most part picked athletes from all over France—and they ran in six terms of fifty runners each. _ The French are a more sentimental race than we, but perhaps there is no American who would not have been moved at the sight of the lamp’s final arrival in the evening at the Grave of the Unknown. An exhausted but proud runner ‘brought it under the shadow of Napoleon’s arch where, in the sight of a huge crowd, many of whom were weeping silently, its flame was finally - mingled with that of the great bronze lamp sunk -dnto the tombstone. that for France commem- orates, her war dead. AN APPEL FOR DEFINITE ADDRESS _ Whatever New York does it does it in a big way. Skyscrapers, bridges, subways, white lights, Jost offices, all as big a sthey come! Five million jieges of mail deposited daily. for delivery in Manhattan and the Bronx alone! The ‘biggest whose defense is one of the most splendid pages- task that confronts any post office in the world. Difficult under the best conditions, but how much more difficult it is made by’carelessness in writing the addressé@s. Let us visualize the process the five million pieces must be put through and discover what is required of the senders to aid the post office in its stupendous task. \ First, the letters have to be distributed to the fifty branch offices, but suppose you leave off the house number, and address your letter only to Broadway? - Broadway js on 21 different posta: districts, and it is only by the number the clerk can determine for which it is intended. Fifth Avenue is just as indefinite, for it is on 12 dis- tricts and scores of other streets and avenues pre- sent like difficulties. Second, after the letters reach the stations, they must be separased again; this time to the carriers and there are many routes on every station. Here, - again, the house numbers are essential, for each carrier serves only certain numbers of certain streets, and in the absence of the number distribu- tion. is interrupted and delay results not only to ~ the indefinitely addressed letter but also those | that are properly addressed, Do you not see how the work is held up by the omission of the full address? ‘ = Some people do not think it amiss to merely direct their mail to business building and apart- ment house by name, without further address. We could forgive them when New York was in the Gophertown class, but New York has grown so” big that it is past forgiving now. The business buildings and apartments have grown:too numer- ous, their names have been duplicated, yea, tri- plicated all over town, and the mail simply must t be completely addressed to insure delivery f promptly. ) Now let us get further along the process. The letter has reached the carrier and picture him standing in front of a skyscraper with the letter ; in his hand, no floor and room number, Of \ course the regular carrier has committed the names of all the ocupants to memory, that is his job, but suppose he is sick or on vacation and then consider the task of the inexperienced sub- stitute in finding the addressee in the big building. ~ Just imagine your own experience trying to lo- cate an occupant of one of our modern office build- ~ ings by consulting the directory and then realize Aa. how difficult it is for the carriers to locate the ° hundred and thousand of occupants of office build- ings in our city if the room number is omitted. ~ Our appeal is for your cooperation toward bet- ter service by starting right. Remember your letters are patt of the 5,000,000 delivered daily. Please do your part in addressing each one cor- rectly and clearly to street and number, to definite . room number or to box number as the case may be, and include this information in all your letter heads so that your correspondence may know how to properly address mail matter intended for you. The proper address is as important to you as your name. Riga ot ea : ne JOHN J. Kiety, Postmaster. 3 I

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FROM ALL POINTS SNAKESKIN SHOES FOR WOMEN High shoes for women, after having been. in banishment for eleven years, again will be in fashion on the streets of London this winter. The shoes will not be the plain black and tan ones of years ago, but will be of highly colored leathers and snake and crocodile skins. Jeweled and other fancy heels will add a piquant touch. Men’s footwear also will undergo some radical changes, for the autumn styles will be of many “shades—green, red, blue and brown—to match the. clothing. Also, the heels will be higher, RUM FOR ANIMAL ANAESTHETIC Wild ‘animals in captivity occasionally require Surgical operations and until recently the. ac- eepted practice of the veterinarians who _ per- formed them was to use chloroform for an an- aesthetic, according to Popular Science Monthly. Animal surgeons in the famous Hagenbeck Zoo, near Hamburg, Germany, however, have dis- covered that animals submit to surgery better swhen drunk than when subjected to the usual anaesthetics. Accordingly, when now a lion, or a tiger, or a hippopotamus need as little dental work or other surgical attention, it is fed huge quantities or rum or cognac. Then, when it sinks into a drunken. stupor -it is chained, and the surgeon performs his work pat no pain to the patient or danger to himself.- _ WATER-CLOCK OF THE ANCIENTS The water-clock of the Romans and Greeks— which is said to have been known to the Egypt- jans—-was) called the. “Clepsydra” from the Greek words meaning “to steal” and “water.” . It might be compared roughly to the modern hour glass. The most primitive of these water-clocks were each composed of an earthenware globe which had a short neck and which was pierced by a ‘number of small holes. in the bottom through which the water “stole.” These chronometers were used in courts of justice to set a limit to speeches. Clepsydrae of smaller size—made of glass and used to mark the hours—were employ- ed at an early date in place of sun dials Since the length of the hour changed,with the season, ‘since the. water was affected by pressure of the air and by temperature, and since the rate at which\ the water flowed decreased as the vessel emptied, it was found necessary to obviate the clepsydra’s defects by various arrangements, or inventions, of which we have no clear record. In one modification of the clepsydra the water ‘was kept level in the vessel and the amount of water discharged was noted. A complicated water-clock which showed the hours of both night ard day is said to have been invented by Plato. The hydraulic clock of Clepydra of Ctesi- bius of Alexandria was made about 135 B. C. It had water wheels and a little figure in it which rose and—with a little stick—indicated the hours on the table or index fastened to the . clock. The Tower of Winds at ‘Athens once con- tained a clepsydra, and it is supposed that the turret’ on the southern side of the tower held the cistern from which water for the water-clock was. supplied. on High Street. 4g ree 1368“ ba Se Chinatown; or, Tracking the Hip Sing 1369 And “the Mad Barber; or, S9lving A Singular ecret : 1370 “* se pave Chase; or, Running: Down a Cleve ism. aud i e Black Dwarf; or, Working Up a Poi 0 Slew. 1st2*-* “Masked Foe; or, The Man With the Missin, finger. 1373 ‘* and the Sneak Thieves; or, Running Dowr ‘Red Hook Gang. “ a the 1374 “ Working a “Blind”; or, The Secret of the Sealed Room. Any of the above saniiers will be mailed vs you postage free, upon receipt of the lei an Sones “OF postage stamps._ H: ARRY ¥. WOLFF, P BLISHER, INC. 166 West 23rd Street, New Xeork, sc X. ‘ fast Mes

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MAN ONLY JELLY, SAYS' SCIENCE Man ~and" all living material are mere jelly, elastic as rubber, fibrous and thirsty for water. This is the char- acter of proto- plasm, the staff | cf life, whose properties have been discovered through actual dissection of mi- | croscopic living, cells, performed by Dr. William Seifriz, National Research Council fellow at the Uni- versity of Penn- sylyania. He. told the American _ Philo- _ sophical~ Society - at its opening - meéting that this _ fundamental staff of all life most closely resembles _ gelatine, rubber, - soap and casein. - These researches were called- the most important in the world, since they aim at the understanding of the basic sub- stance of all liv- ing things. i : Dr. Seifriz told how he discov- ered that proto- plasm is just as springy as a rub- ber band. Under a powerful micro- e. scope. -a minute particle of nickel, ‘only 1-2500th of an inch across, ‘was inserted into the heart of a liv- ing cell. Attract- ed by an electro- magnet, the me- talic particle -St#etched the puto plasm, and e) the mag- | ~ LE LE A Write to Riker & King, Advertising Offices, 6380 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising in this magazine AGENTS WANTED VLE PROVE to you that you can make $96 & week taking orders for Jennings Guar- anteed Hosiery. I furnish complete equip- ment and offer you an Essex Coach without cost. Write now.. The Frank B. Jennings Co., Dept. 1 222, Dayton, Ohio. NEW WONDERFUL SELLER — Cost 10c, profit $140 monograming autos. Experi- ence unnecessary. Free samples. Worcester Monograms, B134, Worcester. Mass. Piette a ea ae We AGENTS—WRITE FOR FREE SAMPLES. Sell Madison “Better-Made” shirts for large Manufacturer, direct to wearer. No capital, or experience required. Many earn $100 weekly and bonus. Madison Mfgrs., 503 Broadway, New York. NEW CAMERA takes and finishes photos in one minute. Make money selling cam- eras, or taking photos. Exclusive territory. Crown Co., Dept. 967, Norwalk, Conn. * ABSOLUTELY no competition selling Val- Style millinery, Every oman buys. You make $25 to $150 a week. Write for Special Offer and Fxclusive Territory. Val-Stylo Hat Co., A81, Val-Style Building, Cincinnati, 0: HELP WANTED DETECTIVES needed everywhere. Big pay, Sperone unnecessary, easily learned, 17 to 45, write Karl Wileox, 1407 Lafayette Aye, SE, Grand Rapids, Mich. RS TEE EUR SS a oe aS DETECTIVES NEEDED EVERYWHERE. ork home or travel, experience unneces- D sary. Write George R. Wagner, former Govt. Detective, 1968 Broadway, N. Y SILVERING Mirrors. French plate. Easily learned; immense profits. Plans free. Weat Mirror Works, Excelsior Springs, Mo. PERSONAL ARE YOU LONESOME? Write Betty Lee, Inc., Box 820 City Hall Station, New York City.. Stamp appreciated. Ne ner ee ee eal Een a eee HUNDREDS seeking marriage. If sincere enclose stamp. Mrs. F. Willard, 2028 Broadway, Chicago, Ilinois, LONELY HEARTS-—I have a sweetheart for you. Exchange letters: inake new friends “ficient, confidential and dignified service. Members everywhere. Eva Moore, Box 903, Jacksonville, Florida, dresses, 25 cents. No other fee. Sent sealed. 2 2265, R, Boston, Mass. ne ne COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden. Wealthy. League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla. MARRY IF LONELY “Home Maker’: hun- dreds rich; reliable, vears experience: de- seriptions free. The Successful Club, Box 556. Oakland, California. MARRIAGE. PAPER—20th year. Big issue with descriptions, photos, names .and ad- MARRY—Free photographs. directory and. > descriptions when married. Kansas City, Mo. of wealthy members. New Plan Co., Pay Dept. 36, COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden, wealthy. League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla, MARRY—MARRIAGE DIREOTORY with photos and descriptions free, Pay when See The Exchange, Dept. 545, Kansae ty, : MARRY-—Write for big new directory with Nattonal Kansas 0. Free, 4606, Sta. Photos and descriptions. Agency, Dept. A, City, Mo, ATTRACTIVE ee ae worth §25.000, lonely, will marry. ta, Kansas. ° GREY A SWEETHEART, FEixchanee letters. Write me -enclosing stamp. Violet Ray, Dennison, Ohio, a a a TN ey MARBRY—Lonely Hearts, join our club, wa hare nx compenton far you. many worth from $5.000 to $50.000. Dencriptions, photos, introductions free. Send no money: Stand- ard Cor. Club, Grayslake, Til. 2 SWEETHEARTS for everybody. Stamped envelopes for proposal. The Lily Club, Statton H. Cleveland, Ohio. b COME TO FLORIDA—Marry lonely maiden, wealthy, League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla, MISCELLANEOUS WOULD YOU like to know what day of the week you were born? Send age, birthday and a dime (coin) and I will tell you. Lb. B. Hayes, Box 187, Newberry, S. C. SONGWRITERS SEND TODAY for free copy Writer's D!I- gest; tells how. to write and sel] short stories, -photoplays, poems, songs. Writer's Digest, G-22, B. 12th @t., Cincinnati. TOBACCO HABIT Tobaceo or Snuff Habit cured or no pay. B-1022, -Wich- WE D pay $6 a Way taking orders for Zanol Pure Food Products, Toilet Prepa- rations, Soaps, Laundry and Cleaning Specialties and Piasee: hold Supplies. Nationally adver- Ford a sbsolutet Free geet to Write for particulars. American Products Co. $34 American Bldz., incinnati, Ohio.. $1.00 if cured. Remedy sent on trial, # Superba Co., PC., Baltimore, Md. <a . BOYS & BE FIRST Gints Earn $2.00 IN YOUR TOWN WRITE -NOW for 50 Sets Christmas Seats. Sell for 10c a set. “When. seld send US $3.00 and keep $2.00. Trust You till Xmas. 3B. Neubecker, 961 KE. 28d St. Dept. B. Brook- lyn, N. Y¥. ee Represent. our big factory showing _ Ne SHOE COMPANY CINCINNATI, OHIO,

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Takes and Finishes an Excel- lent Photograph on a Card 3% x 2 in One Minute - It in the newent method of photography iv which skill and experience are not necessary. ~ Not a plate nor a film camera, but a camera, that produces the complete picture. Does not use either plates, films, or dark-room. All the troubles of picture-taking In the ordinary man- ‘ner are swept sve s, It eliminates all the mx and trouble and, above all, there is No Waits: for you actually see the finished picture in 0. Minute, You merely placo the carda in the camera, press the shutter, drop the card into the automstis developing tank attached tothe camera, and ne Minute you have a Com= jected Picture all finished and ready to show. ‘tin so simple and easy that. any child who oan use ite hands can take good pictures. The camera weighs littl more than half a pound, end measurewabout 414x33¢ inches, easy to onrry about and always ready to take and finish # picture in one minute. The Lensia of high erade, universa! focus, needa no adjustment, and takes clear and brilliant pictures atany distance. The Shuttor worke perfectly and responds to very slight pressure. It loads in broad daylight. “The Developing Tank is attached to the Camera and holds single solution that develops, tones and fixes the picture in one minute with absolute certainty and with no oare or attention on the part of the operator; it oannot be over~ developed, Produces a picture 3!4x2 inches. _ Send today and have the never-failing pleasure of making excellent pictures of your family, friends or neighbors, your house or your domestic pete, Price ef Camera Complete with Developer and Package of Cards, ONLY $¢,40. Extra packages Sennitized Carde 15 cents per package; extra Developing Bolution 25 cents. prices are postpaid to uny addreasin the world. Every Boy His Own Toy Maker NVISIBLE INK Greatest Doys’ book|fidential mes- written. ells how to/sages can be writ- ale less you know the Talkin achine,|secret. Invaluable Microscope, Electric Motor, Hlectrisjfor many reasons. Door Bell, Water Wheel, Paddie|/Keep your postals and other pri- ft, 8 pair of Skis, a Dog Sled,|vate memorandums away from ird House, Rabbit Yard, etc. 64lprying eyes. Great pages, 150 illustrations. PRICE,|playing practical jokes. 0c postpald; 3 for 25c. Isc a Bottle; 3 for 40c. we The Wonder of the World Japanese Rose Bushes bleom all the year round. just thinkof{t. Six weeks aiter planting the seed, the plants will bein full bleom, It may not seem possible, but we posi- tively guarantee It to be se. They will bloom every ~ ten w ‘Ss, Summer or Winter, and when three years old the . bush wilf be a mass of roses, bearing from five hundred to a thousand roses on each bush. The flowers are in three shades white, pink, and crimsen. The plants will do well bothin and outdoors, We guarantec at least three bushes to grow from each packet of secd. Price, © packet, 3 pkts, for 28 postpaid, Kissing Permit False Mustache Ahandsome ® Here youare, - metal badge, boys! Taae the nickel plated, foralittle that you can rmiless mas- wear, giv! querading, you ow and off a of all propor- ling. Lote tion to its of fun putting fling cost. one on 4 ICE 10¢ row h, lends, The suddes transformatio ich, e 25c, or 12 for7Scpost- paid. Microphone Transmitter Button i wo You cam easily make # highly sensitive detectophone by | using this Tranemitter Button to collect the sound waves. © & nee at. PRICH 100, 3 for You oan build ag own outfit without buying exponsive fauipment. It fy simple and inexpensive. can. install f4n outfit in your home and hear conversations being held all over the house, You can connect up different hotel, ‘Lhis outfit was used by seoret service o r ing tho war, It fe boing used on the stage. It is ultra-sonei- tive and is the greatest invention in micro-phones. You can mount the button almost enywhere—oard board boxes, atove pipes, atift calendars, on the wall behind « picture frame, etc. Button in a0 Heht and small it eannot be detected. Persons Joan be overheard without suspecting it. You ean Ii jother room, A deaf person in th er, Connected to phopouren) ument, pms oan be heard hundreds of to renew telephone trane- *ealkeup Wien NCEE Ld a conversations fi oan hear She, other muslo foot away. mitteras of else will. onrrent and is extremely sensitive. Aroplifies radio signals. ill euggeat themselves, pc rpecienees ind tl f tel Jephones, amplifiers, loud apeakera, h ‘or hundreds of Many fasei- ‘oat or chest ition for th {the Button providing t! Tor uae their literature.” PRICE $1.00 POSTPAID Al Address orders for all goods on this page to Apparatus and Directions for a Number of Mysterious Tricks Enough for an * Entire Evening’s Entertainment ge ANYONE CAN DO THEM 5c It fe grent fun mystify ing your friends, Get 1 THE TEDDY CAMERA | MAGICIAN’S OUTFIT thie Conjurer’s Cabinet, an ‘ou will be the Ss clevorest fellow in yout district, It contains 2°", Saterd the apparatus for seven firstrate trioks, in- Prem=ey cluding Tho Disappearing Rose, that, when Baa placed on the lapel of your con\ ight at will; tne Magio Vaso and Ball Trick Wooden Ball is placed inside, and upon re- placing the lid has disappeared and is found in someone olse's pocket); The Magic Naija wale which you gan “aparently 6uhy ms nee! 4 almost in two; the Wonderful Card Yrick (4 card Js placed ii Open an entirely difleront eatd altogether is found); The Diespsenne Can eee coin is wihaed in tho little wooden barrel, and, when opened agam, in found to hay yaninhed entirely, or can be made to change into a coin of another denomination 'The Famous D elvingsP ny ‘Trick; ‘The Glare Goblet and Vanishing Coin ‘Trick (w coin Ja dropped into a ¢! of water, and when the water is poured out the coin han yanisbed). With the tricke described above we nend full printed instructions for performing each trick, so that anyone can readily perform all the tricks to the great Amusement of their friends or the public. Any boy of ordinary intelligence, with this Cabinet of Tricks in his possession, can give s parlor entertainment not inferior to some regular magicians. Besides the tri ontained in the Cabinet, there are many other feate and Binslons ¢ully explained with full printed dnatrvcticns, for which you ensily make or procure the necessary apparatus. Thin unexcelled i Tri for ONLY 75 CENTS POSTPAID TO ANY ADDRESS. pm ses JOHNSON SM Most Sensational Trick ofthe Day! With the Fire Eater}, in his possession any person can become a) perfect salamander, Hie breathing fire and ejecting thousands of brilliant Sparks from hia mouth, to the horror and consternation of all beholders. Harmless fun for all.times, seasons and places. If you wish to pro- duce a decided sensation in your neighborhood don’t fail to procure one. Wesend the Fire Eater with all the materials, in a handsome pox, the cover of which is highly orpamenies wie pee ae in various colors. Price of all com-| with one loading. plete only 30 cents, postpaid. | sack? ofS for O80 watmnid. hoe toe PISTOL, OPERA & FIELD GLASS PRICE POSTPAID, $1.00 ee Wurwanscn the shape of and looks like ®& regular Auto-~ matic Pistol, No oneis likely to stop and ask you whether it ls real or not. ency. On prensing the trigger it Hing nine most useful articles fy and Burning Lens, Reading at of the revolver there is « place for Aid Articles, Buttons, Pina, eto, The Pistol is @ carried comfortably fn pocke' E % SURPRISE MATCHES More fun than na fighting with your wife. Look justlike ordinary Put up boxes just like regular Safety Matches. As the vic- tim tries to light one he ite a surprise. 10c per box, 3 boxes for 25¢ postpald, 12 for 75 cent: SEEBACKROSCOPE - By merely plac- 0) DER ing this clever in- strument to your eye, you can see what is going on behind your back, and sometimes you see very interesting ba ag erat filings ne re que Stoke ou are looks vagy ing. vhy. 8 jus' e having eyes eurprise your friends. : the back ofyyour head. PRICE ONLY Boo tor Castes aide” *" | 25 Cents ostpald, 3for 50 cents. The “Little Giant” Typewriter A First Class Writing Machine For $1.50 A perfect little Sepewsiier for $1.50, The @ tha usands of persone who would Tike to ‘use = typewriter but whose needs and business do not war- rant the exponse attached to the pur- chase and use of # fifty or seventy-five dollar machin confidently reco tion, eee and ink, most frequently used are so grouped as to enable o 1 to 10, and the punctuation marke bei itosethar, your best cirl typewritten love letters, address on: any kind of work not requiring ri 8, XDA Weaend stubs of ink and full printed fastractions for plete $1.50 by mall postoald to any address in t! ITH & CO. "2 Racine, Wis. waz Great Fire Eater SQUIRT ROSE Geowhillikenal ump? There isa very long that ensily reaches to the your cost or trousers, and the: large enough to make « dozen ment to pr Don't ier rubber tube »The Tourist” Dp R.P to prove itself very handy }; wa in the illustration at the ri matches. GOLD TEETH You know fashionable it fs to jaye told err - ‘ou stelffiten over your fe peti ana k like Very wealthy fillings. Can be Mp id 6 pewriter com= Pri A De Luxe Edition of cur new 1926 NOVELTY CATALOG mailed to any address on receipt of 25 cents (coin or stamps). Only book of its kind in existence, All the latest novelties, puzzles, tricks. , any library. ne da joke goods, sle games, sporting goods, rare and interesting books, curlosit 420 pages, handsomely bound with lithographed cover. ht of hand tricks, etc., unobtainable elsewhere, in seeds and plants. Well worth a place in. |

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SEMI-SAVAGE CHILEANS Coronel is the principal coaling port on the west coast of South America, and there it is cus- tomary for freighters to ship ‘twenty or thitty stevedores in ad- dition tothe reg- ular crew to break out the eargo when ‘it is consigned to vari- ous ports further up the coast. These men are mostly Chileans, and a _tougher- looking company than ote Pikes oin ongshore- Sait oevld not be found, even among the ban- adits of Southern Europe and Asia or the old-time irates ‘of the West Indies. Swarthy, wnder- sized, dirty and clothed in rags, they seem to touch the bottom rotch in the seale of humanity. What they lack in intelligence is ap- parently made up in animal cunning and ferocity. Even a crew of Kanakas refuse tc perth or mess with them. Every one (carries 2 knife, which he ean throw with the speed and ac- curacy of a bul- let. They are com- manded by an “overseer, who is eddressed as Cap- tain and who ex- ‘erts a certain de- gree of authority over them. They dd their own cooking aboard ship, each- man serving as cook for a week, at the end of which time he resigns in favor of the next inline « <e. { FRE E21) Send us your name and address and we'll tell you how to get this bracelet. watch Absolutely Free Wateh has . 14kt. White gold filled ease. 25 year guar- antee. Excellent time-keeper. Send name today for free watch plan. SALES CORP. Gold Filled RELIABLE 524 Broadway, Dept 134, New York BOYS & S NO WORK GIRLS $2.00 Given JUST KUN Simply sell 50 Sets of Our Famous Christmas Seals for 10c a set. When sold send us $3.00 and keep $2.00. Trust You till Xmas, Amer- ican Christmas Seal Co., Dept, 131, Brooklyn, N. Ye i Old Money Wanted Will pay Fifty Dollars for nickel of 1913 with Liberty head, (no Buffalo). We -pay cash premiums for all rare coins. “Send 4c } for Large Coin May mean much § Polder. profit to you. : NUMISMATIC CO., Dept. 436 Ft. Worth, Texas. @11 Show You How to Do It -~ LEARN AT HOME Don't be @ $25 or $36 a weok slave, Got into Electricity, Hlectrical experts earn $70 to $200 ry Weok—8860) to $10,000 # year,and they don't work near so hardas you “o now. Let mo train you for one of these big pay Jobs right in your own home — just like [trained the men whoso pictures you see hore, Get the complete dope— write me now. Quick and Easy to Learn Experience or education unnecessary.1 train you under a money back guarantees. Pay mo ony fow cents n day.Complete outfit of tools and ri} tus and Hmployment Service given without extra charge. Free book explains all, Write Me at Once Answer the call of Electricity — the world’s greatest industry, Thousands of trained men are ne . Opportunities are everywhore. Success comes quick with training. Get tha facta in my Big FREE Illustrated Bcok. Write mo now if you want to make big money, L. L. Cooka, Chief Engineer CHICAGO ENGINEERING WORKS, Dept.206 2150 Lawrence Av., Chicago m MeNabb, 848 i Atlanta, Ga., makes $700 in 24 days Schreck, Phoenix, Aciz.,earns $20a day Jacquot, 2005 W, cote an on ts Colorado, oi 5 at $80.6 week Protect yourself against hold-up, rowdies, etc. with this clever cigarette case of light weight metal. Looks exactly like the real thing! Pull the trigger, back flies the lid showing your cigarettes. Lots offun scaring your friends, and a great protector. Sold exclu- Sag aiyeuy by us. PAY POST-\ j MA! $1.79 on do- livery plus posta; Money ba PATHEINOER co WRER TRIAL. 1hit cures, peasy {{ not, it'a FREE. ASTHMAsssc 1 Dep. P1GB534 Sixth Ave, #.¥, TREATMEST mailod on 7 hk “4 American School PBA OOW.. rercsrssnrisrrssrrarsnnesingreenereganensnssnnaneaentne, ° You Want to Earn Big Money! And you will not be satisfied unless you earn steady promotion. But are you repared for the job ahead of you? o you measure up to the standard that insures success? For a more re- sponsible position a fairly good educa- tion is necessary. To write a sensible business letter, to prepare estimates, to figure cost and to compute interest, you must havea certain amount of prepara- tion, All this you must be able to do before you will earn promotion. Many business. houses Aire no men whose general. knowledge is not equal to a high school course, Why? e- eause big business refuses to burden it- self with men who are barred from pro- motion by the lack of elementary ed- ucation. Can You Qualify for a Better Position We have a plan whereby you can. We ean give you a complete but simplified high school course in two years, giving you all the essentials that form the foundation of practical business. If wil! prepare you to hold your own where competition is keen and exacting. Do not doubt your ability, but make up your mind to it and you will soon have the requirements that will bring you eecess and big money. YOU CAN DO Let us show_you how to get on the road to success. It will not cost you a single working hour.’ Write today. It costs you nothing but a stamp. Dept. H-784 Drexel Ave. and 58th St., Chicago American School, Dept. Ho684 Hrsxol Ave. and 58th St., Chicago Send me full Information on the subject checked and how you will help me win success, =v. Architect Busine: Sullding Contractor respite eel Automobile Engineer Mach. Shop Practica Auto Ropairman Mechanical Engineer Shop Superintendent : .. Sanitary Engineor Surveyor & Mapping Toi. & Tol. Engineer Mame ........esee shenonandnasvonnsenpeneneso see

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- @jokes used by the most famous end men. ~ OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instruetive, and Amusing. They contain ‘Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject. oe. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND - BUILD A BOAT. -—Fully illustrated. Full instructions are given in this little book, tegether with instructions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.—Every one 1s desirous of knowing what his future life will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this little book. Buy one and be convinced. } No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR.—Every hoy should know how inventions originated. This book explains them all, pies 3 éxamples in electricity, hy- draniies, magnetism, optics, pneumatics, mechanics. No. 80. Ww TO COOK. ne of the most instructive hooks on cooking evgr published. Yt contains recipes for cooking meats, h, game and oysters; also pies,’ puddings, cakes and all kinds of pastry, and a grand conection of rectpes. No. 33. HOW TO BEHAVE.—Containing the rules and etiquette of good society and the easiest and most + npproved methods of appearing to good advantage at parties, balls, the theatre, church, and in the draw- ing-room. No, 85. HOW TO PLAY. GAMFES.—A complete and nseful ttle book. containing the rules and reculations of billiards, bagatelle, back-gammon, croguet. damine ete. > No. 36. HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS.—Contain- ing all the teading conundrums of the day, amusing rid- dies, curious catches and witty savings. No 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS.—In- eluding hints on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squirrels and birds. Also how to cure skins. Copiously {lIustrated. : No, 41. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S OK EBOOK.—Containing a great variety of the latest No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderfn) Httle hook. No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP- SPEAKER.—Containing a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amusement and amateur shows, No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTRED ADIDE AND JOKE BOK.—Something new and very instructive.. Every boy should obtain this hook, ns ft contains full instructions for organizing an amateur minstrel troupe. - No. 46. HOW TO MAKE AND USE ELECTRICITY. —A description of the wonderful uses of electricity and electro magnetism; together with full instructions for making Flectric Toys, Batteries, etc. By George Trehel. A. M., M. D. Containing over fifty !Nustrations. No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy book for boys, containing full directions for con- structing canoes and the most popular manner Of sail- ing them. Fully fliustrated. No. 49. HOW TO DEBATE.—Giving rules for con- dueting debates, outlines for debates, questions for dis- eussion and the best sources for procuring information on the question given. No. 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND ANIMALS. —A valuable book, giving instructions in collecting, pre- paring, mounting and preserving birds, animals and in- sects. No. 51. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Con- taining -explanations of the general principles of sleight- of-hand applicable to card tricks; or card tricks with ordinary cards, and not requiring sleight-of-hand; of tricks involving sleight-of-hand, or the use of specially prepared cards. Illustrated. * é No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS.—A complete and sandy little book, giving. the rules and ful) directions for playing Euchre, ribbage, Casino, Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Bancho, Draw Poker, Anction Pitch, All Fours, and many other popular games of cards. No. 544, HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS.— ving complete Information as to the manner and meth. od of raising, keeping, taming, breeding and managing -l] kinds of pets: also giving full instructions for mak- “ng cares, ete. Fully explained by twenty-eight {lus- ‘rations. © ~~ Wor salo by all newsdealers, or will be gent to any. address on receipt of priee, 10c. per copy, in money or stamps, by New York City HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. e 166 West 23d Street wa 1045 Plucky Bob; or, The Boy Who Won Success. “166 West 23d Street . Fame ceil Fortune Weekly — LATEST Issurs — 5 Every Inch_a Boy; or, Doing His Level Best.” — ree Burn; or, The Shrewdest Boy in Wall Street. . An Bye to Business; or, The Boy Who Was Not Asleep. or, An Ambitious Boy in ed by the Ticker; all Street. ; On to Suecess: or, The Boy Who Got Ahead. . ray ae a Fortune; or, A Country Boy in Wall — Street. 3 ‘ 997 Bound to Rise: or, Fiehting His Way to Success — 998 Out for the Dollars; or, A Smart Boy tn Wa‘l reet. 999 For Fame and Fortune; or, The Boy Who Won Both. 1000 A Walt Street Winner; or, Making a Mint of Money. 1001 The Road to Wealth: or, The Boy Who Found — It Out. 1002 BL Wing; or. The Young Mercury of Wall Street. 1004 vupenag with the Market; or, The Boy Who Made ay F 1005 Cast Adrift; or, The Luck of a Homeless Boy. ) 1006 Playing the Market: or, A Keen Boy in Wall Street. : ; 100% A Pot of Money: or, The Legacy of a Lucky Boy. 1008 From Rags to Riches: or, A Lucky Wall Street. Messenger. 1009 On His Merits: ar. The Smartest Boy*Alive. 1010 Trapping the Brokers: or, A Game Wall Strect Boy, 1011 A Million in Gold: or, The Treasure of Santa Cry. 1012 Bound to Make Money; or, From the West to Wall Street. 1013 Tne Boy Magnate: or Making Raseball Pay. 1014 Making Money: or, A Wall Street Messenger’s Luck. 1015 A Harvest of Gold: or, The Buried Treasure of — Coral Island. 1016 On the Curb; or. Reating the Wall Street Brokers, 1017 A aoe of Fortune: or, The Boy Who Struck O41. = y 1018 ae Prince of Wall Street; or, A Big Deal for Big oney. < 1019 Starting His Own Business; or, The Boy Who. Caught On. 1020 te In Wall Street; or, The Wall Street Boy o Won. 1021 First in the Field: or, Doing Business for Himself. — 1022 A Broker at Eighteen; or, Roy Gilbert's Wall Street — Career. 1023 Only a Dollar: or. From Errand Boy to Owner. 1024 Priee & Co.. Roy Brokers; or, The Young Traders of Wall Street. 1025 A Winning Risk; or, The Boy, Who Made Good. — 1026 From_a Dime to a Million; or, A Wide-Awake Wall Street: Toy. 1027 The Path to Good Luck: or, The Boy Miner of Death Valley. : 1028 at eee Money; or, A Corner in Wall Street Stocks. 1029 Famous ef Fourteen; or, The Boy Who Made a Great Name. res 1020 Tips To Fortune; or, A Lueky Wall Street Deal. _ 1031 Shrike. His Gait; or, The Perils of a Boy En-- gineer. ~ 1032 From Messenger Le Millionaire; or, A Boy’s Luck n Wall Street. Ts 1033 The Boy Gold Hunters; or, After A Pirate's Mreasure. : : 1034-Tricking the Traders; or, A Wall Street Boy’s Game of Chance. 1035 Jack Merry’s Grit; or, Making a Man Of Himself. 1086 A Golden Shower; or, The Boy Banker of Wall Street. - 1087 Making a Record; or, The Luck of a Working Boy. — 1038 A. Fight For Money; or, From School to Wall Street. . eS 1039 Stranded Out, West; or, The Boy Who Found a Boatman. : - 1040 Ben Bassford’s Luck; or, Working on Wall Street Tips. f a 1041 A Young Gold Kiug; or, The Treasure of the Secret ave, - 1042 Bound To Get Rich; or, How A Wall Street Boy Made Money. x % 1043 Friendless Frank; J $ Famous. : 1044 A fee Tip; or, The Young Weazel of Wall ree : = or, The Boy who Became For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 8c. per copy, ~ in money or stamps by - tie ul = . 2 HARRY K. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc, . : New Yor