Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 810) (1921 04 08)

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SPORTUNE WEENLY sTORIES OF BOYS THAT MAKE MONEY. HE OLD TRADERS LaeACY Boy DIDWITH IT ALL... TREETo@ edie sc wep eet — . Ermonnl es Bob. intent on the Gliese he had made, did not notice the unexpected entrance of Job Parsous and Will til] the former suddenly sprang on him with a howl of rage. “Give me that box—it’s mine!” he cried.

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ol eee “% eo eas . - Smee Gaia Splat, yee -

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“Taaved Subscription price, $3.50 ‘est 23d Street, New York, ger m the Post-Office at New York, N. No. 810 a Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50. rant FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, APRIL 8, 1921, <3 ict - ae 166 Y., under the Act of March “mg 1879. Price 7 Cents ‘The Old Trader’s Legacy AND WHAT HIS OFFICE BOY DID WITH IT BY A SELF-MADE MAN ‘CHARTER IL—A Slump on the Market. “This is the worst slump of the year,” said one broker to another, as they came out of the Stock Exchange one afternoon, “TI should say so,” replied the other, wiping his heated face with his handkerchief. “I just es- caped a loss in D. & B. by the skin of my teeth.” “Lots of the boys have been hit hard. As for the lambs, I hate to think where they will come in. . Most of those who are long on the market will be short in their pocketbooks when their statements _are rendered to them,” and the speaker chuckled over what he considered a witty remark. “T hear Dexter has been backing Southern Rail- an ways for a month past, and has lost half a mil- lion.” = “I’m not surprised, but he can stand it. He Z cleaned up two or three million in Texas Pacific ‘ « few months ago. He’s worth a barrel of _ money.” “T'l] bet he is—two or three barrels.” as “The fall of Great Western has done up, old - Hutch,” at “Ts he long on that?” “fe is. He looks like a ghost. I feel sorry for - him. He ought to have retired years ago. He _ .could have done so and finished the rest of his ~ life on Easy street; but like the foolish moth and -. the flame, he would stick to the game, and now Tm afraid it’ will be ‘over the hills to ‘the poor- or for him.” ht, curly-headed boy, named Bob Barton, wins ae come out of the messengets’ entrance; - overheard the last words of the broker, as the two gentlemen passed up the street, and they did not xe make him feel poy too good. He was Broker George na eet office boy and masoneet = Butehings who had been connected with Wall _ Street close on to fifty years, was known all over the financial district as “Old Hutch.” He had outlived hjs earlier associates, and was~ looked ee tat as the last of the “Old Guard.” He was in prime when Commodore Vanderbilt, Jim Fisk, Gould, Morrissy and that crowd. made the t hum with their operations. “He had seen anics on the Stock Exchange that- made one’s ioe rise IMfke the quills of the fretful porcupine. He had been cleaned out on that historical Black when Gould and Fisk had to keep under their oe but had survived it. Such ed condi- was now ohn 7 “ ae sf x he olbuimerpeste as was likely to happen. The people who were caught in the mix-up felt that it couldn’t be much worse, but it could have been a whole lot worse. “My, if Mr. Hutchings has gone to the wall that will be.the end of the office!” he muttered, staring out into Broad street, but apparently seeing noth- ing. “Not that I care for myself, for-’m young, have a little bunch of money of my own to fall back on, and can stand it. It’s the boss I’m think- ing of. 1t will be simply fierce if he’s ruined at his time of life. He’s a fine old gentleman. I wish I could say as much for his nephew, Job Par- sons, but I can’t. as light is to darkness. Mr. Hutchings has done a sight more for Parsons than the fellow deserves, and Parsons has no more appreciation for the fa- vors he has received than if he were a wooden image. He’s the youngest son of the old gentle- man’s favorite sisted dead many years, and is the black sheep of the family. And he’s a snake in the grass, too: I know him much better than he dreams I do. Well, if his uncle is ruined all his expectations will be spoiled. He'll have to get out and do real work, and I guess that will be some- ba, new for him.” While speaking, Bob had been walking slowly toward Wall Street. When he reached the cor- ner he received a whack on the shoulder that brought him out of his brown study, “Say, what are you dreaming about?” asked his friend. Will Wilson, a boy a year older than him- self, who was employed as junior clerk in the office. “Dreaming!” exclaimed Bob. doin on the street at this hour?” ing for a snack of lunch. We've been so busy I couldn’t get off before.” “T’ve just come from the Exchange, and there’s _ the biggest kind of a panic there. Every stock on ‘the list is dropping. Hundreds of people are al- ready down and out. Many brokers are in bad, | “What are you and I just heard that Mr. Hutchings had gone to — the wall owing to the slump in Great Western.” “No!” gasped Will, aghast at such news. “I don’t know how true it is, but I heard a broker say that he had been aa out, and 51 know he’s heavily interested in G. “Great Scott! If it is ‘ fact it~ van be aw- fully rough on all hands “Don’t mention all hands. Think of the boss. ‘He’s the man who deserves syornethy- None a us have a dollar on the market that I know of.” Bh has or did have. lating, He’s as different from his uncle ~ He’s always specu- though it’s —— the rules. So are you, Nag i Seay ae te ee f ~ eer! ee i eh Fe lars PENS a Ly

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for that matter. I thought you told “me that _ you had bought into Great Western yourself when _ you learned that Mr. Hutchings: was interested Bae att At. = “I was in it. I had 100 shares, but I sold out "yesterday before there was any signs of the slump and doubled my money.” = Pe “Well, I’d better get on to my lunch. It’s likely as all hands will have to work for a while to-night.’ = Will started on and Bob proceeded to the office. -A year or two of Wall street experience will _— pring out all that is bright and smart about a a boy. If there was a more capable messenger in the financial district than Bob Barton, he must have been made to order. He had been three years in Mr. Hutching’s employ, and the old broker was willing to swear by him at any time. He made a blunder so seldom that no record of it could be z prought against him. He lived on the outskirts - of Jersey City, in a small cottage owned by his mother, who was a widow. He had two sisters, _ who thought Bob was simply perfect. One of them worked in a Jersey City department store, while the other was a stenographer and book- _ keeper, employed in a small manufacturing estab- lishment. As Bob didn’t like any girl, even if she were his sister, to have anything on him, he ‘began saving every penny he could afford to put aside until he had got $50 together. With that - sum he started in to speculate in the stock mar- - ket, through a little bank and brokerage house on Nassau street, and after a fluctuating experience _ extending over a year he found himself worth $1,200. Two weeks before our story’ opens he no- ticed that Great Western stock was going up, and he found out that Mr. Hutchings was buying it. ~ He had great faith in his own judgment, and considerable more in his boss’. He immediately put $1,000 up on Great. Western, securing 100 shares on margin, at 80. The price kept on going 399 shares. é yielding him a profit of $1,000. The price. kept on rising next day, the one on which we open our story. and it had reached 93 when, like a flash ‘lightning from a clear sky, the slump. came on, ‘and not only took the ground from under Great Western, but from every other stock that was in ve requisition. Bob, however, had no cause to y about his own affairs, for his 100 shares had already been paid for and delivered. ~~ | —- * Aes CHAPTER Il.—Job Parsons. Bob reported his return to the cashier and took Tete in the anteroom to await a. further call is’services. It came in a minute or two. He ent back to the Exchange with a bunch of orders from customers who were trying to wiping out. He even worse than off the reel. Th brokers acted like crazy people, though there was method in their madness. An outsider might have mistaken the scene for a free fight. Indeed, the — looks of the traders when they emerged from some of the rushes suggested that they had been participating in a scrap or rough-house horse- play. Bob finally singled out his employer. The old broker looked like a wreck. He had stood lit- tle show with the stalwart younger members, and they had missed him up considerably. Bob got the bunch of orders to him, and he looked at them and at Bob in a dazed sort of way. “Any instructions, Mr. Hutchings?” asked Bob. The old broker shook his head in a mechanical ~ way and walked off with uncertain steps to exe- cute the orders. Bob returned to the office, satis- _ fied that things had gone wrong with his em- ployer, though whether he was wiped out he could not, of course, say: At ten minutes of three Bob carried the day’s deposits to the bank. When he returned Mr. Hutchings was in his room. Mr. Hutchings usually went home between three and four, but this afternoon he remained at his desk. sometimes trying to figure out his losses and sometimes sitting like a man in a trance, staring straight before him. When four o’clock came _ around Bob asked the cashier if he had anything — more for him to do. = “No; but you’d better go in and see Mr. Hutch- — ings. He hasn’t gone home yet, and may want — you. This has been an uncommon afternoon at — the Exchange, and it is quite possible you may be — wanted up to five o’clocky” replied the cashier. : Bob. knocked on the old brokers’ door, but had — to knock twice before he was told to come in. __ “Shall you want me any more to-day, Ma. Hutchings?” he asked. : = The old man turned his white and drawn face towards him. Then he looked away and tapped — his desk with his thin fingers. At length he said: — “Yes, I’d like you to stay until I’m ready to go. — Tell Mr. Buck,” that was the cashier, “that it — won’t be necessary for any one to remain after — five.” = = So Bob waited and killed time looking out of — the window’ into Wall Street. When the clock — marked the hour exactly all hands began filing ~ out of the counting-room. All except the cashier appeared surprised to see Bob still seated in his — chair, for it was very seldom he was in the office after four. They took it as a sign that the old ~ man was still in his room and had a late errand for the boy to execute. et “You're earning your wages for once in your — life,” said Parsons, with a sneer, for he didn’t — like Bob for a cent.’ rc He had his reasons, and one of them was thatsx =j the boy stood high with his uncle. He expected that when Mr. Hutchings retired from business,. which he was going to see him do any day, that the business would be turned over to him. 4 when his uncle died, which he hoped would bi soon, that he would get all his relative’s money | and property. He lived with the cld broker in— his Madison avenue home, bossed the ae around as if they were his own and e himself generally to suit his own sweet self. . soon as he came into control of the o to signalize his

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-gatisfaction in advance. When he uttered the ing remark he stopped and eyed Bob in a “malicious way. = © J'm sorry I ean’t say as much for you,” re- turned the young messenger, promptly. * ~ “What do you mean, you young whippersnap- per?” cried the bookkeeper, angrily. z; “Tf you don’t know I have no time to tell you. 7 “Took here, Bob Barton, you don’t want to get = gay with me. You may see your finish if you do.” =V Ym not afraid of anything you can do, Mr. Parsons. _You've always had it in for me, as your words and actions have shown, though I’ve __mever given you any cause to be down on me, so T don’t care a picayune for your opinion, one way or the other.” . “T’ve a great mind to knock your block off, you ae 2 imp!” said Parsons, advancing in a menac- - way. Bob iiatiG on his feet and looked him squarely in Start right in and see what will happen to “ = ~~ Bob’s words goaded Parsons to fury and, with - a snarl, he sprang at the boy. The young mes- -_senger realized he had provoked his enemy beyond -_ endurance, and not wishing to engage in a scrap ~ with him he shoved his chair foward the young "man and side-stepped out of his reach. Parsons over the chair and went down with a crash on the floor. The noise brought the old broker to ‘the door of his room. ' _ “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking at Bob. “Your nephew fell over a chair, that’s a'l,” re- “plied the boy. __ “Js everybody else gone?” asked the broker. Pes. sir,” ; om “Then come in here. I have something to say 2 fe * EO a8 : 24 Bob oe the private room, Parsons, who 1 icked himself up, shook his fist after him. “7'll get square with you, you young villain!” he gritted between his teeth. “It won’t be long + before my time’ll come, and ther look out!” isa th those words he picked up his hat and left i rere BX A _™ 7’ _— THE OLD TRADER’S? LEGACY ee victims. ren That my nephew may not put in a legal claim for it, I shall.dcaw up a paper-transferring ‘ “Bob, there is no sentiment in business,” pa “That’s what I’ve heard, but there are excep- tions to every rule.” “We won’t argue the point. I am ruined and must pay the penalty that has been exacted of others in the same pinch. Wall Street specula- tion is a Juggernaut that rolls roughshod over its Were I a younger man I would try to fight it out, but at my age—I am over-seventy, | Bob—it is worse than useless for me to contest the inevitable. I shall pass out of Wall Street poorer than when, I came into it a clerk, fifty years ago.” “But you have your home.” “J intend to turn that over to my creditors along with my seat in the Stock Exchange.” ~— “Your creditors, who are doubtless rich, would not begrudge you your home even if they had to stand a small loss in consequence. I know I wouldn’t. If you é6wed me $100,000, Mr. Hutch- ings, and the only way I could collect it was to take your home away from you I wouldn’t do it. ‘I simply couldn’t,” said the boy, earnestly. “I believe it, Bob. It’s because you're that kind of boy that I have ealled-you in here and made a confidant -of: you, which isn’t usual between an employer and his office boy. I may be an old man, but age hasn’t ¢ iled my powers of penetra- tion. I have watehed and studied your character, my boy, for a long time, and the conclusion\I have reached does you more credit than the possession of great riches. You are a bey in a thousand, and = you ring true. That covers everything.” « . “Thank you, sir. I apprecjate your good opin- ion.” “The only relative I haye in the world is; as you * know, Job Parsons, the son of my youngest and z favorite sister. Would to heaven he were like you! “He then would be a solace to me in my present crisis. ‘But he is not like you, and never will be, for a leopard cannot change its spots. His shortcomings are so many that j shudder to think what his future, if he lives, is likely to be. . He is counting on dead men’s shoes. His eyes aré —~ on my business and on the money and property that was mine until it was swept away by to-day’s slump. His hopes, like his character, are founded on the shifting sands, and when I am dead he will realize that life holds nothing for him but what he can achieve for himself.” ; The old broker paused and looked beyond Bob, as though his thoughts had gone beyond the con- : fines of the room. The boy waited for himtocon- __ tinue. . ; Ag ag “T have made out a complete inventory of my liabilities, as well as of my resourees, which in-. _ cludes all of my persoria] possessions,” said the : old man, tapping a paper that lay-on his desk. ~~ “J find they balance almost perfectly. One thing te 9 7 wie alone that belongs to me I omitted—a tin box and its contents, the value of which has always been an unknown eg ene to me. That isp it has no present value that I know of, but it may at any time become valuable. That box is hidden Erte of this room. To-morrow I'shall get ‘out and present it to — the only reward I have to terider you for services rendered, — it toyou for value cia

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_ “TY thank you for the present, sir,” said Bob, gratefully. “You are welcome. Consider it as a legacy > from me. In a short time ‘Old Hutch’ will. be merely a memory in Wall Street, but I believe you, at least, will not forget me even in after years when you are a prosperous man.” “No, sir, you can depend on that. Employers like you are scarce. You have treated me fine, and I would indeed be ungrateful if I did not remember you as long as I live,” said Bob, earnestly. y The old broker took his hand. \ _“You are a good boy, Bob, and whatever em ‘luck fortune’ has in store for you you will fully ‘deserve it,’’ he said. t the office until nearly nine, and had har carried the mail into the boss’ room _ when Will Wilson came in. as SEP a did you get away yesterday?” asked lil. «About six o’clock,” replied Bob. ._- L . “You were kept late, weren’t you?” “Yes, but I’m not kicking.” ve morning papers say that Mr. Hutchings ~ veavily in Great Western.” 3 __. “He did. _ He is practically wiped out of bnsi- _ ness. “& the people.” * ~ Will went to his desk and Bob sat down in his chair. The cashier came in, opened up the safe, handed around the books and papers and all hands got down to work. Mr. Hutchings usually i down at half-past nine so as to go through is mail and dictate replies to his stenographer before the Exchange opened. He didn’t appear up to ten that morning, and the cashier asked ‘Parsons if he had seen his uncle before he started for the office > .“No. He = Just then the postman came in with some more letters. Bob took them and found one addressed himself. Opening it, he found a note from the id broker, inclosing a document transferring to him, for services rendered, the tin box and its - eontents. “Mv Dear Bob: ‘ “fT send you this by mail because of the pre- mtiment I feel at this moment that I shall never appear at my office again. It may be nothing ~ but my imagination, but the feeling impresses me. 9 guard against mischance I have decided to vard this paper to you. The box is concealed recess in the wall of my private office whic} : : for some purpose by a previous tenant. I hod it plastered up after placing the tin box in t.~ The snot is between the back of my desk and ivate ticker, direetlv under the steel en- of Rip Van © Winkle and ~his dog Open the wall two-feet above the and take possession ef your legacy, wasn’t up when I left the house,” he But don’t say a word about it to the rest George Hutchings.” rr 4 2. oS = - ‘THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY so ominous, particularly in view of the misfortune that had overtaken the old broker. The boy sin- — cerely hoped that nothing would happen to Mr. — Hutchings, for he thought a whole lot of him. — After reading the letter over a second time, Bob — went into the private room and examined the wall at the place indicated in the note. He could see no signs that a hole had been filled up there, and consulted the letter again to make sure that he had read the directions aright. There was no mistake in. the spot—two feet above the run- ning footboard, and directly under the engraving — of Rip Wan Winkle and his dog ; “\vell, if there’s a hole in that wall it has been mighty carefully walled up,” he said to himself. | He tapped the plaster with his knuckles. While it did'not have a solid sound, it did not appear different from any other place between the up- ~ right timbers to which the laths were nailed. At this point the cashier came into the room to go — over the mail, since the broker was not down to attend to it himself. “What are you looking at, Bob?” he asked. “T was looking at the wall to see if there were © any marks on it,” replied the young messenger.” “Tell Miss Butler to step in here in about five — minutes,” said the cashier, seating himself at the — desk, which was locked, as the old man had left it. — Bob carried the message to the stenographer. The _ cashier went through the mail, dictated replies, — and returned to his desk. At eleven o’clock he was called to the telephone booth. The old broker’s — housekeeper was at the other end of the wire. © She told the cashier that she had just found Mr. — Hutchings dead in his bed. : . “Dead!” exclaimed the cashier. “Great Scott! — this is sudden. I suppose I had better send his ~ nephew up right away to look after things.” “It isn’t necessary,” replied the lady, a bit — tartly. “Myr. Hutchings has given me instructions — what to do in case anything happened to him. His lawyer will take full charge as soon as I notify him, which I shall do at once.” . The cashier asked some more questions, but — received little information, so he rang off and left~ the booth. He called Parsons to his desk and — communicated to him the sad intelligence. If he expected the bookkeeper to be overcome by the © news he was disappointed. Parsons received the — intelligence with secret exultation, which shone in his eyes, but he endeavored to screw his face into a lock expressive of deep regret. ae “T shall go home at once,” he said, “and look — after things.” . ; “I sdggested that to the housekeeper, but told me there was no need of your coming.” “Why not?” said Parsons, sharply. = “She said she had her instructions from your uncle what to do in case he died suddenly. She — told me that Mr. Hutchings’ lawyers would take — charge of everything and look after all arrange ments.” : rs “That’s all right, but I’m my uncle’s only liv-~ ing relative and heir-at-law, so I guess I have something -to say, too. Mrs. Brown assumes al together too much. authority for her po Z 3

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~ announced the broker’s death to the rest of the employees. _ - CHAPTER IV.—The Office Boy’s Legacy. - Bob was staggered when he heard the news of r. Hutchings’ death, though the letter he had pecored might, in a measure, have prepared him tor tee Bs that. He felt that he had lost a good friend—the best man he-had eveyknown. _ . “My, but I’m awfully sorry!” he said, and he iq looked it. ™ Certainly the old broker had one sincere ~ mourner in his office boy. Naturally, the death _ Office. Then the losses he had» met with in the “market were calculated to add*to the general de- - pression, for everybody understood that the finish - of the office was at hand. The cashier could do ~ nothing as yet looking to a settlement with the ~ ereditors, but from a conversation he had had - with Mr. Hutchings on the preceding afternoon he got a telephone message from the dead broker’s _ lawyer, stating that he had assumed full charge -+0f the late Mr. Hutchings’ affairs and would be __ at the office about two. =yr0 make no change in the office routine for the "present, so orders for the sale and purchase of stocks were taken in when offered and dispatched to an outside trader for execution. Lawyer Blake “ealled at the office at a quarter past two, intro- duced himself and took. charge. He held a con- rence withthe cashier, during which he stated ‘that he had received full instructions from Mr. - Hutchings some time before what to do in the a of his death. He said he had drawn up the _ old man’s will, the He instructed the cashier = contents of which he did not _ State, but after seeing a statement made out by eee oer the night before, which showed that his on the market would likely wipe out the whole of his estate, he was afraid the beneficiaries rould not receive much, if anything. Just before the Exchange closed for the day, Bob carried a _ letter from the lawyer to the chairman. It no- _ tified the members of the Exchange haying claims Rs upon Mr. Hutchings that all such would be met ~ Im full as soon as possible. He was directed to “sell the old man’s seat at auction to the highest idder. Job Parsons turned up at the office next iorning, looking decidedly grouchy. He had had ‘interview with Lawyer Blake and learned that uncle’s death would in no wise benefit him. Ss was a terrible shock and disappointment to . All he had to fall back on was the mone had made through his late stock deal, whic S a mere flea-bite, in his estimation. The office closed on the day of the funeral, which took ¢.on a Friday. Next day Bob made his ar- gZements to = up the wall and search for legacy the old b with roker had left him. He pro- the office, the borrowed a sheet ) env poy Will Bad, eating th friend end’s. , he proceeded to write of Mr. Hutchings cast a gloomy aspect over the - office. - As an excuse for © that I rendered him.” THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY . 5 “Aren't you coming to lunch with me, Bob?” © . Will asked. “You go on and I’ll meet you at the restaurant. You’re going to the usual place, aren’t you?” “Yes. J’ll look for you in about ten minutes.” Then Will walked off. Everybody left except Parsons, and he hung around the counting-room until Bob began to wonder what was detaining him. Finally he got out, too, and the young mes- senger had thé office to himself at last. Looking out into the corridor and seeing that it was empty, Bob entered the private room and pro- ceeded to business. It didn’t-take him long to meke a hole through which the chisel penetrated without encountering any resistance. “There’s an opening behind this spot all right,” he thought, getting down to work. He rapidly enlarged the hole until he could easily thrust his hand through it. Lighting a maich, he held it inside and caught sight of a japanned tin box, nearly square, reposing inside on a shelf. Bob worked away, digging out. the plaster at a rapid rate until he had made an.open- ing large enough to pull the box through. The key was in the lock, so Bob saw he would have no difficulty in getting an immediate sight of his legacy. “This is where I get a wrinkle on Parsons,” he chuckled. “He’s left out entirely, while I get something, even if it does not amount to much.” z Bob, intent on the discovery he had made, did ~ ~ not notice the unexpected entrance of Job Par- sons and Will till the fornier suddenly sprang at 3 him, with a howl of rage. “Give me that box—it’s mine!” he cried: Bob was taken by surprise, and Parsons would have snatched the box out of his hands but for 7 at quick action in grabbing and holding him ~~ ack. = “Are you going to give up that box?” asked Parsons, struggling with Will to get at Bob. “T told you no. It belongs tome. It has noth- , ing to do with the estate of Mr. Lease 9 2 “You don’t leave this room, then, till you go in charge of a policeman,” said Parsons. an He walked to the door, turned the key in the : lock and reached for the telephone that stood on top of the desk. “You'd better read this,” said Bob, “before you make a fool of yourself.” The young messenger took the old broker’s let- ter from his pocket and held it up. “Do you recognize your late uncle’s handwrit- ing?” he went on. “Listen and I will read you what he wrote me.” Parsons’ curiosity was excited, and he paused to hear. Bob read the letter and the directions ; Then he exhibited the “Now call your policeman, if do so. This letter and paper will easily establish my right to the possession of this box and whatis in it,” said Bob, satisfied that he had Parsons where his woo] was short. = “I don’t see how he came to give that box to you,” growled the bookkeeper, making no further — effort to get an officer, ; Py ~ “T told-you he gave it to me for special services ; Pee +" i ye ee

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- “What's in the box?” “JT don’t know.” “Open it, then, and let us all see-what is in it.” “J don’t know that you have any right to make such a demand of me. However, I have no ob- jection to oblige you.” Bob unlocked the box and opened it. It con- | tained two packages of mining stock certificates. Parsons looked at them sharply and saw the name, “El Cortez S. M. Co.” He burst into a hoarse laugh. “I know what they are,” he said. “You are welcome to them. I wouldn’t deprive you of them for: the world. They aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. They stand for a fake Mex- ican mine that my uncle got stuck on. If he had left them to me I’d have thrown them into tHe waste paper basket, where he ought to have on- signed them months ago. I’m glad he didn’t, though. It’s.a satisfaction to me to see that he kept them to fool you with. Now you'll have the pleasure of paying to have that wall repaired, and that will cost you more than half or all of your week’s wages.” =f Thus speeking, Job Parsons unlocked the door ___ and walked out, leaving Bob and his friend Will _ -* together. . : : = CHAPTER V.—The End of the Office. meee “T suppose this is what kept you from going to = Junch?” said Wik. — 4 . oe “Yes? : f 2 “That’s a funny place for your,late boss to keep es ——- of worthless stock, supposing it is werth- ay “Ft certainly is. I guess he was so disgusted at having been taken in when he bought it that he wanted to, put it completely out of his sight.” , “Tf the stock is no good it seems strange that he would turn it over to you as if it had some - value. You were always the white-haired boy _ with him, and he wasn’t the kind of man to play __ atiy one a cheap trick,” said Will. Ts e told me that it had no present value, but _ he believed it would have a value in the near _ future.” ’ oe ae you that?” : oT et i wad e the office will last, now that ad ‘NPs _. “T wonder how long affairs are being wound up?” “Not long, I guess.’ : ' “We'll all have to be looking for new positions.” “Ym not worrying about a new job myself.” ae you’ve got/some money behind you, - “Yes, I think I can do better speculating on the market than running my legs off for scme broker. I’ve had very Fair luck at it since I in. I.wouldn’t be able to find as many in another office as I have had in this. Thave-lost quite a bit of profit on a deal be- wise I was not-able to follow the quotations and I had to sell out to be on the safe side ‘ otherwise I would have. held on a while Ic eval genni sgl Pee = Ht ow money haye you m © e market altogether?” So ; mes $2,000.” isn’t \ THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY “No, it’s equal to five years’ wages at my pres- ent rate.” : Ps “Tf you make a business of speculating, you might suffer the fate of the average lamb and get clez-ned out.” ; “You-can’t make money in Wall Street with- out taking chances.” “You can’t make money in any line withont taking some chances.” “Of course, but you take a good many more” chances ig the Street. The game is like a lottery with the outsider—there are a whole lot more blanks than prizes.” - : The boys left the office and rode down on the elevator. Bob interviewed the janitor, told him -what he had done, showed him the tin box full of stock, showed him the late broker’s letter which directed him to get the box out of the*wall, and then told him to have the damage repaired and he would foot the bill. ‘The boys then left the building. They went as far as Broadway together and then separated, Bob going to a restaurant to get a bite. before he started for home. Lawyer Biake applied the money he received from the sele of the old broker’s seat in the Exchange to the partial settlement of the claims against his late client. The Great Western stock owned by the old man was disposed of at a loss. Other se- “eurities were sold, and finally a fair price was received for the Madison residence. All Mr. Hutchings’ personal. property, which consisted chiefiy of Ks, pictures, furniture and the other contents of the house, was sent to an auction house and sold piecemeal. The money thus received was enough to pay every creditor dollar for dollar and leave a few thousand dollars balance.. This was better than the lawyer ex- pected when he offered the old broker’s will for probate, his uncle had cut him off with a legacy of $100, and had left whatever property he might have at the time of his death to several charitab!e insti- tutions he was interested in, to be divided pro rata. The lawyer paid Parsons the $106, and shortly afterward closed the office for good, sell- ing the furniture and fittings for what they would bring. Thus “Old Hutch’s” business passed out of Wall Street and a new tenant took possession of the office so long occupied by the oldest broker on the Street. With the closing of the cffice all the employees were obliged to find other jobs. Strang2 to say, Parsons was the first to place himself. position t his- old o ‘He became cashi for a new firm of brokers.. Whén Will hea Parsons’ good luck he was greatly surprised. He fiurried up to the waiting-room of the little bank on Nassau street, where quarters for the present, and told his friend. “Tf that doesn’t: beat the Dutch!” he -said. “Who'd think hé’d connect with such a good .pesi- tion? He has full charge of the counting-reem, and I'll bet you couldn’t touch him now with a ten-foot pole.” “Who wants to touch him? Not me, for one,” said Bob, * ; ? “What about that Mexican mining stoek? Done , anything about it yet?” <7 eee Ve FT cack tient: eimeegrits x Saad aa down i Madre mountain — Chihuahua, in the San range.” we +s. b had made his head- + hae Pe Job Parsons learned from the wili that - d what was stranger, he got a better _ r of”

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~*~ “What does it amount to?” - 3 — Apparently not a whole lot, though it’s sit- Seated in the best silver mining district of Mexico. The cffice is at the City of Chihuahua, and I’ve _ ‘written to the company for infermation.” - “Tf it’s a real mine, as Parsons appears to ~ doubt, and it is situated in a silver district, it - might turn up a winner yet,” said Will. _ Well, I’m gettng hungry. Let’s.go to lunch,” said Bob. a : : - The suggestion suited Will, and they started -lunch house. for a qui CHAPTER VI.—What Bob Found on the Ferry- < at. Bob returned to the little bank after lunch and sat down to watch the blackboard again, as he had been doing for a week past. He had noticed that morning that D. & C. was advancing a little and now he saw that it had gone up higher. ms - _ “Tf guess I'll get in on it and see what luck I ~ have,” he said to himself. : cent since the office closed up, and I think it’s _ time that I did.” __ Accordingly, he bought 100 shares of D. & C. _ at 70, on margin, and spent the rest of the after- Noon up to three o’clock watching it. It ‘closed _ 2 point higher than he bought it at, and he hoped it would go higher next day. It did go up half a ~ point more on the following day,.and Bob. won- lered if he had not better sell. He got talking ‘With another customer of the bank, who was also interested in the stock, and the man advised him » to hold on for, he said, he thought from the trend - of the market prices were likely to go higher all around. Bob thought his argument a good one — and held on. It proved a wise move for by Friday at two D. & C. was up to 7538-8. Judging that it was about as high as it was likely to go, for the market was showing signs of weakness, Bob sold out. . “T guess I have made no mistake in tackling the _ market instead of another messenger job.” Bob told himself. “I have made more than a year’s ‘wages in four days, and I’ve only been two weeks y' ‘ _. Speak of Old Nick, they say, and you'll find him . ‘our elbow. At that sin te Bob felt a hand ‘gp his sevolder and turning around, there stood “Hello, Will! What’s new?” said Bob: 3 Se: caught a job with Vincent & Co., and I’m @0ing to work Monday,” said Will. “Good! I’ve caught something, too.” — “Haye you? I thought you wasn’t looking for . Swasi't pefaiving to-a jo 7a “What, then?” aoe : © just closed a deal in D. & C. and made ‘THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY “T haven’t made a 7 months to earn that much. If you can keep that up you'll be a small capitalist by and by.” The boys left the bank together and_stroiled down Bread street. A broker named Fink, who knew Bob very well indeed and had a high opinion of him as a messenger, came out of the Exchange and saw him. “Hello, Barton, you’re not working yet, 1 sup- pose?” he said. “No; I’m letting my money work fer me now. It’s a whole lot easier and more profitable,” laughed Bob. The broker laughed, too. was joking. “Want to do me a favor?” he said. “Sure. I’m always at the service of my friends when not otherwise employed.” “My messenger is off sick. Will you take his : place till he comes back?” “T don’t mind if it’s an accommodation to you, Mr. Fink?” “Tt will be a great accommodation.” “All right. I’m on.” “Come over to the office with me.” When they reached Fink’s office the broker handed Bob the pagkage, which was plainly ad- dressed to Ftink & Frisbee. “Deliver it to the cashier and get him to sitn that receipt which you will bring back with you. That will probably be all you will have to do. — to-day, as it’s getting on to three o’clock,” said ~ Fink.. “Here’s a quarter to pay your fare.” : Bob started for the Cortlandt street ferry. He rode up to Cortlandt street and walked down that. thoroughfare to the ferry. He. caught a train- boat, that is the last boat darrying passengers for a west-bound express, and there was quite a crowd on board. Bob, instead of going to the front of the boat, took a seat inthe men’s cabin and devoted his attention to a pamphlet a man handed him at the corner of West street. When the boat reached the other side he chucked the pane under the forward seat: His eyes, fol- owing its flight, detected something that leaked —~ like a small pocketbook. He bent down and picked it up. It was a pocketbook, and Bob stopped to — examine it. ‘It contained nothing of apparent value—only a letter written in Spanish and a newspaper clipping in the same language. The- letter, which bore a recent date, came from Chi- huahua, and was addressed to Senor Ramon Mar- tinez, Astor House, New York City. It was signed by Manuel Lopez. : : “No great‘ find,” thought Bob. “Senor Mar- tinez evidently lost it out of his pocket on this boat some time this afternoon. He wasn’t on the __ ~boat this trip, because no one occupied the seat ahead of me. I'll leave it at the Astor House on my way home.” a Bob hurried off the boat, carried the package to the office of Funk & Frisbie, got the rece’pt s gneda and started back to the ferry. A boat h-d duct come in and he walked on board. As she would — remain in her slip ten or fifteen minutes sob Wet forward to kill time by looking out on the river, While he was thus employed he remembered the porparoon’ and he pulled it out to take another ook at the letter and the clipping, though, n being acquainted with the ee Jangu : could not read either. Still had a cer they had come from He thought the boy oe ivan rly

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the capital of thé State in which El Cortez Silver Mine was situated. He was expecting a letter any day from the secretary of the mining com- pany containing the inférmation he had written _. for. He entertained no great expectations that the expected letter would tell him that his stock +» was worth, anything to speak of, but, neverthe- less, he was eager to get it so as to learn just how he stood in relation to the mine. “These foreigners write a different hand from »-us Americans,” he said, as he glanced over the - words that were unintelligible to him. I can tell a foreign letter the moment I see—— Hello, _-what’s this?” Pe The exclamation was drawn from him by seeing the words “El Cortez” in the midst of the letter. That immediately aroused his attention and curi- osity. The‘letter evidently contained a reference ; to the mine he was interested in. He would have 4 given a great deal if he could have read Spanish \. at that moment. But he couldn’t so it was im- “possible for him to learn what the writer had swritten about the mine. ; “Tt must be something of importance or he ; wouldn’t have referred to it,” Bob argued. “That ~ - _ -mine can hardly be a dead one if it’s worth writ- ing about. I wonder if this Senor Martinez has » . stock in it? Perhaps I’d better ask for him at 3 the hots] ang have a talk with him about the mine. _- He will probably be able to tell me something about it. Yes, I think I will do—— Jumping grasshoppers, what does this mean?” - Bob stared at another part of the letier in at astonishment. And he had reason, to, for there, written as, plain as a pike-staf, was his . Own name and home address. “How in thunder did this Mr. Lopez get hold of my name and address, and why has he sent it to Senor Martinez?” mused Bob, scratching his ear in a puzzled way. “Oh, [ see!, Lopez must be ecnnected-with the mining company. Perhaps he’s the seeretary, and\he got my lettcr,.for 1 : addressed if to nobody in particular, not knowing - the names of the officers, but just to the company. - Instead of writing me a letter he has written to - Senor Martinez to call on me and give me the in- formation I asked for. That must be it. Maybe _ * Lopez doesn’t understand English well enough to ‘write to me direct, which would account for him turning the matter over to the senor.” = Beb judged he had satisfactorily atcounted for “the puzzle, so he folded up the letter and returned _ it to the wallet. Thén he looked over the clipping. “It wis headed “E] Cortez M. 8. Co.” “That contains news about the mine which I The boat was well across the river by this pee, ~ ¥ied back to Broker Fink’s office to turn in the _ receipt he had brought back. Dea. ' ‘CHAPTER VIIL—Bob Learns the Contents of a Se the Letter and the Clipping. . Fink was in his office when Bob there _ ted his errivel tohim. THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY. “You made d time, Bob,” said the brok tuling the receipe frou tie. = “Y’ve been accustomed to doing that, sir,” re- plied the boy. ” “Well, Bob, it’s after four. You can go home Report in the morning at the usual time.” “How .long do you expect your boy will be away?” , “J couldn’t say, but I hardly expect him to show up under a week.” ; “By the way, Mr. Fink, I found something on the ferryboat.” “Did you? What was it?” /“A small pocketbook.” “Indeed! Any money in it?” “No, sir. Only a letter and a clipping—both in the Spanish language.” “Rather an unproductive find,” “TI am not sure about that.’ A very singular thing about the letter is that it contains my name and address.” : “It. does?” “Yes, sir.’ “Do you know the writer?” “J do not. He’s a Mexican living in the City of Chihuahua, Mexico, The letter came from there, addressed to a Mexican or Spaniard stopping at the Astor House.” “Can you account for the Mexican having your name and address?” ; “T can. death, presented me with some Mexican mining shares, which he said were of no particular value at present, but he thought that in the course of time they might possibly become worth some- thing. Ongthat chance he turned them over to me as an evidence of his friendship. I wrote to the office of the mining company at Chihuahua, asking for some information about the mine; that’s how Mr. Hutchings, the day before his Mr. Lopez, the writer of the letter, got my name and address. He wrote the letter to Senor Mar- tinez, and as the clipping refers to the mine, I guess Martinez was directed to post me about it.” e “What's the name of the mine?” . “El Cortez.” : “T know a broker—Epstein—who has a bunch of the shares. He told me it was worthless. A customer left the stock with him a year ago to lots in Mars easier.” “Then I guess my legacy amounts to nothings only - — 3 However, I mean to keep it just the same, if to remember Mr. Hutchings by.” ; “If you’d like to have the letter and clipping translated, I’ll give you a note to a coin and stamp dealer I am acquainted with on Nassau street. He’s up in Spanish, French and German, and I believe several other languages. court interpreter,” said the broker. hina right. im.” note of introduction for Bob, stating that he’d take it as a favor if the linguist would translate a letter and a clipping for the bearer. When nt “5 letter was and signed, Bob took it ‘ started up Nassau street.. Entering the coim dealer’s place of business, which was a small ro on the second floor of a harrow, ,old-fashior building, Bob found a little, m behind the counter, four-story brick dle-aged man ese oS He was once a 2 Give me the note and I'll call on Fink called in his stenographer and dictated a _ * sell for him;,but Epstein said he could sell corner ~ : ~

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“Aro you Mr. Handy?” he asked. -“That’s my name,” said the dealer. _ it and said he would be pleased to accommodate the boy, whereupon Bob produced the letter and the clipping. r. Harding read the letter right off in glish, without hesitation. The letter stated that the writer (Lopez) had received a - eommunication from a party in New York stating that he had a block of shares in El Cortez Silver ‘Mining Company. He (Lopez) went on to state that as a rich vein of silver had recently been discovered in the mine it was desirable that the shares in question should be purchased of their holder for a small sum and expressed on to Chi- -huahua.- Then followed Bob’s name and address, _ and Senor Martinez wa’s directed to call on him without delay and secure the stock, as per special instructions inclosed. Those instructions must have been written on a separate sheet, for they Were missing. The cutting, which was from a - Chihuahua daily paper, stated that a vein of rich silver ore had been uncovered in E] Cortez mine, a and that the prospects of the company were look- = 7 up. e article then gave a brief resume of the heretofore unavailing efforts of the mining com- _ Pany to develop a. property that had the reputa- - tion of having been worked out half a century since. That their efforts had finally been re- arded with success was a gratifying evidence of what energy and perseverance will nearly always mplish. That was all, but it was enough to ake Bob feel mighty good. His legacy was Es Grning itp a winner sooner than. he expected. pee patked the linguist and went on his way to ‘the Astor House. He asked the clerk at the desk if Senor Martinez was in. The clerk looked at the key-box and said that he was out. — d : __ “Well, hand him this pocketbook, which be- “longs to him. Tell him I found it on one of the ferryboats of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- any,” said Bob. He then walked away before the him his name. er told him that a dark-featured man, who clerk could afternoon and asked to see him. é + “I told him you were attending to business in all Street, and would not be home much before e”? said Mrs. Barton. “He asked for your all Street adtiress, but I told him that since the oker you worked for had gone out of business had no address as yet. e then said that he uld return this evening.” rizht, Wher he calls I will see ct ow quite clear to the boy that the had lost his pocketbook on the way over to house. At half-past eight o’clock that evening @ came a ring at the bell-and Bob’s eldest sis- *, who answered the ring, invited Senor Mar- ez into the little parlor overlooking the street. ‘oh went in to see him. > ; “Senor Martinez, I believe,” he said. es, that is my name,” said the visitor, ; English. “Are you Robert Barton?” “Tam. How canI serve.you?” . © Silver Min- in per- . “You wrote a letter to El Cortez img pany, of Chihuahua?” THE OLD TRADER’S When Bob-reached home his ° id his name was Martinez, had called early that — ~ “Your argument is a good one, but I guess Sats SE I = eee ne LEGACY s “The secretary, Senor Lopez, received your let- ter, and not feeling’ able to communicate with ou in English he wrote to me to call on you as is representative and give you such information as was available.” S “I am much obliged to you, Senor Martinez.” “You are welcome. I am directed to inform = that El Cortez is an old mine, supposed to ave been worked out, which was purchased five Years ago by the present company for a small sum, with the view to further developnfent. The company‘has made a vigorous effort to find sil- ver, but I regret to say without results, and has decided to give the matter up. There is $20,000, Mexican standard, remaining in the treasury. This , will be divided among the shareholders inime- diately upon their turning in their steok. You are therefore entitled to twenty cents in Mexican money, or ten cents in American coin, for each share of sock you hold. I am authorized to hand you the money in exchange for your stock. As ycur name does not appear on the company’s books, the stock still stands in the name of the original purchaser. It will be necessary for you to produce evidence that you are entitled to be regarded as a bona-fide owner.” “TI received the stock as a legacy from George. Hutchings, deceased; stock broker, in whose em- ~ ploy I was, and I can produce the necessary evi- dence.” : ‘ “Very good. How many shares have you?” ge “Ten thousand.” ‘ = “Indeed!” said Senor Martinez, somewhat sur- prised. “That amount entitles you to $1,000.” — “T don’t think. I care to turn the stock over for that sum.” _ “You will havg to do it, according to the com- . a pany’s arrangements, or you will get nothing, for the company is going out of business.” ‘S “I shall want some evidence that the company is going out of business,” said Bob. pe “Some evidence!” exclaimed Senor Martinez, somewhat taken aback. \ “ae “Certainly. I’ve a right to it) haven’t I?” “You do not believe my word, then?” '- “T haven’t disputed your statement. I am sim- ply asking you to produce proof.” 5 “The money I am offering you ought to be good * proof. The stock is worthless, but the company . — is. offering you ten cents a share for it in closing ~~ up business.” < “Why does the company make such a generous 4 offer?” ; i “Because the cash on hand is a part of the. money originally paid for the stock, and it iseonly. ~ fair that this unexpended balance be returned to —_ the shareholders of record.”* at : you don’t know what has happened at the mine\since you received instructions to call on me and sécure my. stock,” said the boy, wishing to let the senor down as easily as possible. “What do you mean?” : i “You haven’t seen the statement made in the papers that a rich vein of silver ore was recently discovered in El Cortez mine?” ; Senor Martinez looked much confused. 7 *3 ou have seen. such a statement yourself?” he sai a! “I heard a man read a printed paragra that effect.” i e S . «

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Me aa er a ae aes ete “Tn what paper did it appear?” ; “T couldn’t tell you the name of the paper, but I saw the paragraph, and I know positively that it referred to El] Cortez Mine.” It at once struck the visitor that the paragraph printed in the Chihuahua paper had been repub- =i lished in translated form in one or more of the American mining journals. The boy had thus learned about the reported discovery of ore in the mine. Under such_circumstances there was little use trying to get the stock from him. The inter- view lasted more than an hour, and in the end ey Martinez had to depart without the boy’s stock. ~ __ CHAPTER VIII.—Records How Bob Added to His Me : Legacy. : Bob reported next morning at Mr. Fink’s office, and made himself useful up to the closing time at half-npast twelve. He received half a week’s pay for his brief services, and was told to come on Monday. As soon as he was off he walked around to Mr. Epstein’s office and inquired for that gen- tleman. “Go right in his room,” said a clerk. ‘You’re lucky to find him here, as we are just closing up.” Bob knocked on the door of the private office and was told to come in. “Mr. Epstein?” said the boy. “Yes,” replied:the broker. “Have you any certificates of mining stock that have no market value?” — ron “Have 1?. Yes, I have a bunch of Mexican min- -ing shares that I’d like to sell to somebody.” : “But if they have no market value what do you - expect to get for them?” es “What do you want with dead mining shares?” “T’m collecting them.” : “Oh, you are? What do you intend to do with _- them?” ; “Tf I got together a sufficiently varied collec- tion I might put them on public exhibition as an object lesson that fools and their money are soon ~ parted.” : Perpstein looked hard at Bob. “T’'ve got a good-sized block of El Cortez min- ing stock—10,000 shares—what will you give for the lot?” _ “Ten dollars,” said the boy. “Produce the ten and you can have the certifi- cates. “All right, Mr. Epstein. Here’s the money. I ¥. I can make more than $10 out of them. If + f don’t it will be my funeral.” - The broker shoved the bill into his vest pocket, “went to a closet, fumbled around on the shelves; and finally brought out a dusty package. Bob wished him good-day and took his leave, well sat- isfied over his purchase. - __ “Tf a rich vein of silver ore has” really been discovered in E] Cortez mine, according to that paragraph, Mr, Epstein will have a fit when he oaks about it,” he said to himself. “It may be ‘some time before the news is circulated in this country, though, unless the discovery is of such ae rt ce as to attract general attention to the ith the package under his arm he went to = THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY 4 ee ee oe eee eee a lunch and then started for home. That evenin Senor Martinez called again. He said he h telegraphed to the secretary of the El Cortez — Mining Company, and showed the reply he had received to Bob. It read: . “No truth in newspaper statement.—Lopez.” “Well, I don’t care to sell the stock. In fact, ~ I’ve just bought 10,000 more shares of it.” “Ten thousand more shares! Where did you get them ?” “Of a Broad street broker. He was anxious to get them off his hands so I thought I’d accommo- date him.” “But the stock isn’t worth anything.” “Maybe not, but you said the company would ~ pay ten cents a share for all that was out.” “So the company will in order to settle up its affairs. If you will agree to take that for the 20,000 shares ¥ will telegraph for the money.” “Y’ll take the matter under consideration and let you know. You are stopping at the Astor House. I will call if I care to sell the shares.” Senor Martinez tried to get Bob to settle the business then, but the boy would not, so he went away, disappoined. He was very anxious to fix the matter up, for the news of the discovery of silver ore in El Cortez mine ‘might reach Walk Street any moment, fully corroborated. Besides, he had another reason. He and Lopez were in- terested in the purchase of the 20,000 shares of El_ Cortez stock which the company’s books showed had been sold in the United States. Lopez was not the secretary of the company, but was the chief clerk. He had received Bob’s letter, opened it and, instead of turning it over — to the secretary, as it was his duty to have done. he suppressed it and sent the letter Bob found to his friend, Martinez, who was in New York on ~ business for the Chihuahna firm he was connected with. He followed it with a second letter, which gave the name and address of the person holding the second block of 10,000 shares. That person, — however, had long since turned his stock over to / Broker Epstein to sell for him, and then gone to — Chicago, where he still was. Thus Senor Martinez was unable to trace the second block, and he was much surprised when Bob told him he had ac- quired it. However, that simplified the matter if — he was able to induce the boy to part with both ~ blocks for $2,000. When he got back to New York the senor sent a telegram to Lopez, inform- _ ing him that the young senor had both blocks of — the stock, and did not seem inclined to sell the stock for ten cents a share. ; He asked for. further instructions. Lopez an- swered that he would come on to New York him- self at once. Bob appeared at Broker Fink’s office — at nine o’clock on Monday morning. He hoped the — boy, whose shoes he was filling temporarily, would turn up during the week, as he was not anxious to continue in the messenger business. ~ About two o’clock he was sent with a note to a broker in the Astor Building. While waiting to— see the trader he overheard two men, who * to be connected with the market, talking about a syndicate which had been formed to corner H. & G. stock, which was then selling low on the mar-— ket. Bob learned enough to satisfy him that he had got on to a good tip, and he determined to , A tte aun ee

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lake advantage of it. On his bg Be he dropped the safe deposit vault on Wall Street, where kept his money in a box rented by the year, d took out $2,000. Ata quarter of three he was sent to the bank ith the day’s deposits, and after attending to that he ran up to the little bank on Nassau sreeet, -and put in his order for 200 shares of H. & G. “on margin, at 85, As Bob had no intention of * ing his Mexican mining shares to Senor Mar- nez he addressed a short note to him at the ‘Astor House, informing-him that he had decided _ to hold on to the stock, and that it would only be _ @ waste of his time to call at his house again. -_ “I hope that will settle the matter,” thought Bob, after mailing the letter. _ It didn’t settle it, for on Friday evening Senor _ Martinez appeared again, this time accompanied ~ by a well-dressed man whose complexion. was even _ darker than his own, whom he introduced as Senor Lopez. : Ayre yous the secretary of El Cortez Silver ‘Mining Company?” asked Bob, forgetting that eps was supposed to be deficient in the Eng- a4 language! ‘ 3 Lopez, however, showed by his reply as’ well as his subsequent remarks that he was on very - good terms with the English language. __ No, senor, I act as secretary when that official 4s away from the office,” he answered. , “Who got the letter I wrote to the company?” Said Bob. . “T received it, senor. As my friend, Senor : ez, happened to be in New York, I wrote i to call on you,and make you the company’s Closing offer for the shares of El Cortez stock ehich you had infgrmed me you had acquired title “Senor Martinez gave me to understand that t understand English very well, but to understand it.all right,” said Bob. ed at his friend, whereupon Martinez, g¢ he had put his foot in it, said that he sed Bob had misunderstood him. The boy * at that. _-*T suppose you have come to renew negotia- tions for the ae of which I. fet ere =~ but it is quite useless to e matter Up again. I siete ee rattines that Tj would ot sell a share at anything like the figure of- Perhaps you_will say what you want for it?” Lopez. x “No, IT am not offering it at all at the present “Beéause you have heard that ridiculous: news- ; account that silver has been found in the line, eh?” ~ You assert, like Senor Martinez, that the pub- lished story is untrue?” ; “Most. certainly, Senor.” : hate to doubt your word, for you are con- ed with the company, have been right on the and and ought to know, but somehow I have jidda that you are hiding’the true facts from 3 * sible, senor,” said Lopez, in a deprecat-. as if such a thing as a misstatement with him. -— \ a7 ‘THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY “Why are you so anxious to buy my shares?” “To close up the affairs of the company. Nearly everybody but yourself has taken advantage of our liberal offer. As you are holding off, and we want to clean things up as soon as possible, 1 am authorized to make a special offer of 15 cents a share in your money for the 20,000 shares.” “That will be $3,000?” “Exactly, senor. If you will agree to deposit the stock with the Wall Street Bank, to-morrow, to be forwarded to me on receipt of $2,500, I will pay you $500 on account now.” “No, I won’t agree to any such thing. Having decided to hold the shares at all risk, all I can say to you now is that the stock is not at all.” “Ts that your final answer?” asked Lopez, in a ane, that betrayed his intense disappointment. 3°? The two men then departed. CHAPTER IX.—The Man in the Cab. By the end of the week H. & G, stock, which had dropped several points since Bob bought it, began to. go ‘up steadily, a little every day, Broker Fink’s office-boy did not turn up at all that week, his mother sending word that he was still confined to his bed. Bob, therefore, was contin- ued on the job,-and he didn’t like that on account of the deal he had on his hands. It was impos- sible for him to attend to his duties at Fink’s office and give his own business the attention it required. However, he watched his private in- terests as well as he could. During the following week H. ¢ G. ad¥anced to 92. On Monday of the ensuing week it began to boom, and in the course of the day went up to par, at which it closed. Bob decided to sell out, but he did not get a chance to do so till noon next day when the price was up to 103 3-8.. At that figure he got rid of his 200 shares at°a profit of $3,600, and he was well satisfied that he had made a good thing out .of his tip. He credited his good fortune to the fact that Fink had given him temporary employ- ment, for had -he not been acting as messenger again he would not have picked up the winning tip. On Saturday of that week Broker Fink’s regular office boy turned up and told the broker that he would be able to resume work on Monday, Fink told him’ all right, but was rather sorry to lose Bob, who was in every Way superior’ as a messenger, Bob was glad to be relieved of fur- ther duty, notwithstanding he had managed to put- his deal through all right while attending to the duties of his temporary position. Fink told him _ that he’d be glad to take him into his counting; room as soon as he had an opening. “7’d sooner work for you than any other breker,” said Bob, “but I am not sure that I shall work for anybody but myself.” “Are you thinking of leaving Wall Street, Bob?” “No, sir.” = “Then you are figuring on doing something on your own hook in the Street, eh?” or sale * “Tm not figuring on it. I used to do a little speculating on the side while in Mr. Hutchin employ, and as soon as his lawyer wound yp ‘

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business I started in to follow speculation on the market as a business. I had just made $500 out of a rise in D. & C. when you asked for the tem- porary use of my services.” *“T can’t say that I would recommend you to adopt such a precarious line of action. You might win occasionally, but the chances are you’ll fetch up broke in the end.” “Perhaps so, but I have done well so far. I have made over $6,000-out of the market to date.” “As much as that?” said Fink, in surprise. “Yes, sir. Then I have expectations from that legacy Mr. Hutchings gave me—E] Cortez mining shares.” “Why, that stock isn’t worth anything.” “No? You remember that letter and clipping in Spanish I found on the ferryboat?” “T recall the eircumstance now that you men- tion it.” ‘ “You sent me up to that linguist on. Nassau street. He read both for me, and the clipping stated that a rich vein of silver ore had been dis- covered in El] Cortez mine.” “The dickens! I haven’t seen anything about it in the mining journals. If such a discovery had been made in the mine I should fancy it would be published in our mining papers.” “T should think so, too, but I don’t believe it has. El Cortez has been looked upon as a dead mine so long that I suppose little attention is paid to anything relating to it. However, whether the report is true or not I have received a bona-fide offer of a quarter a share for all my stock.” “You have? Who offered that price?” “A Mexican from Chihuahua, who came on here expressly to buy it.” “You surprise me, You sold the | stock, of cotrse ?” “No, sir. I turned the offer down.” “What for?” said Fink, clearly astonished. “Because the offer ‘of such a’ price “for stock which had been. so long regarded as worthless geve me the impression that a rich discoverv of _ silver ore must have been made in the mine, That 4s the only wav L could account for such an offer.” Pob vot nm, shock hands with the broker and took his lerve. Bob usually put in Saturday afternoons r+ a gymnasinm, where, he took box- = ine leseans f-am the nrofesson ‘n charre, and ex- ‘ere’sed with the annaratvs. He was alread~ re- gerded as an exvert at the science of self-defense, and had developed his punching powers by con- stant practice with the bag. After spending a ~-eouple of hours in the gymnasium that Saturday, he went home and read the paper till supper time. ‘He intended. treating himself ‘to the theater that - evening, and was getting ready to go downtown when the bell rang. One of his sisters answered - the door.. A cab stood atthe curb and the driver had rung the bell. : : ~ “A gent in the cab wants to see Robert Barton. Is he home?” said the man. « “Xe Ee Til tell him. What's the gentleman’s “He didn’t tell me his name. He told me to 3 i ask for the young gent.” “Very well, V’ll tell my brother,” es young lady went to her brother’s room and told him that a gentleman in a cab outside wanted THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY e “T don’t know. I asked the driver who rang the bell who he was, but he said he didn’t know.” — ig don’t know any gentleman likely to call on me,” said Bob. ‘“He’s in a cab, you say?” 4 men ae 1 right, sis. I’m ready to go out, anyway, so Vil see who he is and find out what he wants With, me.) 5 4 Bob turned out the gas, got his hat on his way) out and presently stepped up to the door of the cab. The cab door was ajar and Bob opened it and looked in. In a moment a hand gripped him by the collar and yanked him into the vehicle. As the door closed with a bang the driver whipped his horse and the cab rolled away at a fast clip.. ; - CHAPTER X.—Bob is Abducted. Bob was taken by surprise, and before he could pull himself together a cloth was pressed-over his face and he inhaled a pungent odor that soon sapped his powers of resistance. Inside of five — minutes his ineffectual struggles had ceased and — he was unconscious. The man in the cab then propped him up on the seat beside him and then supported him with one of his arms,.while the~ vehicle rolled on. Many hours rolled away before’ Bob came to his senses, and when he did he was | dazed and confused in his upper story. F Gradually his brain cleared, and then he won- dered how he had been pulled into the cab and drugged. Why he had been treated that way, and by whom, he could not understand... Then he realized that though his hands were free his body was secured to the cot on which he lay. He was _ a prisoner beyond a doubt, but why? The reason was quite beyond him. : “Blessed if this affair hasn’t got me guessing. I don’t know anybody who would take the trouble” to kidnap me. And they certainly wouldn’t do it without a purpose. Now, I’m not a young mil- | lionaire to be held for ransom. No one can make a cent by carrying me off, so where is the little joker in the deal?” thought. Bob. s While he was thinking the matter over he saw a light shining under a near-by door, and heard the approaching footsteps of a man. “He's coming this way. I shall probably get some light on the subject.” Tha sound of a key turning in its lock reached the boy’s ears and then the door opened. A dark- featured man entered the room, with a lamp in > his hand, whom Bob, to his surprise, recogni as Manuel Lopez. Like a flash, the truth stru the lad. He was the victim of what was intended ~ to be a squeeze game. That is, Lopez intended to ~ try and force him to sell his El Cortez mining stock. v3 “That kind of -a game might go in Mexico, bub@ Lopez will discover that it won’t werk in this country,” thought Rob. A “Ya! young senor, we meet agein,” said the Mexican, with a malicious grin, ’ “T suppose you are at the back of this om rage,” replied Bob. ‘“What’s your object?” “T have called-to talk. business with vou.” “Do you expect me to have any dealings wi you after the way you’ve treated me?” a “Why not?” replied Lopez, setting the lam

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wn on a small table. “I brought you here be- se I saw no use of continuing our negotiations your home. You had made up your mind not sell. You were obstinate in the matter, so I ided I would have you where you would listen “You can’t talk me into selling here any quicker an you could at my house.” “Perhaps not; perhaps yes. “any rate.” ~ “You haverot me tied to this cot and locked n a room in some house. Don’t you know that arrying a person off against his will is a crime this country, and that detaining him a prisoner kes the matter all the worse?” Senor Lopez took a cigarette paper and some _ tobacco out of his pocket and proceeded to manu- facture a smoke for himself. Bob watched his eft fingers roll. the cigarette into shape with eat skill and rapidity. Then he lighted the end it with a match scraped on the sole of his,shoe. “Yes, senor,” he replied, seating himself in a chair and speaking deliberately. “But,” shrug- ting his shoulders, “when one has an important object in view he must not be turned aside by | obstacles. I must have that mining stock. I am _ willing to pay you a fair price for it. If we come _ to terms, very good. You will be released, get z as money and that will be the end of the mat- We shall see, at “Do you think because I am a boy that you can ighten me into doing something I don’t want 0 do?” “Do not let us waste time arguing things not ected with the matter at issue. You own 0,000 shares of E] Cortez stock: Is it not so?” _ = wes” 2 * ” “Very good. You do not want to sell it, eh? “No, I don’t.” a “Why not, if I offer you fifteen cents a share? ~ se it’s worth more than that.” “How do you know it is?” “You wouldn’t offer me fifteen cents for some- thing that you did not expect to make a profit out ” _“Ah, I see! You are a smart young senor. I id not perceive your reasons before. It is no use \ to try to deceive you. I will admit that I expect to make a profit out of the stock. It is worth, ay, twenty-five cents; perhaps not so much, but hold it a while it should reach that. Ten s a share is not too much to expect to gain. ¥ we understood each other. You will take fifteen cents. We will shake hands on it and Part good friends, eh?” g - “You admit, then, that the mining company is ot going out of business?” hat is a matter of no importance.” __ You might as well admit the fact, for I am_ sure there is no danger of the company giving up ‘working of the mine.” as: If you are sure of it we waste time speaking eat f course you won’t admit that the newspaper t about the discovery of a rich vein of silver in the mine is correct,” said Bob. ‘Let us get-down to business,” said the Mex- impatiently. “I offer you fifteen cents cash ur stock. You take it?” THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY “Then you will stay here till you accept my offer.” ; “All right. I'll stay. Are you prepared to feed me indefinitely ?” “When you want to tame an amimal you starve him a little. I try that plan.on you. By and by, when your stomach feels very empty I will fetch here a nice meal and let you look at it. Maybe then you decide to sell-your stock. Perhaps you will even let it go at a lower price—ten cents a share. Maybe even five cents. What do you think? I offer fifteen cents now. Perhaps I will not give so much when I come again to see you,” and the speaker grinned maliciously. “You can’t intimidate me, Senor Lopez. If you think you can force me into selling that stock to you you’ll find out your mistake in the end,” said Bob. “Ah, yes, perhaps,” said the Mexican, blowing a ring of smoke and watching it float off with a Wavy motion in the air. “You do not know me, Senor Americano. We Mexicans are not easily turned from any object we set our hearts upon. I have not come all the way from Chihuahua to return empty-handed. You will sell me the stock at my price or I will—but no matter. I will leave you now to think my offer over. Fifteen cents a share will stand till our next interview. After that, if you remain“‘obstinate, I shall not pay so much. erhaps you think I can do nothing that will force you to come to terms. In-that case you have something yet to learn, and that is there are more ways than one of killing a cat.” With those significant words, Senor Lopez picked up the lamp and quitted the room, locking the door after him. “And you have something to learn, too,” mut- ~ tered Bob, “and that is, an American boy is the equal of any two rascally Mexicans like yourself.” Bob felt of his bonds to see how he was secured. A strong, thin rope was wound twice around his body and knotted over his breast. The two ends were of sufficient length to pass under the cot and = be knotted out of his reach. Bob saw that he was effectually secured to the bed, for though his arms were at liberty, there was no possible way of un- tying a knot, the ends of which he could not reach. While he was considering the helplessness of his position he suddenly thought of the knife he had» in his pocket. 4 “Lopez wouldn’t have left that in my pocket surely,” he thought, “because any fool could see that all I had to do was to get it. out and cut my- self loose.” Bob thrust his hand in his pocket on the chance that the Mexican had not searched him, and his heart gave a hopeful bound when he found the knife there. — “The best-laid schemes often go wrong, owing to some little blunder,” he said, as he pulled the _ knife out, opened it and cut the cord. In a few,minutes he was free of his bonds. The locked door still barred his escape from the room, ~ and ‘that was not an easy problem to overcome. — He pulled his match-safe from his potket and struck a light. In his horizontal position on-the cot he had caught but an imperfect sight of the room under the lamplight. He had ma it was not large and meagerly furnished. After inspecting the rcom he went to one — window and ily pushed the sash up. : rey a {

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14 Was no moon, but the/ night was not so dark but he could make out considerable. The room he was confined in was on the third floor at the rear. There were houses all around, each having its own yard. - “T know what I’ll do, if that rope that held me to the cot is long enough, I’ll secure one end of it to the end of the cot, drop the rest out of the win- dow and slide down to thé window below. If the indow is not locked I’ll get into the room and en Ill have the run of the house. By usin aution I ought to be able to make my escape,’ ‘ said Bob to himself. = He lost no time in putting this plan in opera- : tion. CHAPTER XI.—Bob Makes His Escape. The rope eo to be amply long enough for the purpose Bob had in view, and in a few minutes he was standing on the stone coping in front of the window below. The room was dark. Holding . on to the line with one hand, he tried the sash. : Tt was not locked} and yielded readily to his touch. He was soon in the room and he shut the window again. “Luck is running my way ~~ Striking a match he found t he was in a well- furnished square room, having two windows. On , the top of the bureau lay a loaded revolver. Bob quickly snatched it up. came forward quickly to see who was going out Bob had unbarred the } outer door and was in the act of unlocking 1 when the servant came upon him so Suddenly that Lopez. “Oho! #1 see who you are. are/you? How in creation did room? Come along, I’ve nabl r= at

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~The boy saw he had to act quickly and effectively he would not get away, though on the very eshold of liberty. Bob was strong and active, grabbing the servant he swung him around “and tripped him up on the floor. As the chap fell, Bob turned to the door, unlocked and pulled it open. The servant reached for his leg, seized and shouted for help. Bob kicked, but couldn’t ake off his-grip. Hearing a rush of feet in the all he became desperate. Drawing the revolver, ® shoved it toward the servant. “Let go, you rascal, or I’ll blow your roof off!” he said. _ The startled servant let go and Bob dashed out of the door, ran down the short flight of stone Steps to the sidewalk and darted off down the Street. He disappeared around the near-by cor- Ner before the people at the gambling house found “out what the trouble was about. After running - a whole block and finding he was not pursued, Bob stopped and looked around to find out where 2 was. He saw he was in the residential section Jersey City, and getting his bearings - he arted for home, very thankful at having extri- ted himself from the Mexican’s clutches. At he first corner liquor store he passed the clock nside showed him that the hour was five in the <n i: “I wonder if my folks know I’ve been out = rom the theater they probably don’t know. I ope they don’t, otherwise they sure would -be ied.” Wo : got to sleep, ‘ ce he ha _- through was calculated to give him considerable ood for thought. Senor Lopez had proved him- elf to be a dangerous schemer, chances to achieve his purpose. eraled him, but the question was would he try ne other trick with the same end in view. “J shall certainly call on’ the police and swear a warrant for that man’s arrest,” said Bob. ‘e can be held for abducting me if he is arrested. is impossible for me to put the authorities onto t gambling-house, ‘for I was in such a hurry to away that I didn’t ‘take notice of the number the street. A detective might be able to find for I can tell pretty near where it is. I have thing to do with the house, only with Senor :. He ought to be landed behind the bars for What he did to mte, as well as to keep him from re- eating the trick in some other way.” Bob didn’t turn up for breakfast at all, and his : did not disturb him. When he appeared at dinner table, he made up for the breakfast he ad. He told his mother that he was out very wai t8 not tell her anything that had hap- sd m. After dinner he went to police and made his complaint against x Lopez, furnishing his description, and such particulars as were necessary. A detective THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY _ He started to drag Bob* away from the door. : no salad 15 CHAPTER XII.—Bob Catches on to Another Tip. $ Bob appeared in Wall Street next morning at half-past nine and went to the little bank to con- tinue his speculative career. H. & G. had dropped somewhat from its high standing which the syndicate had boosted it into, and was slowly sinking back to its former level. . There was nothing to do but watch the black- board, and talk to several of the customers of the house. When he got home he found a letter had arrived from the secretary of El Cortez Silver Mining Co. It was in English, on the lithographed paper of the company, and was signed by Remulo Pacheco. The secretary, after saying he had no knowledge of the. first letter written by Bob proceeded to inform him that ry the report he had seen concerning the discovery of a rich silver vein in the mine was correct. He said the mine had been a disappointment up to the moment when the discovery was made, since % which time it had jumped into popular fayor in . the district.. The stock which heretofore had been a drug on the market at ten cents, Mexican stand- ~ ard, had jumped to $1, with every prospect of * going higher. He requested Bob to send on his ea certificates by express to have them transferred to his,name on the company’s books, when new certificates would be forwarded to him. If Bob wanted to sell any or all of his stock at the market price he could guarantee him $1 Mexican, a share, which would be $10,000 and something over ‘in American money. The secrétary con- cluded by saying that the company was about. to get out a new ‘issue of stock, to sold at the market price, for the purpose of raising needed. money for the purpose of new machinery, and — the erection of a smelter on the ground. A por- — tion of this new stock would be offered for sale in the United States. The letter was highly satisfactory to Bob. He now had definite and authoritative information” about the mine. He saw he had made a good thing by buying the 10,000 shares. from Broker Epstein. What he gave $10 for now had a market value in Mexico of $5,000, American money. Such a bargain had probably neveybeen ~~ secured in Wall street before, and if a reporter got hold of the story it certainly would be pub-_ lished. Next day he called on Broker Fink and — showed him the letter. Fink told him that he had — phenomenal luck. : “That deal ee made with Epstein is bourid to come out, and then he’ll be the most disgusted - man in the Street,” he said. “Did you get a re- ceipt from Epstein for the $10, stating what you — bought for it?” * : , “No.” = - “Then I advise you to do it right away. It will — be well for you to have somg evidence that the transfer of the stock was a bona-fide one, involy- ing a financial consideration, otherwise Epstein, who is certain to be much put out when he how you got the better of him, might give you considerable trouble. He might assert that he never sold you the shares for $10, on the ground that the price was ridiculously low, though at th time you made the deal with him the stock had value in this country, and hasn’t pe ¥ Ae Mow y ie |b y a ead it ay Lavra sem OF rr. peer rt wed ee We Wr a Ax ihet' Se i *

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16 _* this moment for that matter. Be sure and date the receipt on the day you did business with him.” “T shall follow your advice, but I’ll have to think up some excuse for asking him for the re- ‘ceipt at this time,” said Bob. ; “Tell him you are going to sell the stock if you can, and you want evidence to show that you have the right to do it. It’s rather a fishy excuse when the certificates involved are supposed to be + worthless, but still you have the right to a re- ceipt for the money you paid him,” said Fink. When Bob left Fink’s office he took his bundle of certificates, which he had already addressed - . to the secretary of El Cortez Silver Mining Co., at Chihuahua, to the Broadway office of a large _- express’ company, insured them for $10,000, and ‘sent them to their destination, with mstructions to get new certificates for them. Then he called rh at SRpstein’s office. He had made out a receipt for the $10, stating that it represented the pur- chase price for 10,000 shares of El Cortez Silver Mining Stock. He asked the broker to sign it. “What shall I sign that for?” said the broker. “You’ve got the stock, haven’t you?” : “Yes; and you’ve got my $10, haven’t you?” said Bob. “Well, I’ve got to show what I spent - that money for.” j The broker grinned. a “Who, have you got to account “parents?” ne Ee “Never mind that, Mr. Epstein. Just John Hancock to that receipt,’and you bly save me some trouble.” ie : “Oh, if it’s as bad as that I’ll sign it. I sup- _- pose your people think you got those certificates Be for nothing and are trying to make $10 on them.” He signed the receipt and handed it to Bob. Thank you, sir. Now, I'll tell you the reason Jwanted it. Since I bought that dead stock from ou, I heard that the mine is not so dead as we = 2s 3 : to for it; your ut your 1 proba- Seat ; ey Ese “Eh?” exclaimed Epstein, pricking up his ears. “J wouldn’t be surprised if I will be able to sell that stock on the Curb some day at a considerable Taq Wee “What are you trying to give me, young man?” . “Pm giving you my Fen on the subject. I told ou that my late boss, Mr. Hutchings, made me aaa of 10,000 shares of that stock for noth-\ ing. He said it had no present value, but he-~ t it might acquire a value some time in ~ ” “He: told Yes. Mx gri ought that a good-joke. _ “Now I looked the mine up and found that it was situated in thg silver district of El Madre mi in range. There are productive mines all , around jit. Under such circumstances, why houldn’t there be “silver in it as well as in the ove “527? “There was silver in it once, but it has been yorked out these fifty years.” ell, the company that was formed to reopen d which issued that stock B sold me, 3 istence if come into ex ce if the promot- ve reason for believing there wag THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY ‘syndicate had been formed to corner and boom — PER SAO he Ree Epstein grinned again. “Young man you have a lot to learn about the mining business. Companies are often formed and — exploited merely for the purpose of selling stock to gudgeons. The money received from the sale of such stock is not sunk in a dead mine but is used to enrich the promoters. The officers get the money, and the outside stockholders get, the — experience.” ; a “That often happens, I admit; but in this case if those shares you sold me for $10 should some day, bring me in $10,000, I’d have the money and you’d have the experience, isn’t that so?” 5 “As the case stands, however, I think I have the money and you have the experience,” grinved — Epstein. 2 “T disagree with you. It is my opinion that I made a good thing out of you when I bought those certificates for $10.” ; The broker laughed. | “Tf those cetificates ever get a market value, bring them back to me and I’ll buy them back— perhaps.” ‘ , Mr. Epstein turned to his desk, which was a | signal that the interview was over, whereupon — Bob said good-day, and took his leave. That day an idea occurred to Bob. When he went home he wrote a letter to the secretary of El Cortez Silver ~ Mining Co., telling him that he had forwarded the certificates in accordance with his request. Then he said that he was contemplating opening a brokerage oflice in Wall street, and he thought it might be of advantage to the company to have a New York representative.» If the company thought well of his suggestion, he would under- take to market a certain amount of the new shares to be issued for a commission to be decided on between them. He would in that case put-the pany’s name on his office ‘door, and act as transfer agent in Wall street. eS “Tf I get a favorable reply to that ll rent an — office, and hang out my shingle,” said Bob, as he_ sealed the letter and addressed it. .“‘ ‘Robert Bar-- ton, Stocks and Bonds,’ would look very well on — the upper glass half of a door. I should then be- — gin to consider myself a person of some import-— ance in Wali street.” = a Next day Bob found out by accident that-a- a eee x L. & M. shares. He considered the information “4 is not pid pcsunrtageh ae Bob h nty of time to wa i Pg eae 5 ie little bank every da and mained there during the five hours the Stock.

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pulse of the market. Several days had now ed since his adventure in the gambling: house, the police had not succeeded in catching Lo- nor, to his knowledge, had they found and d the gaming establishment. The Mexican judged it prudent to keep out of sight, and b hoped he had seen the last of him. A week ed and L. & M., after dropping three points the price at which Bob had purchased his es, recovered and went up to 92, As every rise meant a gain of $500 for the young ator, Bob was at this point $1,000 ahead of game. = ~ PTER XIII.—Bob Opens An Office In Wall Street. urning home one abate well “pisased the prospect ahead, he found another letter — secretary of El Cortez Mining Co. g him. An express package containing ‘new Paantticates that had been issued to him, ( name on them, had aiso been delivered a house. The secretary acknowledged the tipt of his second letter ahd said that his tion to act as the company’s Wall street was favorabl considered by the president lirectors, and that as soon as he advised the y that he had opened his office, arrange- would be entered into with him. That any move toward renting an office until -he out the deal he was now engaged in. lid not have long to wait, for on Wednésday ¢ following week, L. & M,, after advancin wly to 95, took a sudden jump to par. Bo k that as indication that the boom had started, he got ready to sell at short notice. On sday the price went to 106 and a fraction. oung speculator concluded to take no m0 higher. As a matter of fact it did go Yr, but Bob sold out at once aia a profit le over $8,000. rath a capital of $14, 000 odd, nd stated to find all office for himself. It was not so hard to Single rooms as the customary suites of two, or more rooms that people with an estab- iness had to have; but even a small et, than Bob felt he could afford to pay... Ac- tingly he looked around among the smaller ler buildings ‘on Wall street and found a , and which he was able to coming May, and paying down the first - s tent, Bob proceeded to furnish his room a desk, a rug, a small table, several chairs, d-hand safe, and such other articles as he d indispensable. He had a ticker in- nd ed ding furnished telephone ser- inter put his name on the door, ad ag Stocks and Bonds.” He bought necessary books, and ag cards, letter -and some other smal! in Fig delivered. As soon as THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY 17 ‘Bob first rate, but he did not intend to chances, although the stock seemed likely , a sky-scraper cost A ape omg a more, in be a broker, in the building attracted some atten- tion, and the other tenants wondered who the new party was. Some of them caught sight of Bob going in and out and concluded that he was a junior clerk who combined with his other work the duties of messenger. One morning‘ two clerks’ came along just as Bob was opening up, and they stopped, one of them saying “Helio! Whd’s the hew broker?” “Want to Know real bad?” asked Bob. “It’s no particular interest to us, but I guess our boss is curious on the subject,” replied the clerk. “Then tell\ your boss to come in and introduce himself.” “You’ve got a mighty small office for your budi- ness,” said the clerk. # Sl large enough for the present,” answeréd 0 ‘Which means that your boss isn’t doing much business, eh? Are you the whole clerical force?” “Yes, I’m the whole shooting-match.” “Where did your boss come from? Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St.- Louis,: _Denver, Geld- field or Hoboken?” ““\“My boss! <I haven’t got one.” “You haven’t got one! What do you mean by that?” “Just what I said. I am my own boss.” “How? 997 “My name is Bpb Barton, and this is miy office.” “Oh, come now, do you expect us to believe that you’re a broker?” “It’s a matter of indifference to me whether you believe it or not. The clerks looked at each other. ~ “What ‘kind of a game are you trying to — s us out?” said the spokes 3 “As you seem to doub bt my statements, we are only wasting time standing here. I’ve got some- : thing better to do. Good morning.” = Bob passed into his office and shut the door. Le “He’s a fresh lobster. Come on,” said tha clerk who had been doing the talking, and the two clerks walked on to their own off ce. That afternoon Will came im after five, Bob waiting for him by arrangement. ; “Say, you’re going some,” said Will, taking in the room, “You must be ae money on the market.” ' = “T hayen’t lost any yet.” : ae “Expect to build up a. businers?”’ -s er “Ves.” 2 : “It will take you some time, I guess.” = <y “T’ve got lots of time ahead of me.” “You have money enough to run the os but hgw about the knowledge and experience?” “T’m not losing any sleep on that score.” “Well, you certainly have a good supply of nerve.” = “Yes, I guess I have =e share of it. A fellow needs pea of it in Wall race ane good supply of er.” ; _ of trying. You’d- stands ‘a much better poe | ; you were a bit older. $e look = i ax : pose as a broker.” : i ae isn’t pain’ *

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18 know where you can find $15,000 I’ll take you in with me. I wouldn’t make that offer to every- body.” “You are safe in making it to me. I couldn’t find $1,500, let alone $15,000. By the way, do you know that Parsons was bounced out of his job?” “No. Is that so? -I can’t say I’m surprised. You know I told you I saw him in that Jersey City private gambling house. He had a roll of the firm’s money, and stood every chance of , losing it. Did you hear why he was fired?” “No, but it was undoubtedly for cause, Are you still hanging on to your mining stock the see ,Was so eager to get away from. you?” ek gm.” — “You say it’s worth a dollar a share in Mex- ico?” ; “So the secretary of the company informed me, but a Mexican dollar, you know, isn’t worth more than fifty-three or four cents.” : “No matter what it’s worth, you are away ahead on the stock. The old trader’s legacy has turned up trumps for you.” eee “Tt represents $5,000 at this moment, and the . - other bunch of El Cortez I got for a $10 note is ay worth as much.” > : “You got it from Epstein “Yes,” : ; “I never heard of anything getting away from him before. He’ll be a wild man when he learns _ how you turned the trick on him.” “He wasn’t asleep when he let me. have the stock. He was glad to get it out of his office at any price. He regarded those certificates as so much waste paper. In any event, he isn’t out by the transaction The stock didn’t belong to him _. but to a customer who-has long since fovgante -- about them.” “Nevertheless he’ll have a fit over the matter.” “That isn’t my funeral. My mother has said more than once_if you keep a thing long enough you'll find use for it. On that principle it some- times pays to hold on to dead mining chares.” “Tt has in this case. Do you think there is any more of the stock in Wall street?” é -_ “Tf I knew where I could find any I’d try and buy it.” “For old paper?” grinned Will. 3 “For the lowest price the owner would take. - That's business. The right way to deal in all stocks is to buy as low as you can and sell as __high as you can.” - Bob shut up his desk and said he guessed he’d zo home, so the boys left the office together. Next y Bob took a flyer on C. & B, because it looked active He ht 700 shares at 82%. Two days later he sold it at 835%, making $700 profit. On the following morning he received a letter from Chihuahua which contained his official appoint- _ merit as Wall street representative of E] Cortez mine. He was told that he would be expected to try and work off 50,000 shares of the new issue of stock at a figure approximating the Chihuahuan st rate. A transfer book and a sufficient A of certificates signed in blank by the officers would et for the stock 97 : THE OLD TRADER’S’ LEGACY means he saw fit to arouse public interest in th mine. The secretary mentioned the commission | the company would allow him on all stock he sold, which he was to deduct from the money received by him. The commission was larg enough to meet the expense of a reasonable™ amount of advertising. The documents sent him embraced a history of the mine, a sworn state- ment of the assays made of specimens submitted of the ore discovered, ard other facts of import- ance. They were printed in Spanish, but a writ- ten translation accompanied them. Bob prepared a statement, which he had type- written in manifold, ani he mailed it to all the daily papers of importance, and al! the financial journals for them to publish if they saw fit to~ do so. He sent for a sign painter to place the —_ wing oe door: ‘Office o Cortez Silver Mining Compan Chihuahua, Mexico.” . ee = He got out a circular embodying all the facts sent to the papers, and stating that El Cortez stock would shorily be offered at fifty cents a share. at the company’s New York office, Room 236 Hancock Building, Wall street. He mailed these to all the Curb brokers. He also inserted the following advertisement in several Wall street papers: - : Peer SF see es and Bonds. office o ortez Silver Mining Company, of | Chihuahua, Mexico. Room 236 Sienatek Building, Wall street. We will be pleased to furnish in- — formation about any staple mining property in Mexico. Mexican mining shares dealt in. Also Western mining stocks. Railroad, Industrial and _ Government securities beught and sold on com- mission.” Bas = New York He forwarded a copy of his advertisement and ~ printed matter to the secretary of El Cortez Co. ; to show him that he was in the game for all it was worth. } re CHAPTER XIV.—Bob Has a Run-in With Broker Epstein. ee ae Bs ; — ~ On the following morning about el *clocn, while Bob was seats at his desk “Tendie cae y financial news, the door opened and Broker ae SS a came in. He didn’t look pleasant. 3 q “Good morning, Mr, Epstein,” said Bob po. litely. “Make yourself at home.” ss “Huh!” snorted the trader. office, have you?” “Looks like it, doesn’t it?” ae a3 “Look here,” said the broker, flourishing the ¢ cular he had received from Bob in the morning's 3 mail under the boy’s nose, “what does this tom. - fool thing mean? What do you mean by a tising that you are the New York agen wild-cat Mexican mining company, and that stock of this company will be “So you’ve got an Ke

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s to e how rich it is? Don’t you know this Lent get you into all kinds of trouble? this the little scheme you had in view when you those certificates from me for next to ing??? cp “Dear me, Mr. Epstein, why don’t you put one Question at a time? How do you expect me to ‘Yemember and answer so many? However, I will do my best. Sit down and curb your excitement.” _“You’ve got a nerve to call yourself a broker, said Epstein, sitting down and glaring at Bob. “T think I have a right to start out for myself if I ean. Everybody is entitled to a fair show in this world, whether in Wall Street or elsewhere. Z “Bah! Do you think Wall Street is a brokers kindergarten?” : : z wa ln There’s nothing of the kindergarten . ‘about this office, Everything about it indicates ' *yeal business. But to answer your questions. You asked me first what this circular of mine means. In reply Iwill say that it means just what it ‘says. El Cortez Silver Mining Company is not a ~ *wild-cat concern but a real company which owns - areal mine. The company has been working that " Mime, as the circular states, at a loss for five - years, but on the date specified a rich vein of sil- ‘Yer was uncovered in a new tunnel that was being ae: ed into the bowels 6f Los Diablos mountain. Set 3 -diseovery naturally was very gratifying to _ the promoters. who had sunk,a_ considerable amount of their own money, as ‘well as all they yealized. from sales of the stock in their per- sistent fight for success. The assayers’ state- - ments are copies of bona-fide sworn ‘ones in - company’s possession, and when published in the Mexican papers, in connection with the report of - the ore discovery, caused the price of the stock to = mp from nothing up to a dollar a share, in By Se ican money. That’s the whole thing in a nut- hell, In reply to your last question, I will say Pax hen I bought the stock from you I had but. + ge the rfect and hazy idea of all this matter. I fe nievgn on the strength of a translated para- ~ bought 1 a Mexican paper, stating that silver geaph Srom in the El Cortez mine. You know . a er accounts are not al- “ yself that such newspap' s not al- te ave to be depended on. I took a cheap & Betta: Se tell me that El Cortez stock ; Qn . : _# Se Wiel _T’'m not, sure that I zoe ole share of it here if I offered it, think I'll be able to sell a lot of Tt is going at over $1 a share which means it is worth every » cents here. ct I shall demand o tnd tbat, fo Pe. * fio shares,” said Ep- z % , i wy ae will not be honored. You sold THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY ‘gan to arrive from a number The fact that it has: in value doesnot » i9 = dence that you made a bona-fide sale of the stock + to me. I have furnished the secretary of E)-Cor- tez Mining Co.) with a statement of how I ac- quired both blocks of the stock, and sent a photo- graph of Mr. Hutchings’ transfer and also of your receipt. If you think you can beat me, go ahead and try,” said Bob. - Broker Epstein was staggered by the cool way in which Bob presented his side of the case. But he didn’t give up the ship. “Look here, ’ll compromise the matter with you for $1,000. That will give you™$4,000 profit ac- cording to your statement,” said Epstein. “No, sir. I wouldn’t compromise the matter for a single dollar. A deal is a deal and I’m not going to reopen it./ If you had sold that stock to an- other broker on the same terms you wouldn’t have thought of going to him and making a’protest. I have just the same rights as any broker, and I shal] maintain them. If you-choose to sue me, do ae I’ve got money enough to protect my inter- ests.” Broker Epstein, finding that he was having the worst of the argument with Bob, got up, said he intended to see his lawyer right away, and left. The Bob put on his hat and went down to Fink’s office to tell him about~the interview he had» just had with Epstein. Bob had a number of visitors “3 that day—all brokers who wanted to learn the particulars about E] Cortez—that is, they wanted some better evidence than the circular itself. Bob showed them the confirmatory letters he had re- ceived from the company’s secretary, and other — documents bearing on the subject. ee: They went.away satisfied thag El Cortez had come to life, as dead mines had n occasionally ° known to do before. In a day or two letters be- . > | of people askin e about El Cortez mine and other Mesiae riesioee Be properties. Bob forwarded each of them a cir-~ cular, and promised the other information later, — He wrote to the secretary of E! Cortez Co., tell- ing him that he was receiving queries about Mex- jean mines in general, and wished to be able to 4 answer such questions right off the reel, so he f§ ~ would like to have some statisties on the subject. ~~ The secretary sent him a lot of mining statis= ~ © tics, printed im Span‘sh, which would necessitate - ~ him consulting a translator to pick out and write down whatever ke wanted-to know. In the mean-~ > time Bob noticed indications in-the financial pa- pers that copper stocks Were likely to advance in price for reasons given. So much was'said about the encouraging outlook for Idaho Copper, which was selling for $5 a share, that Bob bought 1,500 _ shares of it outright. In a few days everything E in the copper line began to advance. Idaho gradu- _. Q ally went to $8 a share, where it came to anchor, > Then Bab sold out and added $4,500 to his capital, * & . Qt.

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*20 in hand, he wrote out an advertisement and in- Serted it in three of the Sunday dailies. He offered the stock for sale at 50 cents cash, *_or 60 cents on the installment plan of ten cents a month. In the latter case the certificates would not be delivered until the last payment had been made. He sent another circular letter to the Curb brokers announcing that El Cortez stock was on tap at his office, where brokers receiving or- ders for it could send and get it on payment of the price. ; Eis first advertisement brought him orders for 5,060 shares, and he repeated the advertisement on the following Sunday. In the course of three weeks he sold half of the allotment and sent the net proceeds to the company. One day a red- whiskered man with a sandy complexion came in his office and introduced himself as Harvey Birch. ‘He said he hailed from the West and owned a controlling interest in a gold and silver mine ealled the Punchinello. He claimed that the mine was a winner, but owing to lack of funds he and his partner could do nothing with it. He showed Bob a number of rich ore samples, and an as- sayer’s certificate. Then he got.down to business. He wanted Bob to assume the role of promoter for - the mine. . “You, me and my pard will meet in your office, form a company, and elect ourselves the officers,” ‘ihe ‘Said. “You will advance the-money to pay for a a thousand or two blank certificates with the name =. Prnchinello printed on it. We’ll sign them, and then you advertise the stock and offer it for sale. ‘You will keep a quarter of the money for your trouble, and me and my pard will take the rest West and dewslen the mine with it. How does that strike you? : ee - “Tt doesn’t strike me*at all,” replied Bob. “I’m _ not in the promotion business. about your mine except what you have told me, and that’s no real evidence at all. The specimens you have shown me are so good that I wonder you can’t find a dozen mining capitalists West who would be glad to go in with you and work your property or who would organize a leasing -eompany to develop it on favorable terms, The visitor said he and his partner had been pproached by capitalists, but the monéyed men would not touch the mine without getting the con- trolling interest and that he didn’t propose to ive up. | - Well you know your business. At any rate ou can’t do any busisess with me. I have to look after my Mexican interests.” _ Mr. Birch looked disappointed, and after some more unproductive talk took his leave. Bob went out shortly afterward and saw his late visitor talking to Mr. Epstein. He passed close enough them to hear Epstein say; o he wouldn’t bite, eh?” : - should say not,” answered Birch. “If you him for a fool you’re entirely wrong in your ate of him. You'd better think up something 5? 54 : . - ‘That was enough to convince Bob that:Epstein had tried to spring a gone on him, which, of e, had failed. He chuckled to think that the ee fooled himself. When he got back cr pee Spey 4 icttia. an She floor been delivered by the postman. One « man who signed himself Ed- THE OLD TRADER’S LEGACY I know nothing’ Next week’s issue will contain “A of DIAMONDS; OR, THE TREASURE or ward Smith, asked him to call at his room in @ house on the East side with certain particulars about El] Cortez mine, as he had an idea of buying 1,000 shares.. Bob had no intention of obliging him or anybody else making such a request. ; the man wanted the stock he must call at his office and get the particulars there. One thing that attracted Bob’s notice was that the letter’ was written in a foreign hand that looked fa- miliar to him. “Where have I seen that writing before?” he asked himself. ; Then he recollected the letter written by Lo- pez he had found in the pocketbook on board the ferryboat. 5 “T’ll bet that rascal wrote it under the name of Smith, and it is a trap to get me to his room,” he thought. ; ' = After some thought he decided to call on Smith | and take a detective with him. He called at po- lice headquarters and told the officer he saw about the letter and that he believed it was writ- }- ten by Manuel Lopez, his enemy, who was wanted §- by the Jersey City, police. ~ ; “T want to take a detective with me, for I’m certain it’s a trap to catch me. If the man is Ae Ea it’s a good chance to arrest him,” said ob. , An officer was detailed to accompany him. When he reached the house he asked for Smith and was told he occupied the back room on the third floor and was in. Bob and the detective went up together. The latter stood aside while Bob knocked. “Come in,” said a voice. Bob walked in and found himself face to fa with Lopez and another strange Mexican. “Glad to see you, Senor Barton,” said the ras- oa, seizing him, while the other man locked the co. r. Bob freed one arm and smashed Lopez in the face, knocking him backward. Then he drew his revolver, and covering the men, backed up to the door and opened it. > “Come in,” he said to the officer. “There’s your man. Arrest him.” — Lopez tried to make his escape but was quickly ~ handcuffed to his confederate. The pair were then marched to headquarters. “Lopez was afterwards taken to Jersey City, subsequently tried for ab- duction and sent to the State prison. Before he reached that end, Bob had sold every share of El Cortez stock sent him by the company, and estab- lished a good reputation with the officers. In the course of some months the output from © the mine was so good that the price went up to $2. a share in Mexico, Bob got the stock listed on the Curl, and it was dealt in right along at from $1 to $1.25 a share. At the next election of the stockholders of the mining company, Bob. od proxies from most of the American shareholders, and visiting Chihuahua voted them with his own 20,000 shares and had himself elected a director Subsequently, when the directors met, he was _ elected second vice-president. Thus he secured a voice in the affairs of the now prosperous mine which had come to him as the old trader’s le : ¥ sore

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E WHISKY 4 CENTS A DRINK. 00d whisky was quoted in Philadelphia Febru- 26 at a little more than 4 cents a drink. A sl of it could be bought for $120 and a gallon for $3. Pure alcohol brought 40 cents a gallon. Ju J. Whitaker Thompson, in Federal Dis- ‘ ourt, fixed the price in an-order to Leo A. ossen, Supervising Prohibition Agent, ordering im to sell seven barrels of whisky and seven of cohol, confiscated~in transit from owners who ed guilty to violation of the prohibition and had been fined. It was allotted to hos- s in Philadelphia, Norristown and Reading. ae TO EXTERMINATE SQUIRRELS. e extermination of ground squirrels from + 209,000 acres of Government land was one ‘the achievements ofthe U. S. Biological Sur- during the last fiscal year. Of this area about 00 acres are on the Fort Totten Indian. reser- ion in North Dakota, and the rest mainly on Modoc, California, and Sequoia National for- s. In North Dakota, where the work has been ed on in co-operation with the State experi- ent station, no less than five-eighths of a ton strychnine has been used in the northern part the State, seven counties having been sys- atically covered with poison, _ THE SWISS LAKES DISGORGE RELICS. ‘The recent drought in Switzerland has lowered lakes so much that arehaeologists are having eat opportunity to examine the old lacustrine pile dwellings which date back to the Stone e. Old pottery is being discovered in_two @ dwellings revealed on the shores of Lake uchatel, says a cablegram to the New York s, and hundreds of piles in perfect preserva- and on which these dwellings originally d are now clearly visible. Many persons volunteered help for excavating the re- ins of these ancient dwellings, which, accord- to Dr. Kellerchief, the Swiss authority on the , ceased to be inhabited about the first tury of the Christian era. Numerous boats, ch apparently were wrecked and sunk in past es, are now visible. THOUGHT HE HAD MURDER CASE. ! Dy. Paul H. Robison, deputy coroner of In- : ag aap recently on the trail of a regular der. e coroner’s office was notified by Bert Witte, a farmer living near Stop 5, on the wille interurban trolley line, that a box_con- taining a body had been found by George A. Bush, ther farmer of the vicinity. . Robison made a hurried trip to the woods -o handkerchiefs and e the body was buried, on of valuable clues to the murder. found the box described by Bush and an ration’ brought to light some bones in an old blanket. The bones resembled young ” EAMIT AND “FORTUNE © WEEKLY CURRENT NEWS e the body was supposed to be and found an _ child, but a careful investiga- tion disclosed the skull of a collie dog, the murder theory completely. See ; HOW TO DRIVE A SCREW INTO STO} WALL, on oe Housekeepers who live in houses wit Ler brick-or stone walis usually find it shag Ginieala to hang pictures or brackets in their rooms even when they have succeeded in drilling or chise‘ine a hole in the concrete or brick, writes FP. J. Holmés in the Popular Science Monthly. Neither nails nor screws will héld in these holes, which necessarily must be made quite large. : Electricians who are called upon to attach elec- tric-light fixtures to such walls usually drill holes fill them with lead and fasten the screws in the lead. Sometimes they use what is called expan- sion sleeves, which are so designed that the screw as it is screwed into the sleeve, causes the part of the sleeve furthest away from the surface to expand, thus taking firm hold of the surround- ing concrete or brick. All housekeepers who are not expert electrical workers should try steel wool, such as is used for scouring metal surfaces. This furnishes an excellent substitute for lead filling or expansion. sleeves. The hole should be drilled to the depth of at least 1 inch and wide enough to ho'd a suffi- Sere large screw. Then place*a wad of steel wool in the hole and drive your screwthrough the nei into the meer Ae wil find it impossible to ull a serew fastened in this manner out Pole with your hands. oe WHAT IS DRY ROT? The term “dry rot,” the Forest Products Labora- tory finds, is applied by many persons to any. de- cay which is found in wood in a comparatively dry situation. Thus loosely used the term actu- ally includes all decay in wood, since wood kept sufficiently wet cannot decay. P a In the more limited sense in which patholo- gists use the term, “dry rot” applies only to the work of a certain house fungus called Merulius lachrymans. This furgus gains its distinction from the fact that it is frequently found grow- ing in timbers without any apparent moisture supply; in reality it does not grow without mois- ture and is as powerless as any other fungus to infect thoroughly dry wood. Given moist wood in which to germinate ,it is able to make its way a surprisingly long distance in dry timbers, draw- ing the water it needs from the moist wood through 4 conduit system of slender, minutely porous strands. Wood in the typical advanecd stare of dry rot is shrunken, yellow to brown in color, and filled with radial and. longitudinal - 25 shrinkage cracks, roughly forming’ cvbes. In’ many ‘instances these cracks are filled with a white felty mass, the interwoven strands of the fungus. It is destructive to timbers and logs in storage. Soft woods are more commonly infected by it than hard woods. as a Re ‘The dry rot fungus is active in nearly every es: gy region of this country, in Canada; and in Europe. — t+

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— | : i a A f th , f I : +k A Lawyer At , Nineteen Sniffen is 2 villain” out of the way, for I t ew ascertained from the clerk that the case OR : would not be reached for at least twenty minutes, ae seas air, of sort sands was rather close, walked out into t ido: d ed ; FIGHTING AGAINST A FRAUD Semen ee te ee ee ve The corridor was being decorated and other- Wise undergoing alterations, and scaffoldings By GASTON GARNE stood at various points for the use of the work- . a ‘ men. Lew paced up and down the long hallway sey- (A. Serial Story) eral timed, thinking deeply over the case he was é / spout to ae and when an idea gs 3 into a = : z: e leaned up against some o e scaffolding, ae 2 . CHAPTER VIL. lees out his notebook and began to jot down the -- (Why the Winslow Cage Was Halted—Drake idea. i : = ~ i “ Then he became! aware of voices speaking on ee Pecaities Sniffen to Get Law Out of Way. the other side of the mass of timbers. 3 Upstairs flew the vi lawyer and soon had Without any intention or esire of listening to ee the 7 ey aoe an the. toate ohn Seribner was’ What. was said, Lew plainly heard the conversa- “lifted up carefully, taken to his private office and tion, etme A it was carried on in low tones, « _ Maid on a lounge, and a telephone message sent es Bi self.” ~ at once for a private ambulance to convey him Se oe ee ar here?” - home. Then he turned to Lew, and held out the i wvhat are you doing, here? bundle of papers relating to the Winslow case. agnlled for jury duty.” _.- “Do the best you can,” he said. ‘een, here all the week? ~~~ “Do you, mean that I shall try the case?” de- “Yes, Sie ag cuige --_-‘manded the astonished young man, for the es Br heiress espn a. “— zw. i j in : e . Ss ; i : ot be Well, -Bill, I think you’re a man who knows Pi. eae : R deg ed Ss. — eae ws it. the —. of a ae _ if _ get ee igh et : ; ; case to-day and vo e right way I'll see pA eS sete Doe gare. fne marsas oF smashing <ie it’s worth not less than two hundred to you, and- if the verdict is made a big one through you standing out for a substantial amount it might be a good deal more than that.” é = “That sounds good, and 2 a 1 try to,” said Lew. d At ee ett EE ee were tie : 2 ¥ " * : : : th terrupted by a peculiar sneeze, the most peculiar ; Se ee Snr candies Lew had ever heard, for it was more like three “es ‘the door talking with Mirna ake: successive hisses than an ordinary sneeze. 9 : “Sniffen greeted him with a friendly smile. _- | “Come to the end of the corridor, Bill,” said_ “This ig Mr, Rapd, I believe?” he said. the first ees “where we can talk this jhing _ “That is my natne,” answered Lew. over quietly.” | ae : . insl “All. sight,” said the other, apd then Lew a See te a here to see if the = ow i move away from the other side of thes ht.” : ; seaffolding. 7a = Well, it te likely to comie on in a few min. | The young lawyer = nee peoee fo ‘make: 4 The judge is hearing or three motions, him desire to see the faces of the two men who © ph cannat fake more than fifteen or twenty had been talking, and quiokly, bit quietly, he © utes, and then our case will come on. Are you _ — pepe the —— oe — ee: me a : assiat i ; tri e st roun scaffolding, and “had — 2m, ge z: evens: 45, -vos pate vs caught a _ glimpse +7 oe of the men as the = “Mr. Scribner ; ; 5 aaa two were walking towards rear of the co the w Ay to COU, asd Enos ation ante a dor, when something hit him on one shoulder “wi n 4 . knocked him down. : : Lew was not much hurt, and felt nothing rious than a bruised sensation in one sho but when ue Aeees for the two men’ they had ‘appeared m view. , == "Then Lew looked to seé what had strutk and saw a heavy pail lying on its side on the floo It was very big, and was half filled with morta: and the young lawyer realized that if it had st _ him on the head instead of on the shoulder that ‘might have been badly hurt. ~ . \ it Smnollett case.” ; ” A a a for your ects apes

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Wi ae oe = x ‘FAME A NINE-FOOT SKELETON. opening a mound near Greensburg, Pa., the or of the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, olland, unearthed a skeleton between eight Nine feet tall. The mound was 100 feet long dd more than 12 feet high. The most interest- feature in the recent excavation was the ummified torso of a human body at least 4,000 ars old. The parts of the skeleton were shipped | the Carnegie Museum. . ABOUT SHAKING HANDS. nething about a man’s health may. be told the way he shakes hands. The firm, hearty shake of a sincere man may be rather tough, at one is taught he has a grip, but it indi- S stamina. While denoting absence of tact fefinement, it points to physical strength. ® flabby hand that returns no pressure belongs the person who has no great strength of body mind. The quick, nervous temperament, and | Opposite. the nerveless, passive one, belong to ns in ill health. The hand that threatens to se means fear. The feel of the hand called atic indicates health and kindness, and a @ to help others. _ PERMANENT SPRINKLING. is possible many of our réaders have won- at the appearance of the tracks at the sub- Stations in New York City. There is usually ealistic Christmas snow on the tracks, but the erborough Comp2ny has a method in this arti- Snow system. The road-bed around each sta- is spread with calcium chloride’ which has a property of drawing moisture out of the nd turning gradually from a white powder drops of liquid which remain in this condi- ‘or months, This serves to hold the dust and like the sprinkling of a dusty street. ling of trains through the stations have or no effect on this deposit. hu GYPSIES GOT HIS MONEY. _ Annie Judge and Maria Yonko, young gypsies, ere held in $3.000 each by Magistrate Douras er day, after he had listened to the story Antonio de Petro, barber, of No. 10 Union 2, New York. The young women are ed with Feng larceny. onio said: = e “g ¥ are me to put all my money, $180, in my right One of them started to read the palm of rht hand. I fell into a trance. Before I ~ it the women were leaving the store. I d my money. There was $50 missing.” ‘women were arrested as they left the bar- by Detective Stanley. He said he had : several times before, but in each complainant had refused to appear i yen $50 was in Maria’s band yy ren OD +] neq eee “FORTUNE WEEKLY. | ‘THE NEWS IN SHORT ARTICLES & two women came into my place and - - the. Films—Doings of Actors pe es Fae eee oe iy? ae ees, WILL SERVE SIX eg AND GET $21,000 AY. John R, Farr, Republican, of Scranton, Pa., took his seat in the House February 26, as repre- sentative of the Tenth Pennsylvania District, as the result of action by the House last night in voting to unseat Patrick McLane, also of Scran- ton, who had held his seat throughout the present Congress. Mr. Farr will draw $21,000 salary and incidental expenses for the six days he will serve in the House. After the House voted, 161 to 121, to remove McLane the new member was immedately de- clared elected and was sworn in just before mid- night. The ‘proceedings against McLane were based on charges that he had violated the Corrupt- Practices act, and also that there had been whole- sale election frauds in his return to Congress. The remuneration that goes with Représenta- tive Farr’s six days of service results from a computation of salary and ine dental allowances to cover the entire two-year period of the Con- gress to which the House has held him to have been rightfully elected. While McLane also has _ drawn pay for the entire two years, lacking the six days remaining of the persent Congress, he is requested to make no refund, the single seat costing the Government in effect almost twice the stipulated figure. “MYSTERY MAGAZINE” SEMI-MONTHLY - 10 CENTS A COPY LATEST ISSUES 6 THE SCHEME OF SOLOMON SNARE, by William Hamilton Osborne. 6 QUICKER THAN THE EYE. by Ralph Cummins. 66 ahi Argo IN THE DARN ROOM, by Hamiltoa raigie. 7 THE TONGUE OF OSIRIS, vb DETECTIVE WADE’S BIG mon, THE SPIRIT BELL, by Charles Fulton Gurster. THE HOUSE BEHIND THF WALL, by Jalan Darrow. THE ADMIRAL'S SPOONS, by William Hamiiton Osborne. . THE CANINE CLUE. by Thos. J. Lally. THE PSYCHIC ENEMY, by Arthur Wm. Andreen, THR WONDER GIRL. by Ralph Cummins. - ON THE WRONG TRAIL, by Ethel Rosemon, THE SPIRIT WITNESS, by Chas. F. Oursler. — LITTLE WHITE ROOM. by Mare Edmund ones. 78 THE STOLEN YEAR, by Edmund Elliot. ; 79 THE AFFAIR AT HOLLYWOOD HOUSE, by "Wil- liam H. Kofoed. 80 A KEYLESS MYSTERY, by Hamilton Craigie. The Famous Detective Story Out Today In No, 81 Ig PROFESSOR SATAN By CHARLES FULTON OURSLER FRANK TOUSEY, Pub., 168 W. 234 st. N. ¥. mnie “MOVING PICTURE STORIES” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players FRICE SEVEN CENTS PER COPY = Each numbei contains Wour Stories of the Best ‘ on the Screens—Elegant f#a'f-tone Scenes mm Playe—Interesting Articles About Prominent People Mare Edmund Jones. &e 75 76, rus Studios and Lessons in Seousvin Waatien : inthe HARRY Ek. WOLFF, Pub. 166 W. 23d St., N, , r . ~s a oa ASE, by Ethe? Rose-~ +

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THE MATE’S REVENGE By HORACE APPLETON. s “Mark twenty,” sang out in sailor-like fashion the man in the chains. ‘ The noble ship Osprey was speeding along at a rapid rate, with all sail set, while there was more than usual activity aboard, and rejoicing as well. We had laid for weeks in a breathless calm on the bosom of the Pacifie Ocean. All were anxious to make the return around the Horn, finish our catch of whales, and then sajl homeward bound. I was only a boy of twélve, and no tongue can , tell how I suffered from that disease they call nostagia, or in plainer terms, home sickness, Hav- ing had my youthful imagination inflamed by the adventures: of Robinson Crusoe, Jack. Halyard, the sailor boy, and others of that class, I ran away from home, was picked up in the streets of New York by a runner and sent to New Bedford = make a whaling cruise on the Osprey as a cabin oy. a IT became a great pet of the crew, who dubbed me with the name, “Skit.” “Mark twenty-five,” again sang out the man in the chains. _ The captain had given careful instructions to use the lead, as he knew that he was sailing in the vicinity of sunken reefs. “Thump! Bang! Crash! : Without a moment’s warning, the Osprey had dashed upon the rocks, and she trembled from stem to stern, as on account of he cent speed her great hull went on mountin gher and ~ higher. “All hands on deck,” shouted Captain Osborne, a command that seemed scares necessary under the circumstances. The captain, second mate and mate stood upon - the quarterdeck. “step aft. I wish to speak to you.” The sailor edaieined stood in front of the crew and looked ‘in sullen defiance at ns captain. — “This is no time for delay. Come aft, I say.’ After some moments’ hesitation Martin stepped _ to the foot of the ladder that led to the quarer- deck, when the captain shouted to the mate: “Put ‘ irons ‘on him. e’s made a false report of the . surroundings, and run the ship on the rocks.” - E Just then the crew made a rush for the _ uarter- deck to defend their ringleader, Frank Martin, but the captain presented a brace of revolvers; and ordered the mutineers back at the peril o their Nves. _ . “Give up your sheath knife,” yelled the captain to Martin. “TY have none,” said the sailor. ‘> lie, you villain!” - With the of a tiger the sailor leaped to’ Sa cap’ and drawing a huge knife _ which he mre eemaaied on his person, he plunged it into the captain’s abdomen. + The latter fell prostrate on the deck, while the’ _ mates and watchman Raced the irons on hs FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY “Frank Martin,” spoke the captain excitedly,“ Martin. He was locked in the forecastle and heavily ironed. At once a close inspection of the vessel was ade, and it was found that she was leaking badly. The mate ordered those of the crew that he could trust to come out of the forecastle and man the pumps. “ So long as ,the sea aetet Bee calm, and by working night ‘and day at the pumps, the vessel could just about be kept at rights. But after several days of ineffectual attempts and the crew worn out and exhausted, a migh ~storm arose, the sky became inky black, the heavy} sea rolled against and over the ship, and all hope was given up that it could be saved. As the storm increased in violence and the vessel was breaking into pieces, a scene of indescribable ex citement and confusion ensued. It was a scrambl “for life. The crew took to the boats in has without regard to the safety of the officers. Down in the cabin lay Captain Osborne su fering from the wound he had received at the hands of the treacherous sailor, Frank Martin. From the hour that he had received the blow I had been his constant attendant, with an affee tion for him like that of a child for his father. Looking up at me, he said: “Well, Skit, it looks as if we must go to Davs Jones’ locker. It’s blowin’ great guns.” “Y-e-s, captain,” I managed through m ten and tears to falteringly reply. “I’m afraid we'll 43 never see home again.” erica “Where’s the mate?” - “He’s on the deck making a raft.” Ly “We never could outlive such a storm.on @ raft. It would sweep us into the sea.” Soon the mate descended into the cabin and said: jd “Well, Faptain, we must leave the ship. Wi of course, shall run great risk, but better ma the attempt than go down” with the vessel.” 3 “As you think best, mate; but if I am to die without seeing the dear ones at home once mo: Ores my choice would be to go down with the Osprey. : “We must make haste, captain. There’s nee = : moment to be lost.” And the mate picked the captain up and boted : him to the deck, where he placed him on the raft 4 that was lashed to the mast. Then rolling a barrel of water and a box filled with provisions upon the raft, the mate was about _ to cut the ropes, when the captain said: “Mate, I hear some one calling for pon se “That’s the voice of, your would-be murderer, TS Frank Martin: He’s in irons in the forecastle.” “Release him and take him on the raft. It would be equivalent to murder for,us to leave him bound.” “He richly detetues such a fate,” vopppees co mate as he hastened to the. forecastle and s returned, leading Frank to the raft, with his i handcuffs still on. Watching the opportunity when a heavy broke over the vessel, the mate cut the re and the raft floated out upon the crest of a hu w It was not a moment too soon, for / they were borne & short distance the Osprey reened over and sank into the aye between s.

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en sea, hun- Four human beings out in the 6 —s nothing but ds of miles away from land, wit Trail raft to float them. And who are its occupants? ; A sick and wounded captain stretched out and ashed down to save him from a watery grave; ? his side in sullen silence Frank Martin, Jack le, the heroic mate, and myself, a timid boy. ven as I write, with what vividness and sense alism does that experience return to me, not- standing the lepse of years. What a microcosm it was of human‘loves, hates f rest till the storm had abated For many days after we drifted and drifted i drifted, each scanning the sky with the hope “Sighting a sail, but every sunset left us still out a sail in sight and almost gvithout hope the heart. The exposure of the captain had brought on a Ing fever. His wound was inflamed, and it evident that unless rescued soon the captain d not live. : ’ His condition seemed to soften the heart of k Martin, and one day he begged on his ae the captain’s pardon. This ~change in eit s demeanor led the mate to relax his dis- ipline and watchfulness over him. He remove the handcuffs. ng the ocean with his glorious sunbeams, E mate, who had been on his vigils most of the At was fast asleep, and I was on watch. ‘saw Martin scanning the sky, and then in an nt spring to the captain’s side and plunge a ; to the latter’s heart. ~ I sereamed with alarm, which awoke the mate, 9 was on his feet at otce. But not a moment -soon, for Frank was rushing toward him th the uplifted knife. The mate’s powerful arm averted the , blow.” I was on my knees be- Seeching for’ I knowsmmot what. The mate enched the knife from Frank, and by a quick, exterous blow sent it quivering into Frank’s food morning, as the sun was just rising and “Die, . you miserable; ungrateful) wretch,” ex- the mate as Frank’s body rolled over _ “A sail! 4K sail!” I cried_out, as not far from ‘Us was a’ship in full sight. : : _ Our signal was seen on board the Goodspeed, for such the vessel proved to be, and two of us ‘re rescued from a living death after an ex- e of forty-one days on a raft, and in the y of the most-inhuman wretch that ever Z N ge ve Ss BR CONSCIENCE FUND. » is a “barometer” that indicates accurately ience of the peels the United States. af i a woe per ; ne -Sam’s Confessional,” witlle to ° FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY * 25 under the name of “Moneys Received from Per- sons Unknown.” During 1920 the conscience “barometer” of the United States registered $19,279.13. The fund has been in existence 110 years, and during that time approximately $500,000 has been contributed. In 1811, President Dedison found upon his desk a letter containing’ $2. of which the anonymous writer confessed he had robbed the Government. The President ordered . that the amount be credited “To Account Con- science.” Like a wind fanning a small flame, the news of this contribution stirred the conscience of the people, and, for a year or two, every week brought dozens of letters from persons who hoped to stop the pricks of conscience by returning de- frauded money with interest. And then, grad- ually, the amount of money sent in dwindled al- most to nothing. MY The civil war brought in this wake a wave of conscience money. While the letters were in-* variably anonymous, and’ the writers seldom ex- plained the conditions under which the money had been stolen, a few hinted that they had de- frauded the Government in the “hoss and mule” trade of the war. Money from acts of defraudation committed during the civil war are being received even at this late time. In years of financial depression little con- science money has been eived. : During 1916 the largest single sum in the his- _ tory of the fund was received—$30,000. The sen- der wrote that he had so far sent the Treasury $30,000, or four times what he had stolen. “President Cleveland received perhaps the most interesting letter that has evet come in-from a remorseful defrauder of the "Government. The sender a young girl, explained that once, long before, she had used a two. cent ae which had already been employed on a letter but had not been cancelled. Thought of, her misdemeanor had never left her mind, and so, at this late date, she was sending him some stamps to take the place of the one she had fraudulently used. Several years ago, the Amexjcan Consul in London was handed 3 a check for $14,226.15 by a clergyman, who explained that he had received it from a meniber of his congregation, who was an American. The confessor had said that the money represented the amount he had once stolen from the United States Government, plus ac- “erued interest. r a 7 Oceasionally a sender of conscience money is. « “not quite sure that Uncle Sam will receive the money he has forwarded. To satisfy his scepti- cism, one man, a féw years ago, cut $8,000 in halves, sending one half with as soon as he saw announcement of the receipt of this by the United States Government he would remit the other half. He received the as- . surance he wanted, and a few days later, the Treasury Department received maths little information that trickle e li ‘ormation manages to worded ee the carefully pre letters kage ys at a large proportion, if not a majority, of the > eee the remaining 4 the statement that « ~“s “«

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_Fame and Fortune Weekly NEW YXORK, APRIL 8, 1921. TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Bingle Capier. ......0...-.-- Postage Free.... 07 Cents One Copy) Three Months... > weir awe. St One Copy S‘x Months...... f et ite One Copy One YVear....... a! are rene = & HOW TO SEND MONBY—At our risk send P. O. Mouey Order, Check or Kegistered Letter; remittances in any other wsy are at your risk. We accept Poitage Stumps the satve as cash. When sendiig silver wrap the Lom im a separate plece of pauper to avoid cutting the ‘euvelope. Write your name and address plainly. Ad- firess setters to HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher 166 West 23d St., New York ITEMS OF INTEREST DIGGING FOR BANDIT GOLD. A number of residents of Chico, Cal., are dig- _. gold suprosed to have been buried there by ban- _ dlits who heid up the Amalgamated Gold Dredging _ Company stage near by in 1863, ' __ Two skeletons were found ata point near where the gold is believed to be hidden. Oldtime resi- _ denis expressed the belief that the skeletons - were those of two of the bandits who died in a fight after the holdup. DEADLY BATTLE WITH LION. After having killed eighteen mountain lions, J ay *. __€. Bruce, State official lion hunter, had a narrow “escape when he was forced to battle for his life _ after sending five bullets into a lion in Sequoia National Forest. Ord Lovern of Lemon Cove rushed to Bruce’s aid, hurled a stone at the ani- maliend Bruce put a final bullet in its brain. | «Col. \vhite, superintendent of Sequoia, and Gen- _ eral Grant Parks, stated that the lion weighed 160 pourds and measured seven feet. Bruce brought down a lioness the same day. Seed < ¥ = A RAT ADOPTED BY A CAT. In her recently published book, ‘Wild Creatures of Garden and Hedgcrow,” Miss Frances Pitt ~~ states that se gare a baby rat, still blind, feeble and very naked, to a cat whose litter had been redaced to one kitten, then 10 days old. To her _ Surprise, the cat accepted this unusual foster + child. “The rat,” says Miss Pitt, “was cleaned, _ fed, fondied, tended and treated just like the kit- _ ten, along with which*it was reared. Even after é e aera on pi eorgt E ti with the at nd often paid him a visi cat in question d been a good ratter, but after the adoption rat- was done with!” 3 PANAMA CANAL DEFENSES. been drawn | fad’ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Aha ging in the ranch of Frank Colm for $70,000 in . . fornr the ceremony? “Cash!” atthe ribbon counter nother family came to occupy the cat’s atten-~ a lasso.” for rendering the “Oh, and include the placing of several of tne longest range rifles on Taboga Island, which is located about fifteen miles oif of the Pacific entrance. — Presumably, these guns will be of the new 16-inch pattern. At the Atlantic\end there will be a “e system of tracks designed for the heaviest rail- road artillery mounts carrying guns of large Cali- —— bers with a greater range than those installed on ~ the most powerful dreadnaughts afloat. ee terrain at the Atlantic entrance is well suited to — - this system of mobile artillery, which can be fully screened by the dense tropical growth character, = istic of this locality. = LAUGHS iz “Hasn't that big, lazy boy of your got a regu-_ eS lar position yet? “Oh, yes, indeed. What is it?” “Recumbent.” _ “J fear no foe in shiny armor,” sang the man. 2 at the concert. “Don’t you, old chap? grumbled the bachelor in the front room, “Then you try E: and open a sardine tin with 4 pocket-knife! . Sarcastic youth—Oh, yes, a hatpin-is a great e weapon. Think you could open an oyster with ~ one? Demure ‘Malden—No, but if necessary LT” could puncture a lobster with it. Z : al “Within the last decade,” remarked the pro-— gressive citizen; “woman has gained considerable — standing in the business world.” “Yes,” rejoined: the female bread-winner, “especially in the street cars,” - 5 = : ~ oJ Sandy-—-Why are yer runnin’ so fast, pard? ~ Cinders Dere’s “a lynchin’ mob behind me. San- dy—Dey don’t want to f¥mch yer, do dey? Cin- — ders—No; but dey want dis clothesline I’m wear-_ in’ as suspenders fer der rope. * “Did you see that pale young man calling o (Vee F is awfully funny sometimes.. Ten years ago, when we were boys together, his ambition was to bea mighty hunter and catch mountain lions with = PESO Se ~ . A red-headed man met. a bald-headed mz to the bald-headed to have been -

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ca MOONSHINE MASH KILLS GOATS. Near the lakes which supply Norfolk, Va., with water inspectors found a still with some freshly Made mash and new ‘whiskey. Near by eight penis who had ‘partaken lay dead. A warning has been issued by Health Commissioner Schenck calling attention to this decided proof of the aw- ful power of*‘moonshine.” HIS PURSE RETURNED. ¢ Dr. John F. Weathers of New Albany, Ind., has Tecovered a purse containing $21 in money and _ his Southern Railway pass as surgeon for the ~company, which he lost in a share Sieninatiinal Eyening. _When.hé went to his garage the next morning he found the purse, with the contents intact, on a post near the door, where it evidently had been left by some conscience-stricken persons. uM 153,088 NEGROES IN CITY. The negro population of New York City at the time of the 1920\census was 153,088, an increase of 61,379, or 66.9 per cent., the Census Bureau announced to-day. The white population was ~ §,459,004, an increase of 789,342, or 16.9 per cent., wo and all other, 7,956. : 2 Ni s in Boston numbered 16,362, an increase ” cof 2,793, or 20.6 per cent. The white totaled 730,- Q 486, an increase of 74,790, or 11.4 per cent., and > all others, 1,212. g : ; 7 -& SWALLOWED WRIST. WATCH. L Noel, sixteen-year-old school-girl of Crooksville, O., placed her wrist watch in. her mouth the other night when she started to help - her mother wash dishes. She coughed and the ~ watch went down her throat. ' Physicians ordered her. brought to a Zanes- ville hospital, where an operation was performed “after X-ray photographs revealed the timepiece din het stomach. The watch, which was running when recovered, is about the size of a quarter. : : a SQUAWS ON WAR PATH. » Indian women of the. Penobscot tribe recently started on the war path to ob.ain the right to + vote in the tribal a and share in the con- of reservation affairs. ‘ aie = some Sorwartl lookin? squaws have " nailed the suffrage colors to the figurative totem pole with the assertion that a grand lady Sachem | would make a wiser chief than any brave that " ever wove a basket or built a canoe. oe The other night the new women of an ancien " people began rejoicing when they reecived a : from Attorney-General Shaw that they eis. as far as the tribe allowed, for the State ang remain neutral. He said that t t _ fr entirely a matter for domestic adjust- - me The ruling was in answer to a letter re- Peter Nicoler x so FAME ANR FORTUNE WEEKLY ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST v market. U. S. REVENUE FROM SEALS. The United States Bureau of Fisheries_durirg January certified to the disbursing clerk of the Department of, Commerce as available for deposit in the United States Treasury, to be credited to the Account of “Miscellaneous Receipts,” the sums of $827,247.13 and $197,639.68, total $1,024,- 886.81, representing the net proceeds of sales of Alaska fur-seal skins in 1920. ; In addition to the foregoing amounts there was disbursed from the proceeds of sales of Alaska fur-seal skins in 1920 the sum of $371.496.14. due and payable to the Government of Great Britain and Paps. in equal moietics, as ‘their share of the quantity and value of thésking sold under the terms of the Fur-Seal Convention of 1911. During the ten years that have elapsed since the custody of the fur-seal and fox herds of thé -Pribilof Islands was lodged in the bureau the net receipts accruing from the sale of the fur-seal skins and fox skins, including the last public auc- tion on May 10, 1920, were as follows: Fur seals, $3;978,051.31; foxes, $331,883.35; total, $4,309,- 939.66. These sums have been covered into the United States Treasury. Skins now on hand im course of preparation for sale or awaiting ship- ment from the Prib lof Islands number 61,197 seals and about 2,000 foxes. HAIR NETS CROSS OCEAN THREE TIMES. Although the traffic in human hair has not been so brisk during the past few years as formerly on aceount of the veering of the f-shions in hari- dressing toward the extreest simplicity, still there are njllions of pomnds of haman hair ex ported from Chira. One of the peculiar facts in connection with the trade is that often after the Chinese send the hair to us we treat it and dye it and send it back to be made up for special nse, says Populer Science Monthly. This 1s ysually true in regard to the invisible hair nets whiea ican and European women use to keep their own locks in order on a windy day. The hair-net business has become of great im- portance to the province of Shantung, which. now provides practically the entire supply for the hus the hair net worn by the veriest stay-at-home in America has doubtless crossed the ocean three times. pers aoa —— queues after the re- cent fall o € Manchu dynasty, long pig tails of _ Chinese hair are no\longer readity available. The dealers are relying more and more on the comb- ings of women, although there are men, who make it a part of their business to let their hair grow to about eight inches in length and then sell it to the barber, who in turn sells it to the small trader in hair. For exporting, hair is assorted according to length and tied in bunches. Most of the exports go to England, France and the United States, where the hair is bleached with peroxide, thinned with acid and boiled in dye. It is this rendered finer in texture and, incidentally, abso- lutely sanitary. The appearance of the heir is also completely changed by: the-process indicated,

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NEW YUKON OIL WELL Tales of an oil well at Fort Norman which pro- deces 1,500 barrels a day and shot oil 100 feet s _ into the air before it was capped were brought back from Fort MacPherson by a patrol of Cana- dian mounted police who returned from the mouth of the Mackenzie River, Fort Norman is on the Mackenzie River, about 400 miles south of the Arctic Ocean and 500 miles east of the Alaskan border. The information said the cap of the well was blown off ten times in tHe first six hours after the well was opened. _ A SUBSTITUTE FOR CORK A chemical works at Bruenn-Koenigsfeld has been carrying on experiments with _a view to finding a substitute for cork, says a Prague cor- + respondent in the “Times Trade Supplement,” and these have now led to tangible results. Turf treated by a special patented process furnishes a material for insulation and building purposes that is said to be, in most respects, not inferior, and in - me superior, to cork. The product is reported to be “equally light, firm, and sound-proof, to possess great insulating properties, and to be damp-proof. KRUPPS GET GRANT IN CHILE Confirmation of Berlin reports that the conces- sion granted German industria] interests in the’ ~ Province of Lianquihue by the Chilian Govern- ment are held by the Krupps, is given to the Herald of Buenos Aires. The newspaper says the - Krupps will build the largest steel and munitions plants in South America, and that the work of. ~ construction will begin immediately. é - There is rich timber land on the territory cov- ered by the concession, and water rights, includ- ing irrigation projects and power plants, have - been granted. It is said the Krupps plan to util- ize the iron ore in the region for making mathin- ery for ships and also to-manufacture equipment - for the Chilean Army, and possibly other military forces in South America. _... LOOK AT THAT $10,000 NOTE The Federal Reserve Bank of New York the other day sent a circular to’ each bank in the second district, asking them to be on the watch for twenty $10,000 Federal Reserve notes which ~ ere given in Memphis in payment for stolen > 3 ‘3 bonds. : * 2 Y 1 > ; Although the circular does not so state, the stolen bonds referred to are thought to have been ‘the property of Kean, Taylor & Co., of No. 5 eo treet. On Nov. 30 last, two messengers ‘that company were held up in Brooklyn and bbed of 000 in Liberty bonds. Some of the 4 _to Memphis, and six men and_ in’ Memphis were indicted for re- that the $10,000 notes were _ : Bank of St. Louis. —

“Rosemary, thyme, sweet basil and marjoram ~~ are found in great profusion in Mediterranean countries, and here the chemist can distill the whole plant and not bother about picking the flowers. : = “The old-fashioned lavendar flowers in which our grandmother used to pack the household linen and their rich old laces grow best in France’ and England. A temperamental flower it might be called, too, for uniess the climate, soil and alti- — tude suit, it refuses tp breathe forth its usual fragrance, Fine grades of plants are grown in the Drome region, France, at an altitude of 2,500 feet, while the flowers generally considered to have the most agreeable fragrance come from- the Mitcham district of England, where the con- ditions of soil and altitude are decidedly different from those in France. “St The rose geranium, which has such an quisite odor, is also grown and distilled in Fra but Spain, Algiers and the island of Reunion gage in the industry. Unlike the lavender, how. ever, the perfume of the rose geranium comes from its leaves and not from the flowers. = - “But the country. that might well be known by its scent is Bulgaria, for its rose erop is second _ only to its tobaceo. Over 12,500 acres of land in’ ~~ the provinces hillippopolis and Stara Zagora is are given over to the growth of roses from the _ petals of which attar of roses is distilled. In — the wonderful gardens at Kazanlik, Karlovo, Kli- soura and Stara ad 9 Sap the best of the flowers are grown. The fields are arranged much- petals whi.

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ae erry ODD NOTES At the age of 54, Mrs. wes Lyons of San Di- ego, Cal., is a great-grandmoth- er. * sd ~ The number of women students tending German universities has increased nearly fourfold during the past decade. = Children are not allowed in the streets of Norway after dark. * * * It is a serious offense to ride a bicycle anywhere near the city of Constantinople. * cm om” Teak, during the reign of the. Burmese kings, was the royal wood, and _ the king had a right to all teak. ~ x * It is believed that more fish are found off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland then in any other part of the world. — If.a horse ate as much as a cat- erpillar, in pro- portion to_ its size, it would con- sume a ton of hay every twen- ty-fonr hours. * * * The wet fiat Jands of Ecuador preduce a vine yielding a fruit which, when dried, forms a sponge superior to those obtained from the sea. * * * An authority on finance, after | inves- | tigation, has dis- | cevered . that in| exheustive America only one Tich man’s son in seventeen dies| Sore or open legs, ,| ecze ‘A Bushel of Reading Matter Tt REMEMBER We will not send you merely your choice of one of these books, but ALL FIVE of them, just as listed above. You all know Charlotte M. Braeme. She is one of the world’s most fascinating writers. Her name alone is enough to guar- antee a good strong story, interesting and entertainingly told. Here is a chance for you to read 5 of her best books, aggregat- ing 160 large double-column pages. FREE OFFER To introduce our publication, EVERYDAY LIFE, the great monthly story paper of interest to all mem- bers of the family. Send only 25¢ to pay for* year’s subscription, and 10c extra to pay for postage, ete. (35c in all) and we will send our paper for‘one year and the collection of books as above. This is a. big ntroductory offer. If the abéve titles are it, will send others just as good. EVERYDAY LIFE, Dept. R. M. 46, Chicago. EXTRA MONEY for BOYS or GIRLS Make spare time earn good money. Learn salesmanship. Work having sup- pore of prominent citizefis. A big future C or you. Write now for your territory. Send no money. E. J. Betz, Sales Direo- tor, Suite 802, 1 W. 48rd St., N. ¥. ©. RAISE CASH by mailing us diamonds, watches, new or broken jewelr platinum, old gold and silver, War Bonds, War Stamps, unused postage, etc. Cash by return mail. Goods returned in 10 days if you're not sat- isfied. Ohio Smelting & Refining Co., 262 Lennox Bldg., Cleveland, Ohio. If this should meet the eye of anyone who is losing hair or is bald, let it be known that KOTALKO, con- taining genuine bear oil, is wonderfully successful. A multitude of enthusiastic users—men and women, Hair grown in many cases when all else failed, Re- fund guarantee. Get a box at any busy pharmacy; or mail 10 cents for proof box with testimonials to Kotalko Office, BC-375, Station X, New York City. BiG VALUE for 10 Cis. x2 6 Songs, words and music; 25 Pic. < , tures Pretty Girls;40 Waysto Make Lape 1 Joke Book; {[ Book on Love; 1 Magic Book; 1 Book Letter Writing; 1 Dream Book and For- tune Teller; 1 Cook Book; 1 Base Ball Book, gives rules for games; 1 Toy Maker Book; Language of Flowers; 1 Morse Telegraph Alpha- bet; 12 Chemical timeuts; far: Age Table; Great North Pole 2 a 1 nian 1 3 irae "| mes;.80 Verses for Autograp ums,’ A by 2 mail for 10 cts. and 2 xine DOMAGE: BOYyAL Bales . Conn ©0.. Bex 273 South Norw: n BLANK CARTBIDGE §. PISTOL pista Only ulcers, ores veins, ma healed while you work. rite for free book and describe your own case. ‘Sane Tatas Ge rey | Without Practice No Study | Eight different full-toned band in- jf struments—rich, Tinging music, } Thousands in use in homes, schools, clubs, ete, Cost little, Give immense || satisfaction. Saxophones, Trombones, Bugles, etc., of solid metal, brass finished. At department store toy counters and musical where. For FREE Illustrated Catalogue ed- instrument. dealers every- dress Dept. C. THE SONOPHONE COMPANY 87 So. 9th St Brooklyn, N.Y. Flelder’s Glove and High Grade Ball FREE ae SRT SaaS BINGO CO., Dept. 288 Binghamton, N.Y; 4 “Weiworia” @ Bi oe (5) DI combination JHC Agy Of pecture placed im tbis envelope Goured arvcie, of vanishes altogether. anges - —le special cards 10e los One fearing tunny, They cule your joy nerves. — 4 Hach Grade ing Parinan Perfume Powder, Eye glass ey ma and reguiac orice ws — — $108 e of stage mon — = -» we Return thes ad with your or: m tt, ane everything above will be sent to you postpaid for only 15c K. Welworth Co. Box 278, Indianapolis, Ind. OLD COINS WANTED $2 te $500 EACH paid fer Hundreds of Coins dated before 1895. Keep ALL old Money. You may have Coius werth a Large Premium. Send 10c. for new Il!ustrated Coin Value Book, size 4x6 Get Posted at Once. CLARKE COIN CO., Bex 35, Le Rey, N. ¥. TOBACCO Or SNUFF HABIT Cured or NO PAY No matter whether used in Pipe: cigarettes, cigars, chewed, or used in the form of snuff. Superba Tobacco Remedy contains nothing injurious, no dope, poisons, or habit-form- ing drugs. Guaranteed. Sent on trial. If it cures costs you one dollar. If it fails, or if you are not perfectly satisfied, costs you nothing. Write for full remedy today. A. ©, Liepe, 1457 Green Bay AV.,Milwaukee, Wis,| SUPERBA COMPANY, M21, Baltimore, Md.

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f y) 9.V OICE det y anywhere. Lots of Fun fooling the Teacher, Policeman of Friends. THE VENTRILO, h ; a little instrament, fits in the mouth out of sigh » used with above for Bird Calis, etc, Anyone can use ft, NEVER a Also a 82 PAGE BOOK truck Formula for ible Ink}, 12 Money Making Secrets and X-RAY WONDER Withit you can apparen i, seo the bones in your Tioges Sest ia pencil, @ which gives full ‘ructions on Ventriloquism, Secret Writing [Invis tt Lots of fun with this outfit. m@ All the above sssent by mail ferenly lic. VENTBILO COMPANY a Dept. 240 South Norwalk, Conn. LARGEST aud OLDEST Mail Order Housetn Connecticut. At Home By Mail Attractive positions open for men and boys. Sal- aries up to $3,500 a year. Beginners paid $125 a month plus Keom and Beard, which means more than $200 at the start. One of our recent graduates ia getting $6,000 a year. Opportunity to travel or locate in land radio offices. We train you by mail in a short time—some haye com- pleted the course in 10 weeks, No previous ex- perience necessary. First correspondence radio school in America. Our new automatic Wireless instrument, ‘“The Natrometer”’ Furnished Every Student. Send for Free Book, ‘ “Wireless, The Opportunity of Today.’ NATIONAL RADIO INSTITUTE Dept. 534 Washington. D. C. GREENBACHS *432,37°95 1c Get a bunch of Stage Greenbacks (not counterfeits) wrap themaround your roll . and show your friends what a wad youcar- eda — ry.Big bunch of $1570for 10e, 4buncher %r., SHEF NOVELTYCO. 66Station D, Dent.603 NewYork. N.Y. ‘MADE TSO MEASURE This offer is one of the big- gest, most generous ever ma made by any tailoringhouse. § m It’s your one big opportun- ity toget a finely tailored- trimmed and cut in the latest city style for only § $13.50, We’re out to beat high tailoring prices You save $8 to $11. Why not save 50% on your next suit? We have such a tre- mendous business, buy all materials in such large quan- —f tities and havesuch a perfect § organization that we can § make these wonderful prices —and remember we guaran- tee style, fit and workman- ship or your money back. Big Sample Outfit FREE Any size or style; astounding “get § acquainted ”’ offer; prices cut to the bone. Don't buy tit you get our new Tices, Agents wanted ; large profits nepsretime. Big sample book of Jat. est styics, samples and agents’ inside = prices SENT FREE. Everybody write ¥, sure; costs nothing; address § 7 KNICKERBOCKER TAILORING CO, § Dept. A-2071 CHICAGO, ILL, From Factory to You WORLDS GREATEST f HAIR CUTTER. Lis Article at exactly HALF PRICE Hi You Order Now Tremendous Saving | CUT YOUR OWN HAIR Save Time, Money and Annoyance a Order Now! Get the fantous Duplex Automatic hair cutler and Soeverieg. attachment complete direct : LO from factory at he pe essary. ay om used successfully by thousands of men and ROE DOES PERFECT werk price. ANYONE CAN USE IT . |The Duplex is rience not nec bays in nearly every country in the world. ~ The Duplex will cut as closely or . trim as long as you wish, r Me Fisbhas work bemplscsion lex Automatic me ‘attachment freo.* Dept. 42 DETROIT, MICH. Pe OS eS es INITIAL RAIL- ROAD OUT OF CHICAGO. The first rail- road to get char- ter out of Chi- cago was the Ga- lena and Chicago Union. It was chartered on Jan- uary 16, 1836, and work on it Was at once be- gun. of this road was to increase the value-of real es- tate at both points. Galena being then a leading village of the West, obtain- ed precedence in the naming of the road. Just two days after the incorporation of Gf&lena and Chicago Union Railroad the Ti- | nois Central Rail- road was ineor- porated. The fif- ty-eight incorpor- ators failed to do anything, and the project collapsed. It was revived by its immense land grant in Septem- ber, 1850. ‘The Galena and Chi- cago Union Rail- road was revived in 1846, and by November 21st, 1848, the engine was running on the ten miles of completed road west of Chicago, conveying rials and laborers to carry on the work. ~ On No- vember 20, 1848, Chicago. received its first wheat transported by rail. In Decem- ber, 1850, the Ga> lena and Chicago Union was com- pleted to Elgin, ll, forty-two miles, and was the first railroad out of Chicago. By September 4 1853, this Yoa was 121 miles long. 7 7 The object. mate- ©

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- BAN ON CIG- ARETTES _ The younger ‘generation of this - University of Il- linois town plans - to make it pure “and undefiled if the crusade start- ed several days ago is carried out. Tt all started when twenty-five girls, members of the Christian En- deavor Society of the West Side Christian church, solemnly pledged themselves not to _ have dates with young men who smoke cigarettes, and also pledged their influence in stopping the hab- ¥t. Several hun- dred of the fair sex have enlisted already and the goal is one thou- _ Sand members. ~ However, the young men are Bettor them one “age They have formed a ceteeds They have formed an Organization and tend to make ‘the girls over “into the kind of girls our mothers were.” Hereafter all _ members of the oys’ organiza- “tion will refuse keep company | with girls wear- - ing. skirts at _knee lengths. The dan has been “placed on the half sock, rolled ‘down variety. “They refuse to e with girls who wear no cor- _Sets or wear low- “ent dresses be- d_.the point sre mother OH BOYS.cIRLS isi n lace Gat FUN tito Peddlers, wnder table, be tn Rehool, a an Polic ; eee arene yourtengue rien: an book, on Magic & Sleight-of- Hand; 31 book, en Mind Reading,long &short dis- 3 tance; 1 book, on Hypuotis mand Palm- 5 istry; ibook, Fire Eating Tricksexposed; Telling; 1 book, Interpreting ‘Dreams; “1 Joke Book; 1 book, on Ventriloquism ; mi 1 book, Tricks with Cards; 2 books, How to make Res 11 Candies; 50 Real } oney Mak- ing processes; Magic Age Table; : | C (coin) & Wonderful Memory trick, etc.allfor 2epostage. GLAXO TRICK CO, Dek 5 2 New Haven,Conn. NEw ‘SOMENTIFIC woreen ¥ou AGF \y see. Stones, any cbisct. 4& magic trick novelty Buzz with eaeh K Ray. MARVEL MFG. CO.. Dept. 13, NEW HAVEN, COBN. BOYS In kee your bowels reguier do not be- radiata to weakenin mgatives or en; Jog t ni wae AX; safe, a goes farthest. t — is at boy pars b inte, — heartbu sasacliee, “Sinsy rn, Tr pease h Sa tee stion. mental and physica} dulineas. Get our non-alcoholic flavoring and coloring extracts; any flavor. Also extracts for mak- ing non- -alcoholic beverages. Stamp for list. SUPERIOR SUPPLY CO. 970 8S. Emerson Denver, Colo. HOWTO MAKE LOVE Widow; to wia an Heiress; bow to catch a Rich Bachelor: how te manage yeur . beau tomake a show temake t fellew or a hg leve eeu what todo B= ‘ore and after the Telis — thimgs mecessary ap Levers tc kaow, Sample —— Se BOTAL BOOK 00., Box 168 Be. Nerwelk, Coan She re E at ment, Many persons duced easily, Crees 3 10 to bE rag ore | le Safe, pleasant method, endorsed by physicians. cuarantie, Get smali box Korein tabuie: at any druggist's; or for free brochure write to orein Company, NB-375, Sta. X, New York 1 book, Vaudeville Acts; 1 book, Fortime | VENTRILOQUISM Taught Almost Anyone at Home. Small cost. Send to-day 3-cent Loong for particulars and pig Geo. W. Smith, Room R802, 125 N. Jett Ave., Peoria, Il. ORE Finger Print Experts are needed. Men whoare masters of this profession ~ are scarce. The demand for Finger Print Experts is great. As a special induce- ment we will give you free of charge our new easy reading course in Secret Service In- telligence if you enroll at once. Be a Finger Print Expert ——— Build up.a business on the basis of a trained brain. You can do it as a master of the Finger Print profession. There is crying need for Finger Print Experts right now and the demand for these trained men is grow- ing every day. A profession that offers won- derful opportunities for advancement. Gev- ernments, corporations; police departments, institutions and individuals have constant use for these specially trained men. The work is fascinating and The Pay Is Big! No special education is necessary. You can become a master ef this profession by study~ ing at home in your spare time. Expert Finger Print men travel all ever the coun- try solving mysteries that baffle all others, They are important men and highly regard~ ed and envied by*vvery one. Mail the Coupon Get full information abeut this great profession and our big effer ef a free course in Secret Service Intelligence. The mastery of these two closely al- lied prefessiens places a brilliant career within your grasp. Achievements that will immediately place the stamp of success upen you, are now pos- sible, Send this coupon for full infermation NOW, University of Applied Science Desk 1564 1920 Sunnyside Ave., Chicago Gentlemen: Without obligations whatever, send me our new FREE book on Bi Pri ie course in Secret Services tatellinence me ‘ster af = ‘<0 =n me: MIME ov eccccccdeeveces bbe Peet TST ee TTT tt ttt) Address AEC. sorveeeneee Occupation...,..-...cssserssescvesescoee

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es pee ak NO Rae = eo Says s ¥ Laat OUR TEN-CENT HAND “BOOKS Useful, Instruetive, and Amusing. They Contain Valuabie information on Almost Every Subject No. 38. HOW TO BECOME YOUR OWN DOCTOR.— A wonderful book, containing useful and practical infor- wation im the treatment of ordinary diseases and ail- ments common to every family. Abounding in useful and effective recipes for general complaints. ‘No, 39. HOW TO RAISE DOGS, POULTRY, PIGEONS AND KABITS.—A useful and instructive book. Hand- suuiely illustrated. : No. 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS.—Inciud- ing hints on howto caich moles, weasels, otter, rats, syuirreis and birds. Also how to cure skins. Copiousiy fliustrated. No. 4— THE BOYS “OF NEW YORK END MEN’S JOKE BOOK.—Containing a great variety of tue latest jokes used by the most jumous end men. No amateur minstreis is complete without this wonderful little book. No. 46. HOW TO MAKE AND USE ELECTRICITY.— A descripucn of the wonderful uyes of electricity and electro maguelism; together with"full instrucuous for making iectric Toys, Batteries, etc. Ly George Trebel, A. M., M. D. Containing over fifty ilustraticns. No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CAKDS.—iving the rules and fuli directious for playing Lucbre, Cribbage, Ca- sino, Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Saucho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch, Ail Pours and many otter popuiar games of cards. « No. 53. little bovk, telling you how to write to your sweetheart, your futher, mother, sister, brother, employer; aud, in tact, everybody and auybedy you wish to write to, No. 54 HOW TO KRKEP AND MANAGE PETS.— Giving comiplete tutormution as to tie munuer and method of raising, keeping, taming, breeding and “wanugimg all kinus of pets; also giving full instrue- tions ior muking cages, etc. Bully explained by twenty- eigut iuustrations, No. 56. HOW TO COLLECT STAMPS AND COINS. —Contuming valuable information regarding the col- lecting and arranging of stanips and coins... Haudsome- ly iliustrated. No, 56. BOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER.—Con- tainiig iull instructions how to become a locomotive eugineer; uiso directions for building a mode! lvcumo- tive; together with a tull description of everything an eugineer Shuuld know. No. 6). HOW £0 BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER, —Containing useful information regarding the camera sand bow to Work it; also how to make photograpuic wugie lantern siides and otber transparencies. Hand- somely ilusirated. ; No. 62. HOW TO BECOME A WEST PUINT MILI- FAX CAVET.—Lxpiaius how to gain xdmittance, “~“ourse Of study, exuminitions, duties, siaff of officers, \ post guard, pouce regulations, fire departnient and all a Bey should know to ve a-cadet. By bu Senarens, Ko. 6s. HOW TO BECOME A NAVAL CADET.— Complete iustructions of how to gain admission to the Auuupolis Nuval Academy. Also conltamiing the cotirse eo: lustruction, description of grounds and buildings, bistorical sketch and everything a boy sbouly know to become an olticer in the United States Navy. By Lu Senarens. : Noe. 6. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES, —Containing full directions for making electrical ma- hes, -induction coils, dynamos aad many novei toys be “Worked vy electricity. By R. A. Ry Bennet. Fully iiusirated, ; No... 65, MULDOON’S JOKES.—The most original "- 4oke ever’ published, and it is brimful of wit and bu- Wor. it contains a large collection of songs, jokes, “gonundrums, etc., of Terence Muidoon, the great wit, orist and practical joker of the day. No. 66. HOW, ro ,pe PUZZLES.-Containing over - three hundred interesting puzzles an mundraws, W » key to swne., A complete book. Fully illustrated. + No. 6. HOW FO LO ELECTRICAL TRICKS.—Con- taining a large collection of instructive and high y A. Anderson. = For sale by ail newsdealers, or wMl be sent to any — ead electrical. tricks, \tugether with illustrations. \ address on receipt of price, 10c. per copy, in ‘money or stamps, by _ FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, ($68 West 23d Street, — p New York. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS.—A wonderful - ‘MARRY E. WOLFF, Pub.. 166 West 234 St, New/ York, ame and Fortune Weekly —— LATEST ISSUES — 6 770 Grasping His Chance; or, The Boy Merchant of Mel- rose. 771 bef by Pluck; or, The Deals that Made the olla: rs. 772 The Crimson Mask; or, The Treasure of San Pedro, 773 Frank Fisk, the Boy Broker; or, Working the Wall= ~ St. Stock Market. “ : scenario writer. For sale by all News-dealers Book-Stores If you cannot procure a copy, send ug the price, 25 cents, in money or, postage stamps, we will mail rou one, postage free. Address L. SE NARENS, 219 Seventh Ave, New Yerk, N. a. —*