Page images
PDF
EPUB

Mr. Anstruthers held up his hand and began slowly to say:

"I regret you should have so poor an opinion of me, Mr. Dunbar. I honor you for the war you make in defense of the woman you have sworn fealty and devotion to. Sir, I offer you my hand in appreciation of your determination; my services, in any way they can be of avail; and, my friendship as a support in your battling.

Jew and Christian struck palms in defense of a woman unconscious of her threatened danger and who heard of the compact only long after her danger was passed.

Mr. Anstruthers accompanied Percy to the door, and at it asked:

"Mrs. Stanford will receive me in a call upon her?"

Instantly appreciating that an overt act of friendship was intended, Percy replied:

"She will be honored by a call from you." Percy hurried away to the banking house of Cohen, Raab & Co., where he placed the authority to close his operation in the hands of Mr. Raab, and then back to his office.

At a glance, as Percy entered, Frank Elbert saw that unusual purpose moved his chief. Stopping only to give a brief instruction to his secretary, he hastened to his own room, where he addressed himself to the task of

writing two letters. This labor occupied considerable time, for he rewrote them several times before he had them to his satisfaction. These were barely completed finally, when Frank Elbert entered to say:

"The man you sent for is here, and it turns out to be the one who mutilated the booksMallow."

"Let him come in," directed Percy. "And, Frank, close the door after him. Do not let me be interrupted while he is here."

When Smith Edgar entered, Percy, having directed him to a seat, said:

"This is the first day I have been in the office since I saw you last, but it is not with reference to your further employment that I have sent for you. That matter I shall take care of very shortly. I propose to place you in a trust company, where C. C. Edgar's requests will be of little effect. I want a service and have sent for you to ask if you are willing to perform it.'

"I am willing to do anything you will ask me to do, Mr. Dunbar. I should be most ungrateful if I were not.'

[ocr errors]

"Even if it were to ask you to go as a messenger to C. C. Edgar?",

"Even that, however disagreeable it might be."

"Read this letter, then," said Percy, as he handed one to Smith.

The young man, taking the letter thus extended to him, read these words:

"C. C. Edgar-When you have read this letter and returned it to him, the bearer, who is in my employ, will hand you another which you will also return to him signed. I will see that it promptly reaches its destination.

"J. PERCY DUNBAR."

Without expression or comment Smith Edgar laid the letter on Percy's desk.

"Now read this," said Percy, handing him another.

In what

"To the Editor of the: I am informed that you are about to publish an article concerning Mrs. Hilary Stanford. I am further informed that this article is based on information purporting to come from me. It reflects on her character, I am told. ever information I may have had tending in that direction I have been misled. The lady's character is beyond reproach. I will stand for nothing in the article. Her friends are determined to make trouble if there is therein a statement which is not strictly in accord with the truth. Therefore, if you publish it you must take all the responsibility. I advise and request that you kill the article and assure the bearer that it is so killed."

Smith Edgar, when he had read the second letter, returned it with a shrewd smile. Percy, narrowly watching him, noted the smile as he had the start with which he had begun the reading of the second letter.

"What do you think of them?" asked Percy.

"They are very shrewd, but not so shrewd as the employment of the particular messenger who will deliver them."

"Ah! You have perceived that. C. C. Edgar will probably endeavor to seduce you into his employ so as to take possession of those letters."

"That would be useless. You have his story now."

"And have confirmed it. I have documentary proof of the accuracy of your story. But he does not know that."

"If I am not back here within an hour with the second letter signed, he will have seduced me."

"I am not so sure as you are that he will sign it. However, at once make the effort.'

[ocr errors]

Smith Edgar went away with the letters in different pockets.

CHAPTER XIX

A WINNING BLOW

SMITH EDGAR found difficulty in reaching C. C. Edgar. The underlings denied him access to the great man in demanding his name and business. His name, he replied, was of no consequence as he was merely a messenger charged with the delivery of an important letter. He refused to deliver it into any other hands than those of the great Edgar himself, because his instructions were to be assured the letter had been read before he delivered something else.

As he was not to be overborne by the arrogance and importance of the underlings, his message was taken to the financier, who sent out to inquire whose messenger he was. There was a distinct sensation in the office of C. C. Edgar & Co., when the reply was that he was from J. Percival Dunbar, president of the Universal Supplies Company. Then he was quickly admitted to the presence. But when

« PreviousContinue »