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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1914)
14 HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION ; . i m , - The Greater Friendship By Kensett Eossiter. Cf I 'M SOKRY I can't do it," said I Morrison. "It's only $500," returned Billr. "I can pay it back in sixty days." Morrison slammed down the cover of his suitcase, and regarded his room mate with a curious glance. He scrib bled an address on the back of an envelope and handed it to Billy. "Will you forward my mailt" he asked. "Sure," said Billy. "I hate to see you dig out, though. They didn't give you much notice, did tlicyl "Tlancr it. no." returned Morrison "That's one of the joys of being a civil engineer. You got sent north in the winter and south in the summer. And here I am starting for a West ern state on eight hours' notice, Sun day, and tho banks closed. Are you B-oiii? to the train!" "Yes." said Billv. He picked up Morrison's suitcase. Together they en tered the elevator, -jalked through the nluh office and iumDed into a taxi. On the way to the station they scarcely spoke. Morrison knew that Billv would bite his tongue off before he would ask aeain for the loan. Billy owed him several hundred now. The man was desperate; he had to have the money, but ho would not asu Morrison a second time. "I am sorry, Billy," Morrison spoke of his own volition. "But I can't lend you the money. I got my balance yes terday. I've only $620 in the bank at this moment, and I'll need every cent of it. Times are pretty shaky." "That's all right, old man I know. How long will you be gone!" he add ed. ; "Three weeks, at least; perhaps a inonth." Five minutes later they stood to gether at the ticket gate. Billy hand ed over his friend's suitcase. "Good luck, old man." Morrison took bath the outstretched hand and the suitcase. "Billy," said he, "thanks .or coming down. You're a good frieud, anyway; I can depend upon you." Billy smiled as he waved goodby. The conditions on the street were fruitful. Monev had never been so t.iaht. Several of the big bond houses had failed. Banks were demanding payment on all call loans ana were refusing an extension of time. It was ti.ia unoxnpcteil flurrv that had caught Billy as it had caught hundreds of Hmt hn couldn't bor row a dollar, except through the chan nel of some personal friend, and Mor rison had refused liim." lie would sees T,n further. The money market con timing pven more critical. Three days later Billy was passing the Citizen's Trust Company where Morrison nau his account. "I'll be gone three weeks at least, and possibly a month." Billy kept repeating his friend's words. He thought hard; he hesitated. Why not? Ho entered the bank boldly, secured several of the Citizen's Trust Com pany's blank checks and hurried out. Lato that night he bent over the desk in his own room, forging his friend's name. , In the little Western mining town, later. Morrison had a check returned to him markod "No funds." Ho telegraphed the cashier of the bank and received the following reply, sent collect: "Your account overdrawn on the 3rd inst. "CITIZEN'S TRUST CO." Mnrrisnn sat down and thought. The harder he thought the more perplexed he became. Several days later he saw appniint in the paper that the Citizen's Trust Company had failed. He wound up his business earlier than 1.0 hnrl expected and returned. His train got in at 2 o'clock, he went directly to the Citizen's Trust Com pany, which was still doing business under the supervision of state offi cials. As he approached the cashier's window that gentleman smiled at him. "I don't understand about my .3 eount," began Morrison. "You wired that it was overdrawn! " "Yes." returned the other unhesi tatingly," you drew two chocks on "Tjt mn see them." demanded Mor rison, "they have been returned by now, of course." "They have," said the casnier, vnnr account balanced and the j checks returned to you, as you re quested. " "As I reouested. "Certainly." replied the other, open ing a drawer and referring to an in dex. "As I said, you drew two checks on the 1st and 2nd for $310 each. On the 4th you wrote in to have your nppnntit balanced. This was done, and these two checks which had passed through the clearinghouse were re turned to you." "But I didn't write the checks," in aisted Morrison. "I didn't ask you to balance my account. I've been ab- from the city for the last month. I've been in Wyoming. My train got in only an hour ago. "Mr. Morrison," said tho cashier, 'there is something I don't under stand about this." "There's a lot more that I don't understand." retorted Morrison. The cashier rang for his assistant, excused himself and made his way tn the president's office. A few nun utes later Morrison was sent for. He didn't know that in those few min utes they had referred to his banking record of several years, had communi cated with his company's ottice and ascertained the truth of his statement that he had been absent from the city for a month. "Tr Morrison." besan the presi dent, "I am going to be very frank with you. Wheu your checks were re ceived we thought you had some in side knowledge of the standing oi tne hank. Now. however, we must con sider them to bo forgeries. If they are forgeries, the person wno iorgea ineui was very clever. On the 4th, to give them time to get through the clear inghouse, a request, evidently anotner forgery, was received, asKing tnat tne account be balanced, mis as uuuu. We have nothing, ab-olutely nothing, to go by. The checks were returned supposedly to you, aud have, of course, been destroyed. The nresident eot up and paced the room. "Someone," said he, "some ... wlin knows vou well, who knew your plans, who know your balance here, has accomplished tnis. Mnrriann remained silent. "Think hard," went on the banker, "do you know any friend, anyone who knew' your movements, who was hard up, who might have done this!" A lump filled Morrison's throat. "n " ho ffulned. "Then I don't see what we can j " rotiirnpd the other. "Nor I," said Morrison, lie was . i. I , .: tun lriTJ'T suddenly anxious iu tvo A little later. Morrison made his t.n his company's office, then ...,.'f m.tnwn to his club and to his " , . l-j own room. He sat on nis oeu m. his hands pressed across his eye. Rillv!" he muttered. Mor rison was stunned. He knew he could never bring himself to prosecute a p-;a TTn cnnld better afford to lose the $000 than endure the nights of agony which would follow n ne K,,ht the law down on Billy's head. His friend was probably this moment suffering the torments oi tne uumneu, n from the bottom of his heart Morrison felt sorry for him. There came a knock on the outer ooor HPnntn in "' There entered Freddie Myer, one of the old crowd. "Heard you were back," he greeted. "Have a good tript Fine! Say, we've got a box at Shantan's tonight, You'll join ust" Morrison Bhook his head. Wmlriii 'Mvkt litrhted a cigarette. "What's become of Billy 1" Mor rison asked at length. "They told me at the office that he has left the Myer shrugged his shoulders. No one knows," he returned. "His name u -nosted the day after you left. We haven't seen him since. That fAllnw's in bad shape." went on Myer. "He'll do something desperate if we don't watch him." "He will do HI" . "You don't mean he'i done it al ready?" said Myer. "No," lied Morrison. "Wnll. never mind about Billy," returned Myer. "Join us at supper, anyway; you've got to eat sometime." Again Morrison shook ma neaa. Tt irrew dark outside and Morrison sat in the room without turning on the lights. Eight, nine o'cloek passed. Thore came a second Knocn at me door. Billy entered. "Hello, old man." he called out. Morrison shook hands with him as though nothing had happened. "What's the matter!" asuoa amy. "Nnthinp." "Come off! Say, you haven't been near the Citizen's, have youT" "Yes." "What did they say?" 1 "What have they to say?" "Gad! I'm glad to see you," went oa Billy. "I've been on pins and aeodles ever since you lett. uope you'H forgive me, old man." Morrison was silent. "I forged two checks on yon for 310 anieee. I knew the Citizen's was in bad shape they failed a week later." Billy fumbled in ms wauet and finally tossed a piece of paper on the table. "I hated awfully to do it, old man, but I knew you'd do as much for me." Morrison picked up the slip of paper wit We the imprint of the First National Bank, the one unquestionably sound institution of the town. It was a certificate of deposit in Morrison's name for foUU. What do you think OF THIS? 3,000,000 Acres Fine FREE HOMESTEADS and Montana Deeded Land (8 to $40 an Acre Ready for the plow. Yields 30 to 60 bu. wheat. Oats, barley, flax, hay, etc., in proportion. Finest Inland Climate, Land Sold on Crop Payment Flan. Low fare Homeseekers' Ex cursions on first and thirl Tuesdays of each month. Western Immigration Agent, 0. M. ft ST. P. BY. 2nd and Cherry, Seattle. Wash. Ttaa Barthold-Barg Co. inc. 127 Fourth Street, Portland, Or HUM Instrument ani Steel Tip Repairing High-Clan Blue mming Exeluilra Dealer la DRAWING MATERIALS Surreying and Drafting Inrtrnmenti, Archltecta" and Englnaeri Supplies. READ EVERY WORD!! Mr. Rancher! Mr. Merchant! Mr.Cattleman! Mr. Hopgrower! Mr.Fnritgrower! Do you protect the amount of Dollars on your Bank Checks against the CHECK RAISER1 Do you know that American Bank records show losses through bad check men of $500,000 in 1900, 5,000,000 1906 $15,000,000 in 1911 and the awful total of $23,000,000 in 19131 WHO! will be called on to stand this enormous yearly loss? The Farmer! Yes, because most city business men now use Check Protection. WHY do you,' at a yearly Pen?e protect your farm buildings, crops and stock against loss ty fire, storm and disease, YET I neglect to protect the total cash receipts of all your hard work, your Bank account. RIGHT NOW buy this $10.00 New Era Machine, it will stamp in Red Indelible Ink the exact amount of your check in Dollars, show it to your Banker, use it 30 days, then H not satisfied your money will be returned without question. Sign and Mail This Order. COMMERCE-UTILITY CORPORATION, 411-12-13-14-15 Panama Building, Portland, Oregon. Ship me one Robert H. Ingersoll New Era guaranteed Check Pro tector C. O. D. 10.00 by Parcels PoBt, prepaid. I, Name. . Addreu. I KING OF THE WOODS" DRAG SAW With or Without Bum Saw Attachment Will mw 20 to 40 cord of wood per day at a eo of $1.00. PULLS ITSELF up the tteepert HILL and over the rouithest mound. Coitt leu than other make. One man write he lawed 56 neb m lOhowa, Another tawed 40 cordj in 9 hour. There u i. Lnnu Wnta for FREE eat. more you ouum w ; . . .log containing full CT-txav frnm enthunastic useri. w nm. ir... from CTMnmiPMn. uaci. " r r m the 1st and 2nd for fJlU cacti."
