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ST CHARLES MORRIS BUTLER-
Copyright 1905 by Charles Morris Butler
CHAPTER VI
The Forged Check
Lang after leaving Regan wended
his way to the residence of Jim Den
ver
f
Being admitted not a word was
spoken until the twain were safe from
eavesdroppers in the detectives pri
vate sleeping apartments
Well queried Denver taking a
seat upon the edge of the bed pre
paring himseilf to listen to Langs
story
I have made my boast said Louis
flushed with excitement now that the
time for real action had arrived that
I could rob a bank in the morning
How am I to do it
Forgery my boy forgery cried
the detective slapping Lang on the
back You have the nerve to pass
a forged check a forged check that is
not forged
I am at a loss to understand you
as yet
It is easy enough was Denvers
reply seating himself at his writing
desk and filling out a check from his
book You arrive at my office in the
morning timing yourself so that you
are there while Regan is in my room
I will then fill out a check for you in
this manner showing his protege a
check for ten dollars made out in
his usual open sprawling style
An expert penman could easily
raise this check if he wanted to
continued Denver writing another
check and make it look like this new
one showing him a check for ten
thousand dollars Whats to hinder
you from keeping this check for the
ten thousand dollars Nothing I
have the money in the bank and the
bank people will cash it if presented
In the morning after receiving your
check for ten dollars you show it to
Jack and make some remark about
raising it Then you go to your room
I mean the blank one you stole
I understand you and I repeat
I will cash It
For how much Regan asked
Ten thousand plunks whispered
Lang
Ill bet you a hundred you dont
Youre betting on the wrong horse
unless you mean to betray me
Have no fear of me Regan inter
posed I dont forget my compact
of last night anything you can get
out of Denver will be peaches and
cream to me I hate the man
Ill take your bet Jack Ill need
your hundred youll be my meat
There was no time for hesitancy
now
Its a go then
Sure Im going to my room now
and shall either raise this old one
or write a new one Then as a part
ing bluff Come on down to my room
with me and see me turn the trick
I cant replied the detective I
must be on the lookout for G
You can show me the check or the
money if you get it
Oh Ill get it you neednt be
alarmed I havent been practicing
on his signature for a year for noth
ing cried Louis
A short hour afterward that Is
about twelve oclock Louis presented
a check to the cashier of the Madison
bank It was for ten thousand dol
lars
The following conversation took
place
A short hour afterwards that Is
about twelve oclock Louis presented
a check to the cashier of the Madison
bank It was for ten thousand
lars
Rather a large sum of money
queried the cashier as he carefully
scrutinized the paper How will you
have it a transfer to your account or
currency
You may give me bills of large
The check is a forgery
and make a bluff at writing and scat
ter a few scraps around the floor
When you are ready pass the large
check It will appear like a forgery
to Golden and Regan at least wheth
er I honor the check or not
Then you are perfectly willing to
trust me with ten thousand dollars
of your money asked Louis rather
proudly
I am satisfied to risk this sum of
money to find out where the strong
hold of these villians is Knowing
what you are going to do to morrow I
can disguise myself and keep you and
the party in sight up to the very
gates of the city we are looking for
I am glad to hear you say you
will keep in sight said Louis for
I confess that I am a little bit shaky
in regard to the outcome of the mat
ter
I too am sad to night for some
reason or other said Denver laying
his hands rather tenderly upon Louis
shoulders It seems to me as if we
are to part for a long time I hope
It is not forever I have become at
tached to you and would be sorry
Indeed if I were leading you to your
death or even disgrace
I believe in your friendship for
me replied Lang as he grasped his
patrons hand I am a better man
mentally morally and physically for
the knowing of you and whatever be
falls me you can rest assured that it
will be through no neglect of duty on
your part
You wont be alone in your under
taking said Jim as if reassuring
himself I have succeeded in in
teresting the general government in
this matter and when you need help
you will get it Be true to yourself
and providence will protect you But
let the thought of sudden death be
ever before you you will court it in
many ways Weigh well every word
and every action I can say no more
It was their farewell
Regan was in the general office of
the detective agency with Denver
when Lang called in the morning He
saw Louis draw Denver into conversa
1 tion while slyly stealing a blank
check from the open bank book lying
on Denvers table and saw Louis re
ceive a check from Jim presumably
for ten dollars
Regan followed Lang into the hall
What are you going to do with
that check Regan asked
Cj 1 - answered Lang
denomination said Lbuis compos
edly
It is an unusually large sum of
money to pay out on a check to a com
parative stranger to any one but the
owner of the money The cashier
was satisfied of the genuineness of
the note but was sparring for time
not feeling like taking upon his shoul
ders the responsibility of the possibil
ity of mistake Finally he made a
peculiar signal You will excuse me
a moment he said and you may as
well step into the private office
Lang looked around When he came
in every door was open and there
was not a janitor nor uniformed of
ficer in sight outside the railings
Now as if by magic all the outside
doors were closed and a man whom
Louis took to be a janitor but who
was a detective was making a bluff
at dusting off the windowsills and
picking up stray papers from the
floor Looking through the glass door
leading into the street Louis saw a
policeman standing in rather an un
usual position with one hand grasping
tightly his club while the other was
hid beneath his coat tails
The bank president was seated at
his desk Mr Smith I believe he
asked pleasantly
Thats my name answered Lang
You are or appear to be in Mr
Denvers confidence
I am
May I ask why Mr Denver does
not draw this check himself
He is not at liberty to day
Is it important that you receive
it immediately
It is and in money not a check
Did Mr Denver hint anything to
you about the possibility of your be
ing unable to draw that sum of
money
I am in no mood for parleying
why do you wish to converse with
me
Simply to keep you busy pending
the arrival of Mr Denver said the
president after a slight pause
Louis colored up Here was a new
complication whether Denver was
true or not Had Denver prepared
for this emergency You will not be
able to find Mr Denver replied Louis
with as much a show of calmness
as he could command
That remains to be seen
The conversation lagged The
banker grew restless Louis fidgeted
rather uneasily in his chair but grew
calmer as the moments dragged and
finally became the calmer of the two
The cashier returned holding In his
hands a stack of greenbacks Louis
rose up to receive it from him
You have concluded to cash the
check he asked with a sigh of re
lief
The president Intercepted the pack
age I have decided not to cash it
he said rather bluntly
Why demanded Lang resolved
to force the Issue
The check is a forgery
All is lost thought Lang but he
did not flinch from the ordeal What
makes you think so he asked while
he tried to smile
The banker hesitated Lang noticed
it You are overstepping your
bounds he exclaimed And I shall
sue you for any damage that may re
sult from my not getting this money
when I need it
You can go any time you want to
added the president harshly I am
not detaining you and you should
thank your lucky stars that I am so
lenient with you
Very well said Lang a heavy
feeling at his heart realizing that he
had lost his game You mean that
you are not willing to run the risk of
arresting me However well let that
go Give me the check
We cannot do that said the bank
er decidedly
By what right do you presume to
keep both the draft and the money
You go too far If you retain the
draft what evidence have I that you
will not swear that I have received
the money You have no right to
expect me to trust you if you do not
trust me and you must either arrest
me as a forger or pay me the money
We are recognized as responsible
agents responded the banker at
tempting to appease Lang And have
a right to protect ourselves as well as
Mr Denver
I shall remain here until I receive
either one thing or the other said
Lang firmly He seated himself very
coolly in the chair he had vacated
upon the arrival of the cashier with
the money
The president cast an Inquiring
glance toward the cashier the cashier
returned his superiors look and then
both gazed intently at Lang The
young man had stood their test admir
ably they were convinced of the gen
uineness of the note yet were loath
to cash it While the officers were
debating as to the policy of turning
over the money a rap was given upon
the door and the janitor entered
Detective Regan on the outside
sir Shall I admit him
To be continued
DEBUT OF TINY HEIRESS
She Was Flower Girl at a Fashionable
Church Wedding
Little Katherine Mackay daughter
of Mr and Mrs Clarence H Mackay
arrayed in a dainty frock composed
of lace which was said by the women
present to be worth 70 a yard and
carrying a big basket of pink sweet
peas made what may be ascribed as
her first appearance in public recently
by acting as flower girl along with
the equally diminutive and similarly
attired Kate Haven at the wedding of
Miss Marian Haven to Forsyth Wickes
at St Bartholomews says the New
York American
Miss Mackays dress was of cream
chiffon with a finely cut yoke On
the shoulders were small capes of rose
point falling over short puff sleeves
finished with a ruffle of lace The
belt was of lace and the skirt made
with groups of fine tucks and had a
ruffle of lace
A large bow of white embroidered
and lace trimmed sash ribbon was
fastened at the back of the belt small
white sandals were worn with white
silk stockings Instead of gloves she
were white silk mittens
Whisky as Is Whisky
A man in Cincinnati bought a bar
rel of whisky thirty five years ago and
kept it in a third story dry room well
ventilated and in all the intervening
period used only one pint for testing
There remain to day only one and
four fifths gallon of the original thirty-four
the rest being lost through
evaporation A celebrated physician
says One small drink of this whis
ky contains more electricity and re
juvenating properties than any medi
cine that can be prescribed As to
quality connoisseurs agree that this
whisky considering its pure distilla
tion and great age is the finest in the
world and that no King or Emperor
the Rothschilds Morgans Vanderbilts
Astors Carnegies Beits or Clarks
with all their enormous wealth plac
ing at their will all the luxuries of
the world can command such A
careful estimate of the cost of stor
age and a computation of interest and
insurance for thirty five years prove
the cost of this whisky at the present
time to be 48901 a gallon
Large and Roomy
A violent windstorm which traveled
over Berks county some time back
saw fit to take with it an old shed
wherein a certain blacksmith was
wont to ply his trade The black
smiths determination to continue busi
ness in the open pending the construc
tion of a new building caused not a
little amusement among the neighbor
ing farmers One of these driving
along a day or two later saw limping
toward him a horse led by a disconso
late looking individual who on draw
ing near explained
My horse has lost a shoe Can you
tell me where I can find a blacksmith
shop
You are in the shop now replied
the other facetiously but the anvil is
about two miles down the road
Philadelphia Ledger
MYSTERY OF MONEY
SUBJECT ABOUT WHICH LITTLE
IS REALLY KNOWN
Proper Methods of Acquiring It or Its
Wisest U j Are Matters Upon
Which the Wisest Differ Has No
Power to Confer Happiness
For centuries the economists have
been disputing about the definition
and offices of money says the Wall
Street Journal There are almost as
many different theories of money as
there are schools in theology Thjero
seems to be an immense difficulty in
comprehending just what money is
what it does in facilitating the ex
changes of the world and what is Its
influence upon prices Here is the
most practical and substantial thing in
the world an article which is in uni
versal use and which is most eagerly
sought after by people of every clime
and race and yet how little we know
about it Even now no one can tell
exactly how much currency a country
needs to carry on its business and how
large should be the reserves of gold
against the bank reserves Even
bankers whose business all the time
is to deal in money as others deal in
merchandise are liable to become
hopelessly confused in a discussion
regarding the principles which under
lie its use
Strange to say the confusion which
attends an economic study of money
also attends any discussion of the
ethics of money All the philosophy
in the world has not answered the
question of how much money it is
wise for a man to possess How wide
ly men differ even our scholars and
moral instructors as to the proper
methods of acquiring wealth We
even dispute as to the wisest use of
money We are not agreed as to the
distribution of money in charity It
would seem as if the commonest the
most universal tool of man was the
one thing that plagued him the most
But this is not all Useful indis
pensable as money is there is noth
ing which is more constantly put to
an evil use or which is more likely
to destroy the man who uses it There
is something about money which de
files nearly all who touch it There
are Indeed some rare souls that are
immune to its corrupting Influence
but the great body of mankind are
susceptible to Its corroding power
Both lack and superfluity both poverty
and riches seem to destroy the finer
fibers of the soul The individual who
has the most chance of throwing oft
moneys baneful influence is he who
stands midway between superfluity
and poverty
Money is a microbe that poisons
the blood and perverts the mind and
heart of a man No one Is happy
without it and yet no one is really
happy who possesses much of it The
more one gets the more he wants
Money getting becomes a passion It
fastens itself upon one like a habit
Even the opium eater is not more in
control of a demon than one who has
got the itch for money He becomes
a slave to the very thing which is
intended to be his tool The disease
affects different people differently
Some it makes sordid penurious
mean Others it leads to lavish dis
play and extravagance Some use it
for mere luxury Others enjoy it for
its power Nearly all in one way or
another are changed and often pollut
ed by the possessions of wealth
California
I dreamed a dream of beauty
Of dewy orange bloom
Of waving plumes of palms and gusta
Of subtle sweet perfume
Of lilies and rare roses
That glistened bright between
Rich banks of brilliant tropic bloome
That I had never seen
I dreamed about the ocean
And mountains close beside
Their purplo mantles bordered by
The silver of the tide
I dreamed of holy brethren
Of gentle word and deed
Who journeyed over half the world
To sow the Lords good seed
To toll till church and cloister
Arose for Christs dear sake
Though oer the thresholds In my dream
I saw gold popies break
And lo as I was dreaming
I journeyed swiftly through
Three days and nights then I awoke
And found my dreams come true
Evaleen Stein in Sunset Magazine
Carnegies Old Home Torn Down
Another landmark of Pittsburg one
of the first houses in the city that
Andrew Carnegie loved to call his
home before the millions that have
made him famous were his own has
passed away before the devastating
ax of the progressive house destroyer
It is the old two story frame dwell
ing at the corner of Penn and Lang
avenues directly opposite the No 16
fire engine house in the heart of one
of the most densely inhabited mil
lionaire sections of the East End
The work of demolishing the old
house was begun last Tuesday By
Friday only the cellar remained and
even this will soon be torn away as
will the little knoll on which the old
timbers rested Pittsburg Dispatch
Brevity the Soul of Wit
The anonymous writer who con
tributes to the Sunday Magazine Ar
rows Shot in the Air tells us
Emerson wrote a chapter and then
tried to reduce it to a page He
wrestled with the page until he gath
ered its force into a paragraph Then
he did battle with the paragraph until
its pith stood revealed in a sentence
This was told me by his friend Jus
tin Winsor the accomplished librari
an of Harvard university who added
that it explained the epigrammatic
quality of Emersons essays and the
abruptness as well as the thought
packed nature of his style Liver
pool CEns Mercury
THE BOND BROKEN
NORWAY SEVERS TIES UNITING
HER TO SWEDEN
STORTHING TAKES INITIATIVE
Declaration of Independence and Sov
ereignty Set Forth One of the
Causes for Delre of Sweden and
Norway to Separate Consular Sys
tems
CHRISTIANA Norway today is a
fully independent and sovereign state
This is the text of the editorials in
the Norwegian newspapers and it re
flects the spirit with which the people
of Norway accept the action of the
storthing when it proclaimed King
Oscar no longer king of Norway
King Oscars refusal to sanction the
bill passed by the storthing providing
for a separate consular service for
Norway culminated in the passage of a
resolution by the storthing declaring
the dissolution of the union of Swed
en and Norway and that the king had
ceased to act as king of Norway Al
though the action was anticipated it
caused considerable excitement in this
city on account of the anxiety as to
what action the king would take
The crisis became acute May 2G
iwhen his majesty after three months
rest during which the regency was
confided to Crown Prince Gustave re
sumed the reins of office The council
of state immediately submitted to him
the consular bill which he May 28
refused to sanction arguing that any
action must receive the sanction of
the mixed council The Norwegian
council of state thereupon resigned
and the king refused to accept their
resignation as in view of the state of
public opinion it was impossible to
form a new government Demonstra
tions were held throughout the coun
try endorsing the action of the council
of state
One of the causes for the desire in
Sweden and Norway for separate con
sular systems was the fact that Swed
en is protectionist and Norway is for
free trade and also because of Nor
ways more extensive sea trade and
other divergencies of commercial in
terests
At its meeting the storthing ad
dressed a proclamation to the Norwe
gian people in which is given a de
tailed account of the events preced
ing the passing of the resolution
This proclamation concludes as fol
lows
The storthing hopes that the Nor
wegian people will succeed in living in
peace and on good terms with all and
not the least with the Swedish people
to whom we are linked by so many
natural ties
The storthing Is sure that the peo
ple will join with it and with govern
ment in maintaining the full independ
ence of Norway and with firmness and
dignified tranquility submit to the nec
essary sacrifices and it is further sure
that all subjects will fully respect all
ordinances and prescriptions from the
government
All officials civil and military
must in every respect yield that obedi
ence which the government has the
right to claim according to the author
ity transferred to it by the storthing
in the name of the people of Norway
British Bank in Trouble
LONDON The bank of Glynn Mills
Currie Co petitioned the courts to
order the compulsory winding up of
the International Bank of London The
petitioners are creditors for upward of
1250000
SAYS THE TAXES
MUST BE COLLECTED
MUSKOGEE I T Mayor Fite has
dismissed the charges against the In
dian police arrested by the city au
thorities charged with assault in
closing the stores of merchants who
refused to pay the tribal tax There
will be no further arrests Inspector
Wright received telegraphic instru
tions from Secretary Hitchcock to pro
ceed with the collection of the taxes
Mr Wright stated that all business
houses where the tax is not paid will
be closed
CRISIS IN RUSSIA
Czar Begins Reactionary Policy By
Appointing Gen Trepoff Dictator
ST PETERSBURG Emperor Nich
olas ukase virtually creating Gover
nor General Trepoff dictator has given
rise to a mighty sensation It is the
imperial recognition of the crisis in
the internal affairs of Russia and
instinctively recalls the step taken by
the emperors grandfather Alexander
II immediately after the attempt to
blow up the winter palace in 38S0
when he appointed a commission of
public safety headed by General
Loris Melikoff except that the posi
tion of General Trepoff will be more
analogous to that occupied by Loris
Melikoff when later in the same year
he was appointed minister of the in
terior with full control of the police
Names New Committeeman
WASHINGTON Postmaster Gener
al Cortelyou acting chairman of the
republican national committee an
nounced the appointment of Pearl
Wright of New Orleans as member
of the republican national committee
business man of New Orleans promi 1
nent in republican councils of the
state Mr Cortelyou says Mr Wright
was appointed not as a representative j
of any faction but in the belief that
he would represent well all classes in
a satisfactory way
A STRIKE CRISIS
Many More Men May Become In
volvcd
CHICAGO The teamsters striko
has reached the point whoro Its fur
ther progress and Its further Increaso
Is dependent upon tho action taken by
tho mombers of the Chicago Team
Owners association This organiza
tion has from the first declined to
mako deliveries to the boycotted
houses and has constantly urged tho
teamsters to arbitrate tho question of
making such deliveries
The teamsters have positively re
fused to deliver or receive goods and
now the last chance of securing any
concessions from tho teamsters having
faded away tho members of tho Team
Owners association must either de
cide to deliver goods or allow tho
teamsters to have their own way in
tho matter Opinion among the mem
hers of tho Team Owners association
is strongly divided and tho result may
be a split in its ranks Many of tho
largest team owners in the city havo
announced that they are going to
make deliveries
A meeting of the organization will bo
held tomorrow night and the action
taken at that time will largely deter
mine tho future scope of the striko
If the Team Owners association de
cides to make deliveries and dis
charge all of Its men who refuse to
obey orders tho ranks of the strikers
will be Increased by about 8000 men
Tho strikers mado another attempt
to force a break in tho ranks of tho
Employers association A committoa
called on Edward Hillman proprietor
of a largo dry goods store and asked
him to arrange another conference be
tween the teamsters and the employ
ers Mr Hillman positively refused
saying that unless the strikers had
some new proposition to offer it was
useless to attempt to reach any agree
ment Their present attitude he said
was such as there could be no pos
sible middle ground upon which the
employers could meet them This was
the only attempt at adjusting the
strike made and it is not probable that
more efforts will be made for somo
time to come
AMBASSADOR CONCER TO
STAY IN MEXICO
MEXICO Ambassador Conger put
an end to the rumor circulated in
American papers that he would re
main hero but six months retiring to
become a candidate for governor of
Iowa He denies tills and says
I have been repeatedly urged by
my friends in Iowa to accept the nom
ination for governor but I havo per
sistently declined to do so My views
in the matter have not changed 1 liko
the diplomatic service and prefer to
serve my country in it My appoint
ment here is permanent so far as I
know It is subject to no other con
ditions than are attached to any other
consular appointment
RUSSIA SHOWS RESENTMENT
Bitter Newspaper Comment on Courso
of United States at Manila
ST PETERSBURG The Russian
papers notably the Novoe Vremya
and the Russ the latter recently re
flecting the views of the foreign office
display a great deal of resentment
against the United States for enforc
ing the twenty four hour rule in tho
case of the Russian cruisers at Man
ila The Russ quotes the American
neutrality regulations and contends
that President Roosevelt in applying
the principle that only injuries re
ceived during a storm and not in bat
tle can be repaired in American ports
not only narrows the American regu
lations but infringes recognized prin
ciples of international law This pa
per declares it has official warrant
for the statement that representations
have been made at Washington on
the subject
The Novoe Vremya is exceeding sar
castic After a slap at Great Britain
for the alleged manner in which its
vessels dogged the Russian fleet from
the time it left Cronstadt and for try
ing to force all the powers to accept
its interpretation of the rules of neu
trality the Novoe Vremya declares
that President Roosevelt to whom It
refers as Mr Roosevelt contami
nated by Englands example arbitrar
ily interprets his own rules in a sensa
favorable to Japan adding
Mr Roosevelt takes full advan
tage of the fact that Russia is help
less and powerless to do more than
protest The Japanese minister is re
ported to have expressed gratitude to
America for this act of impartiality
which is partial to Japan We trust
Mr Roosevelt is satisfied with his
success
The admiralty it can be stated is
reconciled to the internment of the
three Russian cruisers at Manila but
opposes on principle the rule that war
ships injured in battle cannot repair
their machinery and boilers in neutral
ports The officials add that friction
over this minor question would be ex
ceedingly unfortunate just at tho
time that President Roosevelt is as
suming the delicate role of trying to
bring the belligerents together
Papers to Coni olidate
ST LOUIS The St Louis Star
and the St Louis Chronicle both
afternoon papers published announce
ments of their consolidation under
the name of the Star Chronicle Ne
gotiations were closed by which The
consolidation poes into effect imme
diately and the new corporation will
be known as the Star Chronicle Pub
lishing company with a capital stock
of 5500000 The Star Chronicle it is
announced will be an independent
paper and win be issued from the
Star building