Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a, ~~ OS ee 512 “I’m telling you, you better. Maybe you will thank me afterward for tipping you off. Come, it’s only a step.” Something in the young man’s manner : impressed Stokes. He saw he’d better go, in spite of his deep-seated reluctance. He turned and followed Win. There was nothing reassuring in the man- ner of Miss Benson as she greeted the broker, although she courteously invited him to be seated. ‘Mr. Sayles said you’d like to see me,” remarked Stokes, with an attempt at light- ness. “J told him I was pretty busy—but —anything to oblige a lady, of course.” He smiled with feeble affability. ‘““Or the police,” remarked the bank president. Stokes looked reproachfully at the young woman. “Oh, now, Miss Benson, that’s pretty rough. You go too far when you say that; no one’s got anything on me. I came over here to be nice, not because I had to. I don’t see any reason why you should insult me.” “T suppose not. It depends on what you call an insult. However, we'll drop that. The thing we want to get at right away is, what are you going to do about it?” ‘* About what?” “The Alhambra oil stock you’ve been selling. I have a suggestion to make, Mr. Stokes, that may solve the problem nicely.” “Ves?” Stokes was extremely uneasy. 9. What was this extraordinary young woman “== going to put over next? “You can buy back the stock.” “Well, I should say not! What do you take me for? The stock’s all right—a good speculative investment. When it goes out on the curb—” “Tt may go on the curb; that’s your business. But you’re going to buy back what you’ve sold in and about Templeton.” “ But I haven’t cash enough.” “ What have you done with the proceeds of all the stock you have sold?” “Why, Miss Benson, you know I have been selling treasury stock for development purposes.” “Under a contract with the Alhambra Drilling & Leasing Co., I presume!” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “ Of course.” “With an agreement to purchase the stock on a’sliding scale of prices, beginning at about five cents per share.” Stokes looked startled. “The terms,” he said, “ are hardly that favorable.” “Perhaps not quite. That can all be brought out later if necessary. But the fact remains that you organized the Alhambra Company, dictate its policies, and could readily make such a contract with Mr. Stokes, the broker.” Mr. Stokes, the broker, smiled a smile which he did not intend to express a certain sly triumph. “Do you know any law against such a contract, if carefully executed and lived up to, Miss Benson?” « No,” said Beth, “ not in this State.” * Then,” queried the broker sharply, “‘what’s the big idea? You haven’t got anything on me.” “No,” Beth acquiesced, “‘ I suppose not, with the exception of a few little things you have perhaps not thought of and which I will just call your attention to, by way of refreshing your memory. Is the draft from that window annoying you?” Stokes hastily assured her he was quite comfortable. “In the first place,” went on the bank president, “ we’re not quite sure whether your real name is Stokes or Sloan. Infor- mation we have obtained, however, seems to indicate that it may be either. We are pos- itive it was you against whom an indictment was found four years ago by an Ohio grand jury for a fraudulent stock transaction in that State. At that time you were known as W. K. Sloan. For some reason or an- other, the matter has never been brought to trial; so the indictment still hangs over you. “Now, Mr. Stokes, you came here to Templeton representing yourself to be a legitimate stock broker; and Templeton people were incautious enough to accept you at your own valuation. You have had several months in which to operate, and you’ve built up a thriving business. I will not go into details beyond saying that the’ firm of Stokes & Blanchard, of which you 2A GComichbooks;com — “ . tie ag . —s = 6 ae, ee ee i - So se