on his own showing. The
circumstances are peculiar, and indicate deliberate fraud on the part of
Dale; but, as Prime says, he can't let his own customers suffer."

"This is all a riddle to me," I said, a little impatiently. "You forget
that I do not know the facts yet."

"The facts are simple enough; and the whole difficulty, it seems, is
indirectly the result of having anything to do with men who take
improper risks. As I told you the other day, young Prime has been egged
on by the large sums he has seen made in a few days by others, to go
joint account with this man Dale, who has had the reputation of being
very shrewd and successful, and who, by the way, comes from this city.
The speculations turned out very well, especially this last one, which
our friend tells me was to have been his last."

"Yes, I am sure it was," I answered excitedly.

Mr. Chelm looked at me with a blank sort of gaze. "Very likely," he
observed, with a dry smile. "Well, as I was saying, this like the others
was profitable, and Prime not only had enriched himself but some of his
customers who had taken the risk with him. The money was paid to him,
and he made reports of the same to his customers. But the same day Dale
came in and asked Prime to loan him over night the sum he had just paid
in, as a personal favor. Prime says he hesitated, not because he
suspected anything, but on grounds of common prudence. It seemed to him,
however, that it would be churlish and punctilious to refuse to
accommodate the man to whom he owed his good fortune, and so he lent the
money. Next day, Dale failed disgracefully. Of course Mr. Prime feels
bound in honor to pay his customers their profits, which happen to
exceed his capital. There is the whole story."

"I see. And what do you advise me to do?" I asked, after a pause.

"Do?" Mr. Chelm shrugged his shoulders. "I do not see that you can do
anything."

"I can pay his debts."

"You can pay his debts, and you can found a Home for unsuccessful
merchant-princes, if you choose, but not with my consent."

"He has behaved very honorably."

"Pooh! Any honest man would do the same."

"You say he will be here at twelve?"

"At twelve."

"Why did you ask him to come back?"

"You interrogate like a lawyer. I told him I would communicate with my
principal."

"Did he ask for help?"

"Not at all. He was ready to 'stand the racket,' he said. He merely
wished to state the facts. He blamed himself for lack of