journeys he made.
"Waal, messmate," said he, in bluff, hearty tones, as he took a chew ofnavy plug, and scanned the outlaw with his solitary eye. "Wot kin I dofer yer ter-day?"
"Is Mr. Jack Wright in?" politely asked the bandit.
"He are," replied Tim. "D'yer wanter see him?"
"Yes, sir, and on important business too."
"Then step inter ther library an I'll call him fer ye."
Ignorant of the dangerous nature of the caller Tim ushered him into acozy library and left him there.
A fat young Dutchman was in the room, but he immediately left it,casting an inquiring look at the bandit king.
His name was Fritz Schneider, and he had yellow hair, watery blue eyes,an enormous stomach and a pugnacious temperament.
Fritz and Tim were chums and the fat fellow occupied about the sameposition in the house as the old marine did.
A few moments afterward Jack Wright entered.
The outlaw keenly sized him up and observed that he was a well dressedyoung fellow with a sturdy figure, not particularly good looking as hisfeatures were very angular, but his dark eyes showed a very high spirit.
"You wish to see me, sir?" he asked, as he studied Jesse and felt a mostrepugnant sensation creep over him.
"I have called on a begging expedition," bluntly replied the bandit,inventing a plausible lie. "I live in Missouri, and wish to go home. Iwas unlucky enough to lose my pocket-book. I am an utter stranger here,and did not know what to do to raise ten dollars to pay my car fare.Having been told that you was a charitable man, I wish to know if youwill lend me the money. I will gladly mail the amount to you when Ireach home."
"Why certainly I'll let you have it," replied Jack.
"To prove to you that I want the money only for the purpose Imentioned," glibly preceded the outlaw, "you can make out a checkpayable to the bearer, and you will find the voucher stamped or endorsedby the railroad company in payment for my ticket."
"I would have been obliged to give you a check anyway," laughed Jack,"for I've only got three or four dollars in cash in my pocket. Justwait, and I'll give you the check."
He sat down at his desk, and Jesse saw him pick up several checksexactly like the ones purloined from the bank by Frank.
Jack filled out one of the orders for ten dollars.
He handed it to Jesse, and the bandit thanked him like a very gratefulman, repeated his assurance that he would refund the money upon hisarrival at home, and then departed.
Jesse James was delighted at his success thus far.
Returning to the hotel, he procured pen and ink, retired to his room andstudied Jack's check intently.
The signature to it was a very peculiar one that the most expert forgerin the world would have found it almost impossible to imitate.
But the rest of the writing was easy to copy.
The bandit practiced the formation of the different letters for over anhour, and made a good imitation of them.
"And now to raise Wright's cheek," he muttered in tones of exultation,when he saw how successful he was.
CHAPTER II.SWINDLING THE INVENTOR.
The date, number, amount, and figures designating the amount of moneyJack's check called for were written.
Jesse now took one of the blank checks Frank got for him, and imitatingJack's writing, he filled it in with the same number as the good check;after the words: "Pay to the order of---" he wrote, "Bearer," as Jackhad done; before the word "Dollars," on the next line he wrote "Fivethousand," and after the mark "$--" he put "5,000."
He left out the date and signature.
These were unnecessary in the trick he was playing.
Having satisfied himself that his writing bore a close resemblance tothat on Jack's check, he laid the check he had filled out one top of theone Jack gave him with the greatest care, so that all the lines on onewere exactly opposite the lines on the other.
This he ascertained by holding them up to the light and staring throughthe thin paper.
When he had them matched exactly, he located a spot across the width ofboth where no writing was seen.
Holding the checks tightly together he tore them in two, just as if thetwo checks were one thickness of paper.
Consequently both were torn exactly alike.
Taking off the two top pieces he laid them side by side, joining theedges where they were torn, and then did the same with the other check.
This done he took the right hand piece of Jack's check, upon which werethe date at the top and signature at the bottom.
He then took the left hand piece of the check he had made out and put itto the piece with the signature which Jack inscribed.
The check now, instead of being for ten dollars, called for $5,000 andalthough a composite thing the signature was no forgery, and that wasthe principal writing studied by the paying tellers of banks.
It looked like a perfectly genuine check torn in two, for as both checkshad been torn together, the curves of one fit the grooves of the otherpiece to perfection.
Jesse now burned up the remaining two pieces.
"Eureka!" he exclaimed, with an evil smile. "I've done it well. The mostexperienced bank clerk in the country would fail to detect thedeception. Now to get it cashed!"
He put on his hat, and holding the two pieces of check in his hand, heleft the Sea Spider House.
Making his way to the Wrightstown bank, he coolly entered, andapproaching the paying teller's little brass barred window, he thrust inthe two pieces of check and said blandly:
"Please cash that for me."
"You've torn the check in two," said the paying teller.
"I had it in my breast pocket, and as I was coming in the door I put myhand in my pocket to draw it out, when the end of the check caught insome books and it ripped in two."
The paying teller matched the torn ends.
They fitted with the utmost accuracy.
He then keenly scanned the signature.
Familiar with Jack Wright's checks as he was, he saw at a glance thatthe signature was genuine.
Without the slightest hesitation he cashed the check, paying the banditwith one hundred dollar bills.
Jesse requested him to give him bills of smaller denomination for one ofthe bank notes, and when this was done, he leisurely counted the money,placed it in his pocket and strolled out into the Street.
Here he came face to face with Jack.
The young Inventor was just about to enter the bank.
The shock upon a man of weaker nerves than Jesse James had, to thus meetJack, would have been awful.
But the bandit king bad nerves of steel.
He did not start, turn pale, or twitch a muscle.
On the contrary he assumed a cheerful smile, shook hands very heartilywith Jack, and said in apologetic tones:
"I deemed it best to pay for my railroad fare in cash, so I came hereand got the money for your check, Mr. Wright."
"It's just as well you did," replied the Inventor. "I'm a director ofthis bank, and hold the position of president. The board meets to-day,and as I need some cash, I'm killing two birds with one stone."
"Very clever," said Jesse. "Good-bye. I must be off."
"Good-day, sir," said Jack, and he entered the bank.
The bandit strode swiftly to the Sea Spider House.
He found his companions dining, and joining them, he made a good meal,and at its conclusion all hands repaired to the bar again, and indulgedin several more drinks.
Jesse then startled his companions by pulling out his big wad of bills,and paying the landlord for their fare.
The moment the gang got him alone, Frank whispered:
"Where did you get the roll, Jess?"
"From Jack Wright," laughed the outlaw.
"Tell us about it!"
"Certainly. It was the easiest game I ever played, and I got $5,000 outof it, too. Ha, ha, ha!"
Looks of intense astonishment appeared on the faces of his friends.
H
e then explained what he had done.
A roar of delight went up from the gang when he finished.
"Bully for you, Jess!"
"Oh, Lord, what a game!"
"You've done splendidly."
"What a roasting for the bank!"
They laughed and chuckled over it for some time.
But suddenly the solemned-faced Frank exclaimed in startled tones:
"Say! Suppose Jack Wright finds out in the bank what you've done! We'llhave all the police in this town looking for us. Hadn't we better getout of here?"
"Oh, don't hurry yourself," coolly replied Jesse, as he noted the blanklook of dismay on the faces of the rest produced by his brother's words."There's no danger."
The bandit king always exercised a powerful influence over his brotherand his men, and they immediately became