"Demand Loan" O. Henry

"Demand Loan"

O. Henry

(from "Heart of the West")< /p>

In those days, cattle herders were the proud ones of heaven. They are the Dukes of the grasslands, the emperors of the cattle, the monarchs of the pastures, the kings of beef and beef bones. As long as they are happy, they are qualified to ride in the gilded carriage. Money fell on the cowherd like crazy, and he seemed to think he had a lot of money. However, apart from buying a gold watch with many large gems on the cover that makes the ribs ache, buying a saddle with silver nails and angora leather pads, and inviting everyone to drink whiskey in the bar , where else can he spend money?

As for ranchers with women, their options for reducing their excess wealth are less limited. The descendant of Eve's ability to lighten her wallet may lie dormant for many years when times are bad, but, brothers, this ability will never be extinct.

Therefore, "Tall" Bill Longley, forced by his wife, left the lush Circle Crossing Ranch on the Frio River and went to the city to enjoy the joy of success. His property is more than half a million yuan, and his income is still increasing.

"Tall" Bill was honed in the camp and on the prairie. Luck and frugality, a cool head, and a keen eye for unowned calves all combined to transform him from shepherd to rancher. Then the cattle business suddenly boomed, and Lady Luck came carefully through the cactus thorns and poured her horn of abundance at the door of the ranch house.

[Horn of Fertility: Zeus, the main god in Greek mythology, took a horn from the head of the Yamaltayan goat when he was young, giving it magical power. Whatever you want, there's it immediately in your corner. ]

Longley built a luxurious home in the small frontier town of Chaparosa. He becomes a prisoner, hitched to the wagon of social life. He was destined to become a local figure. At first, he struggled for a while like a wild horse when it was first imprisoned in a fence. Then he hung up his whip and spurs and became content with the status quo. He had nothing to do and life was hard to pass, so he founded the First National Bank of Chaparosa and was elected as general manager.

One day, a man wearing glasses with lenses as thick as magnifying glasses and suffering from dyspepsia came to the First National Bank and handed an impressive business card to the teller window. Five minutes later, all the bank staff hurriedly opened under the instruction of the inspector.

This auditor, Mr. Jay Edgar Todd, turned out to be very serious.

After checking the accounts, the auditor put on his hat and asked the general manager, Mr. William Ray Longley, to go to the small office.

"Well, what do you think?" Longley asked in a deep and slow voice, "Are there any marks in the herd that you don't like?"

"The accounts are all right. "It's very clear, Mr. Longley," said Todd, "and I see that your loans are all in order - with one exception. One of the IOUs is bad - so bad that I guess you don't understand the situation. The seriousness of it. I mean the $10,000 demand loan to Thomas Merwin. The problem was not only that it exceeded the bank's maximum limit for private loans, but it was also unsecured and unsecured. It violates the National Bank Act in all aspects, and the government can file criminal charges against you at any time. If this matter is reported to the Currency Audit Office - which I have a duty to do - I believe it will be transferred to the Ministry of Justice for execution. How serious it is."

Bill Longley sat on the swivel chair, his tall body slowly leaning back. He clasped his hands together, held the back of his head, slightly tilted his head, and looked at the auditor. The auditor couldn't help but feel a little puzzled when he saw a smile on the corner of the banker's decisive mouth and a kind light shining in his light blue eyes. When he understood the seriousness of this matter, his expression would no longer be like this.

"Of course, it's no wonder, you don't know Tom Merwin at all." Longley said almost cordially, "Yes, I know about this loan. Except for Tom Merwin's words, There is no collateral. But I have always believed that as long as a person is trustworthy, his word is the best collateral. Oh, yes, I know that the government does not think so. It seems that I should go find Tom for this loan. ."

Mr. Todd's dyspepsia seemed to suddenly worsen.

He looked at the cattle-herder-turned-banker in surprise from behind his magnifying glasses.

"You see," Longley explained easily, trying to put an end to the matter, "Tom heard that there were two thousand two-year-old calves for sale at Rock Springs on the Grand River, eight dollars each. I figured it was old Leandro Garcia's smuggled cattle team, and he was eager to get rid of them. Tom knew that, and so did I. For six thousand dollars in cash, I lent him the remaining ten thousand dollars of the transaction. His brother Ed drove the cattle away three weeks ago and he might come back at any time with the payment. As soon as he comes, Tom will pay back the loan."

The auditor was horrified. It may be his duty to go to the telegraph office immediately and report the situation to the Audit Office. But he didn't do that. He spoke bluntly to Longley for three minutes. He finally convinced the banker that he was on the verge of disaster. Afterward, he offered a glimmer of hope.

"I'm going to Hilldale tonight," he said to Longley, "to check the accounts of a bank there. On my way back I'll pass by Chaparosa. Tomorrow twelve OK, I'll come here again. If the loan has been cleared, I won't be able to mention it in the report. Otherwise - I have to do my duty."

After all, Audit Ju. He bowed and left.

The general manager of the First National Bank continued to sit in his chair for half an hour, then lit a mellow cigar and went to Tom Merwin's house. Merwin, a rancher in coarse brown trousers with a thoughtful expression, was sitting with his limbs on the table, knitting a rawhide riding crop.

"Tom," said Longley, leaning on the table, "have you heard from Ed?"

"Not yet," replied Merwin, continuing to weave his whip. "I think Ed will be back in the next few days."

"There was a bank audit," Longley said. I thought there was no problem, but it was against banking laws. I was sure you could pay back the loan before the bank audited it, but the guy came unexpectedly, Tom, and I was short of cash. I can make an advance and pay this IOU for you. He requires me to settle it before twelve o'clock tomorrow, and I have to come up with cash to pay off the account at that time, otherwise -"

"What's wrong, Bill? ?" Merwin asked when he saw Longley hesitating.

"Well, I guess I was kicked out by Uncle Sam."

"I'll try to raise your money in time." Merwin said, Still concentrating on knitting the riding crop.

"Well, Tom," said Longley, as he turned towards the door, "I know you will do it if you can help it."

Merwin threw away Whip, go to the only second bank in town, the private bank owned by Cooper and Craig.

"Cooper," he said to the partner named Cooper, "Today or tomorrow, I have to raise ten thousand dollars. I have a house and land here that are worth about six thousand dollars. , that's all the actual collateral. But I'm doing a cattle deal, and within a few days, it's going to bring me more than that."

Cooper began to cough.

"Hey, for God's sake, don't refuse." Merwin said, "I owe someone a current loan, the amount is 10,000 yuan. Now I'm asking for repayment, and the person who asked for repayment is also I spent ten years in the cattle camp and the forest guard camp. He could ask for everything from me. If he wanted the blood in my veins, he would have to get the money. He was very desperate. -Well, he needs that money, and it's my responsibility to raise it for him. You know I have food, Cooper. "But you know, I have a partner. I can't act arbitrarily and lend money privately. Even if you have the most reliable collateral on hand, we can't lend you a loan in a week. We are about to ship fifteen thousand We're going to Rockdale and have the cotton shipped to us by narrow-gauge train tonight. We don't have much cash on hand, so I'm very sorry." /p>

Merwin returned home and spun riding whips again.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, he arrived at the First National Bank, leaned over the fence between Longley's desk, and said: "I'll find a way to do it for you tonight - I mean tomorrow - Get that money, Bill."

"Okay, Tom," Longley said quietly.

At nine o'clock that night, Tom Merwin cautiously walked out of the little wooden house where he lived. The house is located on the outskirts of the city, and there are few pedestrians nearby at this time. Merwin carried two six-shooters in his belt and wore a floppy hat on his head. He walked quickly down a deserted side street, onto a sandy road that ran parallel to the narrow-gauge railway, and finally came to a water tower two miles outside the city. Here Tom Merwin paused, covering his lower face with a black silk handkerchief, and pulling down the brim of his hat.

Ten minutes later, the night train from Chaparosa to Rockdale stopped at the water tower.

Holding a pistol in each hand, Merwin stood up from behind a clump of oak trees and walked toward the motorcycle. Before he had even taken three steps, two strong long arms suddenly picked him up from behind and threw him onto the grass. A heavy knee pressed against his back, and hands like steel pliers grabbed his wrist. He was subdued like a child until the motorcycle added water, started again, gradually increased speed, and drove out of sight. At this time, he was released and stood up, discovering that his captor was Bill Longley.

"This matter must not be settled like this, Tom." Longley said, "I saw Cooper this afternoon, and he told me what you talked about with him. I will go to your house in the evening and meet You came out with a gun, so I followed you here. Let's go back, Tom."

The two of them walked away together.

"This is my only chance." After a while, Merwin said, "You ask for the loan to be repaid, and I have to find a way to pay it off. Bill, if they give you a hard time, how will you handle it?"< /p>

"What will you do if they make things difficult for you?" Longley asked.

"I never thought I would be lying in wait to rob a train," Merwin said. "But a demand loan is one thing. I always say one is one and two is two." We have twelve hours left, Bill, and then the spy is going to come to you again. We've got to find a way to get the money. Listen, great Sam Houston! Are you there yet? ”

[Amazing Sam Houston: Sam Houston (1793-1863), American soldier, politician, governor of Texas from 1859 to 1861 State Governor. Used here as an exclamation. ]

Merwin suddenly started running, and Longley followed him. He only heard a sweet whistle in the dark night, playing the sad tune of "The Shepherd's Elegy."

"He only knows this one song." Merwin shouted as he ran, "It must be——"

They ran to Merwin's house. Merwin kicked the door open and rushed out, stumbling over an old suitcase in the middle of the room. A dusty young man with dark skin and a wide chin was lying on the bed smoking a brown cigarette.

"How's it going, Ed?" Merwin said breathlessly.

"So-so." The capable young man said lazily, "I just came back from the nine-thirty train. The cattle were sold for fifteen yuan a head, which is not a lot of money. . Hey, man, stop kicking that suitcase around. It contains twenty-nine thousand dollars in cash."