Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/262

 how matters stood. To "hold the 'phone twenty minutes" seemed to me as a rather unusual request. Indeed, from the time of our meeting on the night he fore. I had my suspicions that all was not just right, so I decided to change base on the 'phone proposition, and taking a street car, I rode about two miles and 'phoned him from another place, this time to learn that it would be necessary for me to meet him again and execute a power of attorney. He asked me to designate a place of meeting, in reply to which I told him to meet me at the same time and place as previously.

Returning to my room. I remained there until dusk, and after dinner went to a riding academy and engaged a saddle horse for the evening. I felt that I must vary my custom on every occasion as near as possible, and as I wanted to make doubly sure of my attorney's actions on this particular evening. I decided to meet the car on which I expected him to come and return with it to the chosen rendezvous.

About 8:45 p. m., I rode on the car track toward the city for a distance of perhaps two miles, and returned with the car until I discovered my attorney was not among the passengers. I did not, however, venture close enough to be recognized. I then wheeled about and went back toward the city, and when the second car hove in sight, I adopted the same tactics, locating my man shortly after meeting with the car. When he got off, I made a short circuit, and after tying my pony in the brush, emerged to meet the gentleman, but said nothing about the animal.

My attorney produced the blank power of attorney, which he had previously filled in, and after he had read its contents to me and I had examined it, I attached my signature thereto. He then informed me that he would have the notary in his office acknowledge my signature, which he would also attest as a subscribing witness.

There being no further business to transact on this occasion, he went back to the city on the next car and I returned the horse to the riding academy, after which I took the street car for Chelsea, another suburb of Boston, some eight miles from the city and in another direction. Here I engaged a room and remained for the night.

After breakfast on the following morning, I went into Boston by way of Charleston and Cambridge, and as I expected to do considerable telephoning, I engaged a horse and buggy for the day, but not, however, at the same livery stable where I hired a rig on a previous occasion.

At 10:30 that morning, I talked with my attorney over the 'phone and as before he requested me to hold the 'phone for some fifteen or twenty minutes. I could not understand this "hold the 'phone" business, and as I was determined not to get caught in a telephone booth, or even to remain at any particular place to exceed two or three minutes, I unhitched my horse and drove off a few miles before calling up again.

I might state here that Boston has the best public telephone service I have ever seen. There is hardly a store of any importance in the city but what is provided with a public telephone, and in every instance, they are inclosed in a booth, where one is enabled to secure privacy. Upon my calling him up again, my attorney informed me that he was experiencing some difficulty in the matter of getting the check cashed, as the bank officials expressed a desire to confer with the firm having drawn the check, before they would pay it.

I instructed him to stay with it and do the very best possible to secure the money, and further to get my grip at whatever cost. I left it to him as to what method he would adopt, but said I must get that grip away from there and at once. I agreed to call him up again at 2 o'clock.

Driving through the parks and to points of interest, I managed to pass the time away until 12:30, when I put my horse up at a stable in the suburbs, and while he was being fed and watered, I ate luncheon and prepared for another start. Page 256