Page:The woman in battle .djvu/539

Rh and bearer for certain other parties, should be given electro-type duplicates of bond and currency plates, such as we had information were manufactured by certain parties in the treasury department. For them we would either pay so much, or would share the profits.

My new acquaintance, however, was in favor of going into business on quite a grand scale. He suggested, in rather in definite terms, that he had a scheme for bleeding the treasury, which would, if proper management was used, be an even more expeditious and safer method of making money than by issuing bogus paper; but he seemed to be a little hesitating about confiding all the details to me.

I therefore said, after we had talked for some time without coming to any conclusion, "Well, sir, what are your plans? I have no notion of rendering myself liable to imprisonment for the plans of another person, unless I know all about them, and understand exactly what risks I run, and what I am likely to gain. If it were not for the sake of a great object I have in view, I would not engage in this business on any terms, and would not risk my life and reputation as I am and have been doing."

"What is your object?"

"That is a personal secret, and it has nothing to do with any one individual." "Well," said he, "this plan of mine is the biggest thing that has ever been tried on yet, and I am certain we can manage it, if we only go to work in the right way. I have facilities for carrying on an affair of this kind such as are possessed by no other man in Washington; I know all the men in every department, and know exactly who can and who cannot be trusted. I am acquainted with every private entrance to the public buildings in this city, and am familiar with a great part of the rascality that is going 011 every day and every night." "If that is so, you certainly have advantages, and if your scheme is a practicable one, I will take it into consideration."

He then went on to tell me how he proposed using government money and bonds, which were to be taken from the treasury for certain speculative purposes, and also for floating bogus bonds, both Federal and Confederate, upon the English market. He was to manage the matter in the