I had not the slightest idea what the cablegram was about, but knew that
copies of important messages were always preserved, and thought I might
as well see this one. In a minute a clerk appeared with the copy in
question, and the teller glancing at it for a second to make sure it was
the right one, passed it over for my inspection, and I read as follows.
"LONDON, December —, 1894.
"To DEADWOOD AND BATES, BANKERS, New York City.
"Place to the credit of Torrence Attlebridge sixty three thousand eight
hundred and forty pounds sterling, and charge same to our account.
"WHITEHOUSE, MORSE & PLUNKET."
I almost choked with astonishment. Here was a single deposit of
considerably more than three hundred thousand dollars. No wonder he
could so easily afford to give me the check for a thousand pounds. I
was provoked that I had not asked for ten times as much. But where did
all this money come from in the first instance? I continued to look at
the message in amazement, not knowing what to say; and then pulling
myself together, remarked, still as if trying to refresh my memory:
"And let me see—I gave you for this, a draft on——"
"You forget, Mr. Attlebridge," promptly responded the man, "you merely
drew upon your credit with us, reducing your account to that extent!"
"So I did," I answered, apparently quite satisfied. "My memory is so
fearfully faulty sometimes, I not only forget amounts, but the manner of
payment." Then remembering that Torrence had no doubt a further balance
here, I thought I would make another effort to discover what it was
before leaving. The question was not nearly so difficult as the others.
"By the by, be kind enough to tell me what my balance is to-day, here
with you."
The big books were turned over, and in a minute I was informed that my
brother had still more than one hundred thousand pounds with these
people, Whitehouse, Morse & Plunket. I was astounded. Instead of
solving a mystery I had only sunk deeper in the mire. Here was a credit
that was practically boundless. A bank account worthy of a king. I
could not show my amazement, and so for a minute turned my back, trying
to collect my thoughts. Could I leave the place without one more
question? I resolved to risk it, and so added:
"Sorry to trouble you again, but be good enough to tell me how my last
deposit with you was made."
"By a large batch of your own drafts, Mr. Attlebridge, on prominent
bankers in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Constantinople,
Munich, Rome, Naples, New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and San
Francisco, besides others. We have a list of the bankers here if you
would like to see it; and, by the by, I forgot to mention that several
of the drafts were upon London houses, which you doubtless remember.
Beyond this you have not forgotten that several thousand pounds were
paid to us in cash!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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