Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-15
s el tee q alt.
THE BANK VAULT.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.


noon IN spring, engaged In nothing of
consequence. | think | had been looking
over volume of old reports, and had
closed the book, and was rejecting upon
some of the legal points raised IN the
! work before me. l remember that | was
Just pulling out my cigar-ease, when the
door was opened and a young man pre-
sented himself. | recognized him at
once. His name was Charles Degrand
ana he was then paying the teller of our
bank. And be 1t remembered, that sour
bank was one of the best in the country.
Al all events, so 1t was considered by
our people, A man who examined a
bill of The Valley Bank ere he took it,
was set down at once as excessively green,
and should he chance TO refer to the Banl,
Note List TO test its genuineness, he was
sure 10 be asked where he came FROM
Not to know the sterling worth of the
notes of The Valley Bank, of b
was to prove ones self unknown.
However, young Degrand came in, and
took a seat. He looked pale and wan,
and there was a nervous twitching about
the mouth that betrayed great uneasiness.
What is itF | asked, seeing he was
at loss how to commence
I'm IN bad fix, SIR he replied spas
medically.
WeIl-go on
First, SIR he said with an energy
which at once convinced me of his SINGER
Ity, let me assure you that | am wholly,
entirely innocent of any charge laid
against me. | am, sir, rs true as there
Is God above me, who hears what
say, and who reads my inmost thoughts
believe you,' l told him, as | saw
that he wished to know what impression
he had made.
He seemed very grateful, and then
proceeded
Upon an examination into the affairs
OF the bank, yesterday, sir, there were
found to be missing some twenty thous-
and dollars, and probably more NY
books are all straight, and my vouchers
all at hand; but | am suspected of having
taken the money. Aye-more than that
i am accused of it =
But what proof can they bring against
yous | asked
All there's the trouble, sir, my Wis
itor answered with dubious shake Of the
head. : have nearly fifteen thousand
dollars IN my possession, and the Direc-
tors have just discovered it,
Can't you account for the possession of
this money!
If they would only believe me- For
the last five years have been very for
tunate in speculations. | cleared five
thousand dollars in the sale of those lots
on Warren Hill
But CRANKY sold those said |.
Yes, sir; but he sold them for me-
He only acted as my agent. | did not
wish to be known in the matter, as [ had
reasons for keeping the amount of my
possessions TO myself.
l gazed into the young mans face, and
he probably thought l was incredulous,
for he quickly added
Since | seek your aid, sir, will tell
you all. You wonder why | should wish
TO keep my wealth, or a knowledge of it,
to myself. You may smile, and you may
think me foolish; but I'll tell you why it
was; | have been looking upon a certain
maiden, in the hope that she might some
day become my wife. | have seen much
of misery in married life, having had the
misfortune to board with two Young
couples who had been sadly mismated. l
determed to be careful. | knew that a
young man like my
He was handsome, and | readily par
doned the slight vanity of the allusion
'-a-a young man possessing fifteen
thousand dollars might be accepted for a
husband by one who would have hesitated
had she thought him penniless. That
was my sole reason, SIR
And a very good reason it was SIR |
said; though | feel confident that if
Mary A lien becomes your wife, you will
have no occasion for regret
You knew her, then g SAID Degrand
eagerly.
yes. And l know her for a noble
virtuous maiden
Charles was grateful; but in moment
more, a cloud came over his face, and with
deep sigh he said,-
Alas when she hears of this she will
turn from me-
| wouldn't condemn her without
hearing | returned. But let that pass
Can you not prove by the men who have
traded for you how your money has
come g
Granby has done 1t all, sir Five
years ago, when | laid up thousand dol
lars, | got him to take 1t, and let it for
me and from that time to the present,
he has done all my business. | got him
to buy up five thousand dollars worth of
the old Lyman Bank. He got them for
about fifty cents on the dollar, and got
the face of them. But CRANKY has gone
TO Australia and where he is now. II is
impossible TO tell
| remembered then, that CRANKY had
gone, though | had forgotten it.
Degrand had explained to me, as near
ly as he could, how the money must have
been taken-that is, at what times, and
in how large sums. He said no great
amount had been taken al any one time,
but, in all probability, 1t had been taken
at intervals during the last year. 1t was
only strange that the loss had not been
detected before.
| asked who had the charge of over