The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-11-11

o CLOCK the night before was well into
the interior of Canada by that time.
and if Brooks was really an absconder,
he was safe from pursuit. AS MIR.
Bonus entered the directors room of
the bank the dii ectors were all seated
around the green table waiting for
him. He turned the key in the door
and took his place in the arm chair at
the head of the table,
Gentlemen" he began in husky
voice, II am afraid that shall have to
announce that Brooks, your cashier, is
at this moment in Canada"
There was silence around the board
for fully a minute after this startling
announcement, then Mr.. Meiggs
spoke up:
''How are his accounts, Mr.. Bonusp"
SAT the last inspection" replied that
official, ''they appeared all right"
Appeared, humph," growled Mr..
Meiggs, ''you know never liked that
fellow; he was deuced sight too clever
for me. Now if he has got away with
any cash it will certainly be consid-
cradle amount"
The silence that ensued seem to give
assent to this proposition by Mr..
Meiggs.
II met Saunders on the street Just
now" said Bonus, land he saw Brooks
leaving on the nine o'clock train last
night. Books evidently gave him to
to understand that he had gone on his
vacation. l think it would be good
idea to have that information go abroad.
l think we might have it announced
that Brooks has gone off for couple
of weeks to visit friends in Detroit.
This would give us time to turn around
and consult as to what is best to be
DONE"
There were several mods at this prop
osition, but Meiggs, who was the kick
er of the board, said gruffiy: ''Stuff.
What good would that do, the truth is
bound to come out the moment the re-
porters get a scent of the affair. At
best it would only postpone the dill
Guilty for week or two"
Il am thinking of the credit of the
bank" said Mr.. Bonus, mildly. "If
you don't like my plan, MIR. Meiggs,
propose something"
"Yes." murmured the others, ''pro-
| pose something"
The phrase propose something"
went round the table, and each one of
the members looked anxiously at Mr.
Meiggs.
1.-The first part of the proposition,
said Meiggs, sis to telegraph to Chica-
go for an expert accountant and ask
him to bring down as many assistants
as he requires, SO that we may speedily
know our position. Are there any OBJ
| jections to that proposal?"
Mr.. Meiggs glanced up and down the
table.
There were no objections.
"My next proposal is this: Telegraph
to Chicago for one of the best bank de-
tectives in the city and place the case
in his hands. A train leaves Chicago
at one o'clock. 1t is now shortly after
eleven. If youcommission me to write
the dispatches will guarantee to have
both on that train and we can meet
here at three o'clock to consult. In the
meantime say nothing at all about the
affair, and after consulting with the de-
tective, if you think it best to put the
announcement suggested by Mr.. Bonus
in the papers there's ample time to do
| il"
This was unanimously agreed to and
at three o'clock the board of directors
again met. The interview with the
accountant was brief. He was given
charge of the books and cautioned not
a little to keep silence, caution which
he assured the gentlemen was quite un-
necessary. Mr.. Meiggs had met the
detective at the station and they had
been in consultation up to the time of
the meeting of the board.
| Gentlemen. said the detective,
who looked like prosperous CONNER
cial traveller, .'is your bank in such a
state that it can stand run?'
Bonus looked rather aghast at the
proposition, but he said that he thought
it was. Money had been rather drug
on the market for some time past.
The directors were all solid men, the
amount of liabilities was not large. so
the conclusion was that if necessary
the bank could stand run.
'Then, gentlemen. propose" )" said
the detective. ''that we tell the truth.
propose that we announce in the
papers that Brooks has absconded, and
that an accountant is now engaged in
| finding the amount of his defalca-
| ton"
II don't like to agree to that" fall
tered Mr.. Bonus.
Every well," said the detective, TAX
| ing out his watch, II have five minutes
yet before / must leave to take the
Chicago train. You have that time to
make up your mind. The case must
be entirely in my hands, and you must
do exactly as say or you must put the
matter in the care of some one else. "
"But there will be rum said Mr..
Bonus ''Would it not be better to say
the amount of the defalcation is very
small?''
mo, SIR" answered the detective,
1--WE don't know what the amount is.
1t may be very large. My motto is to
Tell the truth. /"
The board Of directors seemed rather
astonished to think such a motto was
part Of detectives equipment, and
they consulted in whispers together.
''There will certainly be run II we
give it out in that way"
''You say you are able to stand it. "