Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-16
lHl SLAYER On TANICHlEF
a RUSSIANS CRIME AND ITS RETRl
BUTTON.
pash Clerks story-Dy Sir Gilbert f
Campbell, Hart
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER /.
You rocolloct, ] dare say. the good old
banking firm OF Batson, Wells, & Ponte-
fract, which some years back, with one
or two other firms OF equal standing,
was formed into gigantic limited La
bility company termed the United Henri
sphere Banking Corporation, Limited,
though / had quilted the banking bust
ness long before that Gourishing con-
corn was started. Well l was a con-
nection lv marriage with ono OF the part
ners OF the old bank, and, according 70
the custom which then prevailed, !, as a
cadet. was sent abroad 20 study banking
and 10 generally acquire a knowledge OF
financial matters My destination was
Belize, in British Honduras, where ! was
placed in the great Darien Bank, which
had branches all over South America.
As you can imagine, the change was
great and the life ! led very different
from my humdrum existence IN London,
and yet there wGs a certain air OF TO-
nance and adventure about The business
which took my fancy immensely. One
OF tho special lines carried on by the
bank was the development Of the finances
OF the country, aud sums IN the
shape of cash credits were frequently
advanced 10 spectators 20 enable them
20 carry ont tho business which they bad
undertaken. OF course, before making
advances the bank bad TO make them
selves acquainted with the properties 1t
was proposed TO work. and il was one OF
my duties, under tho superintendent OF
one Of our senior officials, TO visit mines,
timber lands. and farms in order 70 see
II il would DO safe to grant loans upon
them.
was always fond OF sport, and in tho
great gloomy forests and the wide
spreading savannahs I found this 10 my
hearts content. while at certain seasons
The rivers and the lagoons were peopled
with myrads Of waterfowl J soon be-
came a very expert shot with both rife
md fowlug piece, while IN the use OF
the revolver there were few Of my com
panions who could como up 70 me.
After eighteen months / had become
60 EXPERT in this branch Of ray profess
sion that could tell almost at the first
glance how property was likely to turn
out and whether the bank would be safc
in making an advance upon IT. ! WAS.
therefore, left "A good deal to exercise
my own Judgment and seldom had "A
companion. except whom one Of the
seniors desired holiday. and even then
was but little interiered with and al
lowed TO exercise my Judgment without
let or hindrance I had not been
very long back from one Of these
excursions and WINS attending 10 the
duties of ono Of the cashiers, who was
down with an attack Of fever, when an
old mar entered the bank whose face ]
never rccollccted 10 hnve seen before,
though ! was acquainted with the ont
ward aspect Of most of our clients. lie
was tan. old man, with perfectly white
hair. cut short u IN bYOGSC, "a the French
term it, 4 heavy mOustache, also Of
snowy whiteness, hung down from his
upper lip, while his features were
clearly cut and well defined, The true
expression, however, Of the face was
lost. owing 10 n pair OF dark-colOred
glasses with gold rims which entirely
covered the owes and hid the play OF the
pupils. Our visitor wore n long frock
coat huttonod W. TO the throat upon
the LIT breast If which we're two or
three faded scraps of ribbon. evidently
nppertaiulnG TO military decorations.
in his hand he carried a stick, with the
iomhanco of n snake winding round and
round carved out in bold relief. 10 was
mrmountcd hy a horn crutch, forming n
snuif-box, from which the visitor occa-
sonaly refreshed himself with a pinch
Of enulY. lie came up to the portion OF
tho counter behind which ] was stand
ing. and in fairly good English said
~ have come 81 open m account
will YOU take my money ?" As he spoke
he unbuttoned his frock coat, and from
the brcast-pockot produced a small lea
thcr case, which seemed to be well fur
nishcd with bank notes
REALLY, sir answered |, 81 think
Won had better see tho manager; we do
not DO matters in such "a hurry.
"Why hurry? " returned he eXcltedly,
Rucaking with a stronger aud more per
cppiible accent. "Nou are bank, am
respectable man, and have good money
So place with you why then talk OF
manager?
lie seemed to me 70 be so much put
o1' that | did my best 20 explain 10 him
t.at there WAS no intention of casting
.ny slur upon his Responsibility, but that
there was certain routine to be gone
through hy al those who wanted to open
un account with the bank.
AHA " said he. 81 see You want
Guarantee that / am not one yer dammit
tef. 1t il right, nut right and after re
treshing himself with pinch of snuff he
made another dive into his pocket and
produced thereirom "a bundle OF papers
and letters tied up in oilskin, which no
handed TO me, saying. There, take
those TO your manager and they will
show him that Serge Petroush is an
honest man and does an honest busi-
ness.
81 viii take in your name 20 the man
arcr. sir, replied \, "and no doubt he
will zee You at once. In a few minutes
l returned from my mission and ushered
our new client into the managers pres
once After q conversation Of about q
quarter of an hours duration, he re-
Turned 90 the outer Office, his whole face
radiant with delight, and opened an &C.
count with a sum Of Eve thousand dol
lars.
CHAPTER II.
From tho letters and other documents
!