San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-06-12

MY utstt DtCuuio " itiiiVt ohhb VIVA
no warning to myself, broke forth;
81 wish you would kindly let me leave
my photograph here, and give me card
stating that you recognize 1t. This be-
gins to be annoying in the ex"-
But the magistrate was waving me
aside.
"One moment, madaml This check"
slowly and solemnly, sis drawn upon the
High Stepping bank"
Noftily.) Eyes"
"Did Mrs. Dot intend to draw 1t upon
that bankf"
~ presume So"
"Then why" with shaft designed to
awe strike me to the earth, "why did
you not take 1t there?"
because I have been introduced here
and not there"
A moments fearful pause.
"Has Mrs. Dot an account with this
bank"
"Yes."
"What Mrs. Dot is sheP"
"Mrs. Y. z. Dot"
Like comet he disappeared into what
seemed one of set Of catacombs; the
next instant reappeared.
"This check, madam"-another look
more unutterable than before-"is upon
the High Stepping bank. Why, thcn"-
Fair land Of our fathers! Did he expect
me to explain, in presence OF the bank,
and Che crowd my shoulders knew was
gathering behind them, that Dot and l
were one; that she was more than I'M
mersed in literary work, and l had offer
ed to run the practical part of the house
this winter; that, being methodioal as
she was literary, she had placed house.
keeping allowance III the Everlasting
Hills, introduced mo there, and had put
her and my private funds in the High
Stepping by themselves; that, being tel
egraphed away, she had sent me back
this check, forgetting that l could not
take 1t there. Was there any law OF
morals or finance that demanded this3
I glanced at the paying teller. His
face, turned sorrowfully in profile, wore
mournful hush; 1t seemed to me that
the backs Of the other bank men wore
the same, and mine felt 1t breathing
from the crowd behind.
But "why then"-the examining JUS
tice was shafting at me once moro.
"As l told you, have been introduced
only here"
'But this check, madam"-
NY "fame" was white heat now, and
again, without malice prepense I cut
him off:
"Do you mean to say that this bank
never cashes the draft of any other house
than its own?"
mo; but and then out 1t came.
The secret climax that it seems he had
been making momentary effort to re-
strain. "No; but ! do not know that
Mrs Dot has any money in the High Step
ping bank"
For one instant held my breath. He
did not know? He suspected she had
not? Then that meant-that meant Dot
and were putting up q fraud2 A fel-
ony2 We were-what do they call it
conspirators? And conspiracy "thin"
enough for idiots at that?
II will not trouble you," said.
He tossed me tho paper and disap-
peared
"Where is the High Stepping bank" !
asked of the teller, who had not stirred.
His lips parted, as if a statue Of "Trag-
edy" could speak. "Half block away"
he said.
Once on the street "white heat" had
to come down to asking "What nextf'
Give the High Stepping men their oppor-
tunity next2 Never, if died!
And yet-if l were telegraphed? A
telegraph boy brushed past me, going
toward our street, In flash was up
the steps and at the hated wires. The
paying teller stood there. Was his blood
frozen to icicles, each sharper than SER
pent's tooth?
l thrust in the check, and sparks fly
ing as did SO.
~ don't know whether you'll give
me the money for this" said, biting
every word; "1'm not introduced here"
He lifted handsome, pleasant face.
1T is not customary" he said.
I'm quito aware. But | went to the
Everlasting, where I'm known, and they
made eyes at me till l was hot, and
asked me to leave my photograph"
A low ripple of amusement broke from
under his mustache.
"But they would not do it then! What
do you think? Perhaps Mrs. Dot had no
money here at ALL That would be fel-
ony, wouldn't it2 was furious then. II
you're not going to give it to me, be care
full how you tell me, please; that's all.
The ripple broke into little peal this
time Evidently 1t was very dron to
him.
"It is not customary" ho began again,
but and his eyes lifted q swift
glance. That one glance, | felt, was
first at my bonnet and then at me, and ]
knew that was savedl
There are few unlucky persons who do
not once in a life make fortunate In
vestment, and that bonnet has been
minel have had bOnnets that belied
me, and bonrets that / could only carry |
of, but that one on more than onco one |
Of my own sex has risen in the street car |
10 give me up her seati
That bonnet once on, tho blood Of the |
Cs, DIS and E's that l feel always
tingling at my finger tips, seems com
manded 10 the front with leap, and
people (whO can see at ALI know in one
instant that no member Of our family, /
though possibly left in infancy 70 chop a
cherry tree, could ever, ever do it by |
the hatchet Of a fraudulent chech And
in later life. as soon AK Juno II she had
been thinning the ranks in chicken
house a. suspect one q us Of even
pTicking cherry tree with pin
.Bnfl- the teller continned. With ]