The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-08-25
officials there Of my discovery. Ifoun,

officials there Of my discovery. l found
the president of the bank in his private
Office engaged with several lynx eyed in
dividuals whom / suspected from their
appearance to be. as it turned out they
were, detectives.
When l was granted an interview and
explained my discovery, it created, very
naturally, a sensation. At first the Old
gentleman was inclined to regard me as
a crank, but when / asked him to allow
a clerk to accompany me home he seemed
to be satisfied l was in earnest. He con-
sented to my proposal, but after a mo-
ment's thought he said an escort was m
necessary. thinking doubtless that the
handsome reward would be a sufficient
inducement to insure the safe delivery
of the precious valise.
As / left the bank and turned I'D the
street in the direction of home I was
Joined by q young man who came rum
ming out of the bank after me, hatin hand.
He said "the old man" had reconsidered
the matter and sent him to accompany
me back with the money. This seemed
to me to be quite satisfactory, and as the
fellow was a very genial young MAJ we
Immediately fell to discussing the rob-
berry of his bank. He congratulated he
on my good fortune and knowingly hint
ed that ''the old gentleman" would treat
me cleverly in the way of reward.
l said this young man was a very
genial fellow, but somehow l O be
gan 20 feel aninstinctive distrust in him.
I piled him with questions concerning
the habits and business methods of the
missing teller, but he returned evasive
answers. In one or two little things be
c~ontradicted himself, and finally, when
l unexpectedly asked him how long he
had been employed il the bank, he re-
piled, after looking at me in a dazed sort
of way, "Oh, about a year or two" At
nee the thought came to me: What If
my escort" was one of the young men
had seen outside the presidents Office.
Perhaps he had overheard our CONVERSE
ton and had planned this neat little
scheme Of playing the role Of a clerk of
the bank sent me for ''protection," as he
insinuatingly put it. If SO, I readily saw
that he intended to make an effort to get
his hands on the valise and then seize
the first opportunity to bid me goodby.
This theory was strengthened when l
noted that my protector seemed grad
ually to become very uncommunicative,
and the conversation during the rest of
the journey referred to passing objects
and sights. Try as hard as Icould I failed
to get anything satisfactory out OF him
concerning the robbery.
When | reached home, politely asked
the young maj to take a seat in the hall
while l stepped up stairs to get a glimpse
Of the treasure. found my wife at the
head Of the stairs, very excited. In IN
adjoining room we examined the valise,
and at a rough estimate we placed the
amount at about the figure the newspa-
pers said Swope had carried off with
him-somewhere about $50, 900.
did not tell my wife of my suspicious
Of the young man down stairs, but I re-
solved at once to arm myself in order to
be prepared for the worst. 1t is a well
known fact that in Kentucky the sixth
commandment has long ago been de-
clared unconstitutional, and | quickly
made up my mind that if my bodyguard
showed any signs of playing me false !
would let him have a dose Of cold lead.
Contrary to my expectations the young
fellow made no offer to carry the valise
as we started on our journey back to the
bank. At the end of the short street on
which I lived we stopped to take a car.
Ny friend had again become very affa-
BILE, and as we stood on the corner he Of
fered me a cigar. l took it, thanked
him, and placing my valise carefully on
the ground between my feet I struck a
match to light it. Just as I was in the
act of doing SO I received a blow from
the left that sent me staggering into the
middle Of the street. At the same mo-
ment my protector" disappeared in the
other direction.
Look here, young man," said a gruf
voiced fellowin uniform at my side as he
shook me violently, II thought you told
me you were going to take the train west
tonight. Ithas just pulled out, andyou're
left"
Opening my eyes I looked around the
waiting Dom in a confused way and
reached for my valise.
It was nowhere to be found!
My brusque rouse instantly took in
the situation, and with a look of intense
disgust on his face said as he turned
away:
81 guess that %studentlike sport who
was sitting beside you has taken care of
your baggage. He passed me a few
moments ago on his way to the train
with a couple of valises. Next time you
go travelling, young man, you had better
take some n along with you to care
for you while you sleep."-St. Louis
ost-Dispatch.