South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-12-07

commission to get yard or two Of
goods like the sample inclosed," I
thrust It into my pocket and started
out to dinner. had not gone far
before I suddenly stopped and took
out the envelope the boy had given
me, opened It and read it. At first I
could not understand what it all
meant; then I turned it over and
went through 1t again. 1t read as
follows:
| DEAR GEoRGE:-Come homo at once.
In opening your valise to get your soiled
linen to send 1t to the laundry I discovered
It packed with bank notes. What docs It
mean3 Is anything wrong? Come home
| ut once"
Ny first thought wa. to hasten
home, but upon reflection l resolved
to step around to the bank and ac-
quaint the officials there of my dis
covery. found the President Of the
Oank In his private office, engaged
with several lynx-eyed individuals
whom ] suspected from their appear
! ance to be, - IL turned out they
were, detectives. & .:5ys;, / !. & .lsl.
| When 1 was 1ranted an interview
and explained my discovery it creatAd,
very patpraily, . sensation 5kt'nfSt
the Old SgeDtloman was inclined to re.
gard me as crank, bnt when I asked
him to allow q clerk to accompany
me home no seemed to be satisffedyi
was In earnest He consented to nv
proposal, but after moments
thought he said an escort was un-
necessary. thinking. doubtless that
the handsome reward would be suf-
fcient inducement to insure the safe
delivery of the precious valise. /.
As left the bank and turned up
the street In the direction Of home 1
was Joined byi q young man who came
running out Of the bank after me.
hat in 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 tho fellow
was very genial young man owe i'm
medfately fell int0 0discussing the rob
berry OF his bank He congratulated
me on my good fortune, and know
ingly limited sthat .'the old gentle
man" would treat me cleverly in the
way OF reward. z.sSs 81; sc q
said this young mnu was q very
genial fellow, but somehow i soon
began to feel an Instructive distrust
In him. piled him with questions
concerning the habits and business
methods Of the missilg teller, but he
returned evasive answers In one
or two little things he contra
dtcted himself, and finally, when i
unexpectedly asked him how long he
had been employed In the bank, he
replied, after looking at me Id a
dazed sort Of way: t'Ob, about a
year or Two" At once the thought !.
came to me: What IL my ssescortp
was one OF the young men / had seen.
inntalde the Presidents Office; perhaps
hc had overheard our conversation.
| and had planned this neat sciAme Of
! playing the ra,o- OF q .cieIat * the
! bank SEND rne for .pfotec5lOb, y as he
insinuatingly put it II so, 1 readily
saw that ne intended to make an eff
Tort to get his hands on the vaIise
and then seize the first opportunity
to bid me good
This theory was strengthened when
L noted that my protector" seemed
gradually to become very uncommuni-
cative, and the conversation during
the rest Of the journey referred to
passing objects and sights Try as
hard as could, I failed to get any
thing satisfactory out of him concern
ing the robbery.
When l reached home l politely
asked the young man to take a seat
in the hall while stepped upstairs
to get glimpse Of the treasure. I
found my wife at the mead of the
stairs. very excited. In an adjoin-
Ing room we examined the valise,
and at rough estimate We placed
the amount at about the figure ,the
newspapers said Swopc had carried
OIL with him-somewhere about 500.
900.
did not tell my wife of my sus :
picions OF the young man down stairs,
but resolved at once to arm myself
in order to be prepared for the worst.
1t Is a well-known fact that in Ken
lucky the sixth commandment has
long ago been declared unconstitu
tional, and I quickly made up my
mind that il my bodyguard showed
any sign Of playing me false would
let him have dose Of cold lead.
Contrary to my expectations the
young fellow made no offer to carry
the valise as we started on our Jour
ney back to the bank. At the end
OF the short street on which lived
we stopped to take a car. My friend
had again become very affable, and
as we stood on the corner he offered
me cigar. took it, thanked him;
and placing my valise carefully on
the ground between my feet, I struck
match to light IT. Just as was i'm
the act Of doing so I received a blow
from tho left that sent inc stagger-
ing into the middle Of the street. At
the same moment my protector"
disappeared in the other direction.
Look here, young man." said
gruff-voiced fellow in uniform at my
side, as he shook me violently. III
thought you told me you were going
TO take the train west tonight 1t
has just pulled out and you're left.n
Opening my eyes, I looked around
the waiting-room in O confused vay
and then reached for my valise.
1T was nowhere to be found.
My brusque arouser instantly took
In the situation, aud, with a look of
infgnSe (1icOnct nm hi, f,ox -..x,