The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-02-04
CHAPTER L.
TROUBLE At THE BANK.

tac sun with Its golden mouth seemed to
blow blue bubbles of grapes down a vine
yard row, Beyond that the river showed
daShing, rOlliCking thread of silver, and
like rare jewels in settings Of emerald
and amber, the neat white cottages on the
flats, the finer mansions on the hill stood
out fair and pure, like tokens Of wealth
and comfort and prosperity.
Prominent atOye them all, the most
pretcntiOuS structure on the one business
thOroughfare of the thriving village, its
grim, unbrokcn front Of stone telling of
SoIidity, its irOn-barred doors bctokening
the pride OF security and strength, its
massive plate-glaSS windows shining
clear and natarnished as its own fair
record of nearly a decades standing,
there doomed up grandly the Bank.
What st. Peter was to Rome, the Alb
hey to London, the Stock Exchange 20
the CITY, the Bank had become to Ridge
field. A monument of daring financial
zeal, the hobby of its builder, the pride
OF his clientage, it held within its mas
Siye vaults the lifc-blood OF the people,
its great iron key controlled the destiny,
the happiness of the whole community
the Bank was the local temple of integ-
ritY, commercial enterprise and safety,
its owner, Abel Merwyn, god Of pro-
bitY and honor, whose word was law,
Al the town seemed aStir, this beau
tifGl October morning. There appeared
to be some unusual attraction in the
open air, for storekeeperS lOungcd in
their dOOrways, farmers left their loaded
wagons in the market square to gather
a bout the street corners COnVcrSiug in
low tones, and even the children suS-
pended play and watched these unusual
indications Of something approaching,
much as they would the preparations for
q circus parade.
Yes, something, truly, was in the air
rumOr. Dark, uncertain with the past
eventidc, the night had ripened it to
gossip. Tittlc-tattle,-th women
leaning over boundary fences discussed
it with bObbering sun kOunetS near to-
gether Suspicion was rife at the break
fast hour, and now, in the faces of
motley crowd gathered on the principal
thrOughfarc, there were lowering looks,
while half-muttercd calculations OF rest
less anxiety, sometimes anger, told that
they were there for purpose, and every
eye seemed Ccntcrcd on the bank.
More grim, unsympathetic and for
bidding than even, the Sombre pile Of
masonry, severely plain, frOwned down
upon passers-by, this rare October morn
ing. StaunCher than ever, the great
iron doors, the barred windows seemed
to hold safe and hidden, the secret white
faced men lOuged to tear from its strong
iron heart. They passed it slowly, to
and fro, sometimes enCirCling the square
TO view the house OF Abel Merwyn which,
backing to the bank building, and con
nected WITH it by covered passage way,
frOntCd on the next street. But here,
too, every blind was closed. LifecSS as
the bank, there was no more token Of
the presence of the great village banker
in the domestic circle, than at his post
of duty.
What had happened? This Thirty
minutes before the bank had closed the
previous afternoon, the smart dapper
clerk of a mill employing POO men, ran
jauntlY up the steps Of the bank with
check to meet the demands of pay day.
Five minutes later, he had stumbled
down them like person recovering
from vivid shock.
In ten minutes his story was told
Merwyn'S had refused payment-Mer
wyne'S, inSolvent or crippled, had
shown empty Golfers to meet large de-
mand. For the first time in ten years,
the bank had failed to honor a valid
check.
Failure, ruin, diSastcr The words
ran Ike wildilre. McrwyH's was Shaky-
MerwYn's was tottering-the bank had
stopped payment. Like the scurrying
denizens of an ant hill, from store, mill
and tavern, cane pouring forth q start
led, excited throng, men looked one an
other askance, repeated the FACILITATING
IT., !.
the bank.
One man wedged in Just as the great
doors were being shut for the day. He
was a small dcpOsitor, and was promptly
paid. An cXcitable farmer, his bank
book brandishcd wildly, threw himself
against the portals as they changed shut.
NY money!" he ravcd madly, my
hard-earned savings Mcrwyn, you thief.
you robbcr, my money, or I'll tear your
house down over your head
The unreasoning dcpOsitor was sud
denly siIcnced. The door had opened
abruptly. A tall, athletic form slipped
through the portals, and confronted the
Guivcrng mob reSolutclY.
'Gcntlemen," he said calmly sit is
past banking hours. At 10 tomorrow
morning, those who are anxious to heed
the idle rumor Of some meddling mis-
2rcant that the bank is unsafe, will be
paid in full"
Then Arnold DaCrc, cashier, factotum
to the banker, active man in charge,
passed through the crowd, leaving its
members spcllbound between hope and
suspicion.
And it was 10 o'clock now, A night
Of anxiety had passed, Il morning opulent
with promise had dawncd. Would
Arnold DaCre redeem his pledge?
Half a-hundred men were gathered on
the pavement opposite the building, half
a-hundred more lined the iron fence that
protected the band area, 1t had been a
strangely moody throng all the morning.
1t was a marvclously silent one now, as,
from the Town Hall. there doomed forth
ten solemn, palpitating strokes of the
bell.
The hour had arrived, but not the
man Every eye fixed upon tho massive
iron doors, the click Of a catch, the
CULVER of a knob would have be de-
tected.
One minutc-there was no movement
al the metal-guarded portals Two min
utcs-through one of the windows craned
heads detected a form crossing the count
ing room burriedly, a great leather port
folioln his hands = John Wharton, the
clerk of the Institution.
Three misunderstanding Low NUT
terings began to creep upon the air. An
involuntary sway OF the crowd took it Il
yard nearer to the iron steps. One man.
with a muttered curse and sob about
1.-THE little ones at home stopped in the
strectway, and kicked loose an immense
paving boulder.
where's Mcrwyn?" he ground forth.
III there's any trickcry going on, if these
doors don't open
''Hush! They're coming"
With great unanimous breath of Sus-
pense, the tkrong swayed forward-a
form had appeared at one OF the win
dows.
Arnold Dacre's set face came into
view. lie was smoking cigar, and
those cold cootemDtuous lips of his never
Quiyered, his deep-set eye never QGailcd
as he faced the flattering mob.