The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-11-09

officials there of my discovery. / found
the president of the bank In his private
office engaged with several lynx eyed in
dividuals whom l suspected from their
appearance TO be, as it turned out they
were, detectives.
When / was granted al interview and
explained my discovery, it created, very
naturally, a sensation. AT first the old
gentleman was inclined to regard me az
a crank, but when ! asked him to allow
q clerk to accompany me home he seemed
to be satisfied / was in earnest. He con-
sented to my proposal. but after a mo-
ment's thought he said an escort was I'M
necessary. thinking doubtless that the
handsome reward would be a sufficient
inducement to insure the safe delivery
of the precious valise.
As I left the bank and turned up the
street in the direction of home | was
joined by a young man who came run
ming GIT 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 man we
Immediately fell to discussing the rob-
berry of his bank. He congratulated me
on my good fortune and knowingly hint
ed that '.the old gentleman" would treat
me cleverly in the way of reward.
/ said this young man was . very
genial fellow, but somehow / soon be-
gan to feel an instructive distrust in him.
/ 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 he
contradicted himself, and finally, when
I Unexpectedly asked him how long he
had been employed in the bank, he re-
piled, after looking at me in a dazed sort
of way, "Oh, about a year or two" AT
once the thought came to me What if
my escort" was one of the young menI
had seen outside the presidents office.
Perhaps he had overheard our converse
tion 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. II SO, | 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
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 | could I failed
to get anything satisfactory out of him
concerning the robbery.
When / reached home, I politely asked
the young man to take a seat in the hall
while | stepped up stairs to get a glimpse
of the treasure. | found my wife at the
head Of the stairs. very excited. In an
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 SOC, 200.
did not tell my wife of my suspicious
of the young man down stairs, but / re
solved at once to arm myself in order tx
be prepared for the worst. 1t is a wei
known fact that in Kentucky the sixth
commandment has long ago been de
clared unconstitutional, and | quickly
made up my mind that if my bodyguari
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 yalis'
as we started on our journey backto tn,
bank. At the end of the short street Oh
which | lived we stopped to take a car
Ny friend had again become very alta
BILE, and as we stood ON the corner he of
fered me a cigar. ! took it, thanked
him, and placing my valise carefully Of
the ground between my feet | struck
match to light it. Just as I was in tn
act of doing so / received a blow from
the left that sent me staggering into tn
middle of the street. At the same mo
ment my protector" disappeared in tn
other direction.
Look here, young man." said a grut
voiced fellow in uniform at my side as h
shook me violently, Il thought you toll
me You were going to take the train Yves
tonight. 1t has just pulled out, and your
left"
Opening my eyes | looked around tn
waiting room in a confused way an
reached for my valise.
1t was nowhere to be found!
My brusque arouser instantly took i
the situation, and with a look of intens
disgust on his face said rs he turne
away:
81 guess that ~studentlike sport WI
was sitting beside you has taken care (
your baggage. He passed me a fe'
moments ago on his way to the trai
with a couple of valises. Next time yo
60 travelling, young man, you had bette
take some one along with you to ca,
for you while you sleep."-St. Lou
Post-Dispatch
. TPDnarnrtfnO Tafa aEL