The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-14
BY EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
Copyright 1894.

| banks customers.'
That's bad murmured Dingleton
| suspect anybody"
mo one; positively no one"
"Oh, no. TO be sure" This softly and
musingly from the detective. we ran
out and reported on all your folks here
sometime ago, Mr.. Billingsby2"
Yes just twenty months since; when
the new directory came in"
'F'rom-ah-the president down to the
messenger and night watchman?"
Every one. Treated us all alike"
IAN alike" echoed Dingleton bIandly.
Have you these reports handy?"
The bank president unlocked his desk ;
reached into one of its compartments.
and HANDED a small packet of neatly-filed
reports to the detective.
The latter edged his chair around a little
to the light and ran them over hastily
occasionally flliping the dust from one
or another.
Too dusty he observed quietly.
What do you mean, Dngleton?"
Good idea to look such things over,
about-weH, about quarterly, Mr.. Billings
by. Any good man can run a long way
off the track. in less than a quarters
time. In much less than a quarters
time he repeated thoughtfully.
Why, I know the habits and environ
ment of every one of our employees like
book; like a book. sir"
do your"
The detective said this so politely. so
casually and yet so pointedly, that the
banker instantly knew 1t meant: Then
why these thefts, and why have you sent
for Dingleton2 And he flushed noticeably
Good showing here; remarkably good
showing, Mr. BiHingsby;" added the de-
tective heartily. Have you taken on any
employees since these reports"
why, yes. There's old Everett"
"Old Everett?"
He's not far beyond my age; but I
have come to think of him as old Ever
ett' he's so gray-haired, quiet, amblng
and hollow-eyed.'
quiet, ambllng and hollow eyed?" re-
peated Dingleton with the infection of
ties?"
"On the depositors' accounts-third or
fourth assistant, / believe"
Has access, back and forth, to the
vaults and passes and repasses the tell
ers' compartments
Certainly. a dozen other employees of
necessity have also. Now, see here, Din
gleton. l don't want you to involve that
poor old fellow in any of your detective
stratagems. You fellows have a way of
jumping at conclusions and then weaving
all sorts of assumptions and devices to
sustain your theories. Let old Everett
alone. l wouldn't have him hurt with
a N.
position here. Why you might as well
pounce upon his boy, Harry. our mes
senger; as thorough a personification of
trankness and sunshine as ever helped
bless the labors of a great city"
Taken on together"
Not exactly. The old gentleman first.
little over year since; and Harry. two
or three months later, at the time our old
messenger went out on a pension"
You don't mind telling me under lust
what circumstances
Mr.. Billingsby flushed again A man of
his judgment, and his position, piuues
easily at implied criticism of policy or
sentiment.
Certainly not" This a little coolIy.
You know l believe in physical train
ing for business men? For years / have
kept up my habit of taking Long walks
every morning before and after breakfast:
the after-breakfast jaunts always termIn-
aung here at the bank"
Excellent idea" observed DtngIeton,
taking another comfortable clutch at his
fat fingers.
When the first pinch of the hard times
was upsetting monetary affairs generally.
l made 1t rule TO get here unusually
early. l saw a good deal on my wav
through the city that worried me-thous-
ands of men out of work hungry, dis
tracted and desperate. One morning on
reaching the bank I saw this very man.
old Everett shutting back and forth in
painting sort of way along the side of
the bank building, looking as though
he were determined to do something for
which he could be taken in charge by the
police"
Sort of anarchial tendencies?" sug-
gested Dingleton dozingly again.
Yes, if an utterly discouraged man
with boulder in his pocket and his hand
upon in that light"
lymph" murmured the detective.
Il was miserably depressed by the con-
dition of business affairs; but somehow |
could not pass that man, and, thank God
! did not. AS l stood at the corner hest
tatingly, our eyes met He turned quickly
and FASTENED away. as If he knew | were
conscious of his guilty purpose. I over
took him in moment; told him to wait
about that little matter of the stone
throwing until after breakfast; soon had
him outside Of a hearty meal, and his
story Briefly told"
Interesting, probably"
Yes; and sad
"Umph!"
the bankers glance at the imperturbable
Dingleton; but he continued, as when one
able man. in his tone and infection rather
than in his words, sets his own views
stoitdly against another able mans pos
sihly differing theories
He was simply a man of good birth
surroundings and ambitions, scholar, a
thinker a writer-at one time a college
professor, I believe-who had drifted out
of lucrative employment. Then relatives
and friends fell off, one by one. and as
hard times are hercest and most merciless
on this class. he had at last come to such
a desperate strait that his family was
starving and he himself was maddened
into a peculiar determination"
The detective, for the first time, here
exhibited a trace of interest.
1T was to do something" continued
the banker 80 desperate. and vet so
unique and unusual as 10 secure public
attention to and sympathy for his family:
whatever the result to himself. My timely
arrival at the bank alone prevented him
! destroying one of our huge plate win
| dows."
WAS this the result on his part Of sud
! den impulse, or of deliberations" cas-
! ually inquired the detective
Thorough elaboration. he told me, as
| the only means open to him to save his
family from actual starvation"
"WelI?"