Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-29
GO N E..
By ]. e. C0NNELLy.
copyright, 1893. by American Press Associa-
ton

copyright, 1893, by American Press Associa-
tion.
CHAPTER L
Ihad just finished selling Farmer Crab
tree a rather pretty bill of agricultural
implements and "store truck" and en-
gaging his entire wool clip at satisfac-
tory figure when Sam Evans, the bank
messenger, brought me this note:
FARMERS AND MECHANICS RANK,
BRIDGToN, June 3, 1882. !
Mr.. Ransom Merrirale (Nierrivale & Linden):
DEAR SIR-Win you be so good as to visit the
bank at your earliest convenience? Very re-
spectfuly yours.
There was nothing in that to awaken
the faintest apprehension Of trouble.
Mr.. Hogg and myself constituted the
"committee on band" of the citizens
general committee" already preparing
for the Fourth of July celebration, and
that, I said to myself, was doubtless what
he wanted to see me about. So as trade
was little slack that hot day and I had
plenty of time Iput on my hat and strolled
around to the bank at once, feeling lit
tie pleasant consciousness Of renderinga
service to the community in so doing.
Surely Fate never gave anybody more
inapprol Siate name than she had be-
slowed upon the cashier Of the Farmers
and Mechanics bank. A gentler, nicer,
kinder and more considerate man never
knew, and yet he was named Hogg.
When think of how many cashiers and
paying tellers l have known whom it
would have fitted like the paper on the
WALL" but who escaped it, cognomens
seem to me like dreams-to "go by con-
traries."
"Indeed, Mr.. Merrivale." he greeted
me in a deprecatory tone and with the
most conciliatory manner, 81 am very
sorry to have had to give you the slight
est trouble and upon so trivial matter,
but rigid adherance to system is COM
pulsory.upon me, and it was my duty to
notify you at once"
I looked at him blankly, wondering
what he could be driving at in such
roundabout fashion. He went on:
"The fact is the rules of the bank are
very strict in requiring immediate mott
fcation of a depositor when his account
is overdrawn."
Well, that did make me jump. "Over-
drawnp echoed.
eyes. Your check for $127 presented
this morning overdrew your account
1884. Of course I paid it without ques-
ton, but I had to notify you at once, you
understand"
Understand! Well, no. l guess
don't understand" gasped. "Do you
mean to tell me the bank balance Of the
firm Of Merrivale & Linden is 1894 on
the wrong side of the ledger?"
"Yes, sir. That is correct if recall the
figures rightly" and turning to his desk
he picked up little memorandum slip
which confirmed his recollection.
saw the figures. They were written
in blood-which subsequently appeared
under less excited observation to be sim
ply red ink. but, Mr.. Hogg,"I pfo
tested, II myself examined our account
the morning of the day before yesterday,
and our bank balance was something
over $4,000"
"Quite correct, sir. But in the after
noon of the day before yesterday your
partner, Mr.. Harold Linden, drew out
$4,000"
lido not say you "could have knocked
me down with feather" just then, for
nobody ever could have done that, but !
felt myself in the state of mental and
physical collapse of which persons mean
to convey an idea when they say they
could be Frustrated so easily. The
thought had not yet occurred to me Of
my partners having done or intended
to do any wrong; my reflections had not
got 80 far along; my mind remained
stunned at the starting point-the re-
alization that our bank balance had been
wiped outl Mr.. Hogg gently pushed it
further by the suggestion, 1T is strange
Mr.. Linden should not have said any
thing about it to YOU"
"He went to New York that same
evening"" replied.
"IndeedT
It was only one little word softly
uttered, mere exclamation, but in its
almost whispered tone seemed pages of
astonish hment and misgiving, in instant
response to which the fires of suspicion
blazed up brightly in my soul.
"You will pardon me the observation,
trust, Mr.. Merrivale, "purred the cash
Ter, "but when you opened the account
took the liberty Of suggesting the au-
thority to sign checks should be restrict
ed to the senior member of the firm"
"Why?' exclaimed. "You surely did
not suspect then that Mr.. Linden"-
"Oh, dear, no! Not at allI' he inter-
rupted in a frightened, protesting way,
futtering his little white hands aimless-
ly. "God bless mel Not at all. Inever
allow myself to suspect anything. But
always endeavor to adopt such precau-
tions as shall preclude occasion for sus-
picion."
From my limited private account l
transferred enough to make the account
good and something over. Then I Went
out from the bank dazedly, like one in
bad dream. It seemed q thing almost
impossible Of belief that my partner, q
young man whose sense Of honor was ex-
ceptionally high, my friend from boy