The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-10-15
before this.


had felt all along that II would i,s
presumptuous for me to aspire to he
Florence Morley's husband. But this
evening she was SO gracious, 10 sweet
and lovable, that 1t was impossible for
me to resist the impulse to tell her OF
my love. To my intense happiness I
discovered that my humble self was by
no means an object of indifference to
her.
Mr.. Morley was Of dignihei. COM
nanding presence, and rather ovc-awe.l
me. 1t would be no easy matter To ask
his consent to marry his daughter
Florence was his only child, nn'l all the
purposes Of the fathers life seemed to
center in his motherless daughter. Still
knew must approach him some day.
and there was comfort in the fact TINT
he had always met me in q kindly. IL
dignihed and reserved. manner. He
had never given me any cause to think
that my attentions to his daughter
were obnoxious to him; but then those
attentions had been extended out Of
friendship only. How he would be af-
fected by the knowledge that was.
from this evening. the accepted lover Of
his daughter, could not surmise. I
could only hope that Florence's infiu-
ence. which was well aware was pow
erful with her father. might prevail.
The dear girls heart was mine at any
rate, for she had told me so. and l he
lieved her words.
After the evenings enjoyment I with
drew to the hotel near the depot, where
passed the rest of the night In happy
anticipotions OF the future.
The train which took me back to the
city was few minutes lnte. and when I
arrived ut the bank It lacked but ten
minutes of opening time.
Had been late, either the president
or the treasurer would have had TO BE-
called upon to open the vault, and It II
doubtful II either Of them remem-
bered the combination. The bond teller
and the head receiving teller shared
with me the knowledge of the combine
ton, but, as those two gentlemen were
away on their vacations at this time, l
was the only one besides the onicials
who could unlock the vault.
The heavy outside doors were soon
opened. and, summoning the porter TO
help me carry out the cash for the
days business. entered the vault
There were eight compartments in.
side, the doors of which were provided
with combination locks.
One compartment was used for the
reserve currency. another for the -
serve gold. and these two compartmene1
remained locked for long Periods- The
remaining spaces were used for the
storage Of various securities, United
States bonds, mortgages for loans q
real estate, state and municipal bondn.
and for the gold. silver and currency
required in the daily transactions This
cash was carried out in trays and paacsd
In the tills In the banking-roon svssy
morning.
While unlocking the compartment !
noticed with surprise that ths loek Of
the reserve currency compartnsne5 5uss
1t one aide, was ON The last Agurs q ~
comhinatioW. - though Il had 49,.
ready unlocked.
ernsped the iron handle, and tAe
door swung open. started beck when
I looked In. What had come over mel
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
The place was empty; nothing to Be
seen but the two shelves and the painted
steel back and sides. OF the 1900 900.
the amount Of the reserve. mot one dol-
lar remained.