Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-12-31
A ROUGH DIAMOND.

"Oh, Miss Elsie, Miss Elsie, the bank
has been robbed Twenty thousand
pounds gone. missiel and poor master
away Oh, dear oh, dearp'
A step behind her and low voice
spoke her name. She knew it at once.
It was her good for nothing brothers..
"Why are you here again, Harold?'
she cried, when he was standing there
in front of her when | gave you that
last money you promised to stay away
altogether. and try and get something
to do. Yet here you are once more, and
this time cannot help you. Why, why
do you come? Uncle John would be fu-
rious at finding you here. +"
"But he is away, Elsie" the young
man answered breathlessly "Girlie,
you must help me, just this once l
promise solemnly never to worry you
again''
''You have promised solemnly before.
Harold," his sister said bitterly II
caIsnot help you, say We are all ruin.
ed. The bank has been robbed. "
The startled look on his white face
caused her to cease speaking
SIS it true, Elsie?" he asked hoarsely
HAS the bank really beer robbed?"
She told him what sh, snew. he lis
tening impatiently
II must have money, girliet" he
burst out Il must have it l must get
away from here tonight, and | dom
possess a single farthingl Quick, dear !
Uncle left you some for housekeeping
That will have to do, "
Il don t possess a single farthing, Ell
Their, " she persisted. what is the mat
ter, Harold Why is it SO terribly nee
essary for you to leave Blackmore to-
night"
Their eyes met-hers clear, straight
forward, honest, his weak and nervous.
Uncle will be coming back to see
about the bank. Elsie, he muttered
queerly "He must not find me here "
No it would only add to the bitter
ness of his return But what could she
do?
II have itl' the desperate brother
suddenly exclaimed ELSIE, this news
about the bank robbery is still exclusive.
The editor of the Blackmore Times
would give you any sum for it. He is
enterprising ard always ready for some
thing startling at first hand. This is
our only chance, dear
Bnt Elsie would not see il in that
light for long, long time 1t was not
until her brother had fully enlarged on
the grim necessity of the case, not un-
til he had forced her to plainly under
stand the consequences if he did not
have money at once, that she finally
consented to go to the editor of the
Blackmore Times
Harold Maitland had a smart, cum
ming tongue On this occasion he had
indeed used it well. AS he prophesied,
the editor literally grabbed at the
"copy. especially after be had fairly
convinced himself that his would be
the first paper to publish the startling
news on the morrow Elsie went weari-
ly home with the much needed money
in her pocket. Harold was waiting in
hiding for her and bounced down eager.
ly on the gold.
An hour after his departure their I'M
cle's manager came to the house and
asked to see Elsie When he was adj
mitted into her presence, he noticed
with sharp pang how wan and desc
late her little face had grown.
Poor child Such things as these
We're hard for her to have to bear How
he wished that he could save her all
care and annoyance in the futurel For
with the whole of his stout, loyal heart
he loved her
He showed her "a telegram which he
had received from her uncle.
Returning at once, " it said. Keep
news of robbery out of the papers at
any price till | SET you
Elsie read the words, or, rather, they
chased each other before her dizzy,
aching eyes. She suddenly tottered for
ward and fell in a dead faint
Next morning huge posters appeared
from the offices of the Blackmore Times,
making public the robbery. Newsboys
shouted it frantically from one street to
another. Soon big crowd had gathered
outside the bank, clamoring loudly for
the doors to be opened
They wanted then money back, their
hard won earnings, and they meant to
get it. That exclusive news sold by
Elsie Maitland on the previous evening
TO the editor OF the Blackmore Times
had caused an appalling run on her un-
cle's bank.
The doors were opened at last. The
crowd surged in, presenting checks to
the full amount they had deposited in
the bank They looked astonished when
the gold came over the counter in their
direction Clearly they had expected to
be turned away penniless. They thanked
their stars for being the first. The bank
could not go on paying out for long, of
that they felt sure.
at noon Elsie and her uncle drove up
to the front entrance in an open car
riage. He had insisted on her accom-
panying him, despite the fact that she
looked wretchedly pale and i'll.
All the way along they had seen those
hideOus posters announcing the robbery.