Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-05-19
CHAPTER 1.

CHAPTER 1.
The Cape Fear hank was one of the
bid and solid institutions OF the South for
many years prior to the late civil war;
in fact. it's stability was not only pro-
verbal i'm the old town of Wilmington,
but throughout the entire South.
Its president, Alvin Deleoscttc, was q
man pointed ont to the youth of the rising
generation as one whose career was to be
cmulatct.
The bank president was getting we'll on
i'll years, in 1857: nor was he destined to
sec the termination OF that year, as the
reader will soon learn.
On the 10Th of August. and in vigorous
health. aside from IL rheumatic atiliction
of Ion. stan,ling-lc had in the manner of
former occasions celebrated his birthday
this time his i1th-by having gathered
round the festive board at Oak Hall Il
large number of his personal friends.
To them it WAS Il pleasure to drink to
the toast that had on at least twenty pre-
vioiis occasions of like nature been pro-
posed by Jerry lDobbs. the old attorney
of the hank. who always occupied an hon
orcd position at the right of the master
OF Oak Hall. Rut the toast? Yes. the
toast. .Ah. one of those birthday dinners
N''''a iAttNC t'''Il IIIttliiliClS IN III
Gle Jerry and his toast.
The old attorney was nearing his three
score and ten-hc had been one of the orig
inal incorporators of The Cape Fear
Bank. and al! that pcrtainrd to it was
dear to his hcart-paltirularly so WAS
its president, whom he had helped to
elect a quarter of Il century before, and
under whose management the institution
had tiourishcd.
That the hank might flourish until the
end of time was the ardent desire of Tn
Gle Jerry.
That Alvin DcRosettc and himself
might live To see the cash capital of the
concern IL round million dollars was his
earnest wish-so in his toust he always
coupled Alvin and the bank together.
He felt that he should have included
his W name, as he was virtually IL part
of the bank, but lie WAS fully aware that
Alvin would roun.l up his toast in Il salts
factory manner, So his words on these
occasions were these: 1.-The Cape Fear
bank and its president; may they live long
and prosper"
".And may the banks worthy attorney
live long to guide them clear of breakers"
were the words added by Uncle Alvin.
Now this was the toast. drank as usual.
nj midday on the 18th of August, 1890.
AT u O'Clock on the 222d, only seven days
later. all that remained mortal of Alvin
Dclioscttc was consigned to the grave:
and now it will be necessary to revert to
the 18th day of August. the third day
following that of Alvin DeIsosette's 9th
birthday.
The weather was intensely warm, IL
the banker was seated in an armchair
near an open window in his private office
al the bank. He held in one hand Il fold
ed document. 1t was his will, and had
been drawn six months before this time.
He had been rcpcrusing it.
Strange" he said suddenly, "both the
witnesses to this document dead; sailed
for Europe on the Gosmore and Went
down within sight of the British coast.
Only thirty saved. if 1 remember, of over
two hundred souls, and poor Lloyd and
Elliot We're not of the thirty.
II should II other signatures now as
witnesses. Oh, we'll. I will have Dobhs
bring in a friend tomorrow, and have
them sign-but for that matter, there was
no particular necessity of the document,
anyway. Where there is an only child.
and the mother dead. there can be no
question as to who would inherit; but then
ii is better so.
vi dISo w lNsiNC Ao VucSlIoll us
to what my intentions were regarding
Herman Craven. l had no desire to leave
him IL fortune. True, he is my nephew;
hut l have left him fully enough to dissi-
l:,te-and enough. if he has the DISPOSE
tion. to form the nucleus of a fortune.
Strange. sister Matte would MARK
Stephen Craven when the whole family
told her how unworthy he was, aud plead
cd with her to rcnounce him. Well, she
would not listen: she became the wife of
81 hlaclileg and Il gambler, and in three
short years died of IL broken heart, lcav-
ing behind Il clild-who has grown ND an
exact counterpart of his father. Now.
if the father had died when Herman was
an infant. OF even Il lad. and | had had
the boy to train. l might have instillcd
some principle into his mind: but coming
10 me, with the information that his faith
rr WAS dead, at twenty-five years of age.
his character formed. and it n treacherous
one if | am IL judge. l nave felt that | was
standing over Il mine ever since | placed
INN AT the cashiers desk. And vet he has
been there a year now. and all has gone
we'll. but he is misunderstanding, sure,
We'll, can watch him while l live. The
death of Toombs made it necessary that
] name a new cashier: named nv
t'N" sui III ItSlcltcu III ever since,
Every dollar of his salary goes, and / am
told that he is hand-in-glove with Il gam
bling set. l have done my duty by him
in my will-of course. if he inspires more
confidence by his conduct, ] may add 81
codicil in the future.
Last will and testament! Signed and
Witnessed. Too bad Jerry is so advanced
in years. ! shall probably outlive him.
1 will see Clark when he comes home next
week. Time enough for that; there is no
risk: the court would arrange it i'll case
OF necessity"
Uncle Alvin arose from his chair and
passed out into the counting room of the
bank. The huge iron safe was standing
with wide open doors directly behind the
cashier. The bank president drew out
one of the drawers and withdrew there
from a bundle of papers. around which
was a rubber band. He raised the band,
slipped under it his will, and restored the
package to the safe; then turning to the