The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-05-10

tno room nulOiniD8 SOnnecteu WIN
number forty-five, and two minutes
later he was in this adjoining room.
with his ear pressed against the thin
connecting door. He could catch
most Of the conversation, and its inn
port made his heart thump. Fales
was speaking:
''Duch, this is going to be fruit for
MS. The Merchants and the First
National do the same. Hannaford, the
teller at the Merchants, goes to lunch
at twelve and Holworth takes his
place; and at th Q First, the teller goes
at half past and young Moson takes
his place" There was pause in
which the speaker was evidently ex-
amining signature, for his next re-
mark was, TITS the best work you
ever did. don't know that Nevens
himself would have the nerve to deny
that signature.
The talk continued for some time,
and though the boy could not hear all
the conversation aud was not familiar
with the methods of n bank, he was
naturally sharp, and hotel life had not
dulled him. He understood the plan
clearly. Colonel Nevens was a heavy
depositor in both the Merchants and
the First National; Groyson had forged
the colonePs name to n check on each
bank, to be presented when the teller's
substitutes were on duty, Colonel
Nevens was to he called to his former
home in Massachusetts, by a bogus
telegram announcing the death of his
brother, and with him out of the way
for few days, the plan seemed per-
feet.
Danny listened till he had these
facts and then slipped noiselessly from
the room. Ten minutes later he was
in big armchair in Mr.. Arthur Hol-
worth's handsome room, talking ear
nestly with that gentleman, who had
just been perusing what seemed q
most interesting book, the title of
which was "Plans for Modern
Houses"
Holworth listened at first carelessly
and then with the closest attention to
the boys rapid and slangy utterance.
As Danny left the room at the close
of long talk he said earnestly:
''Now, Mr.. Holworth. You has al
ways used me white, and / mean just
what 1 said; nobody is going to know
anything about this by my tellin'."
Holworth nodded understandiugly,
shook hands with him and said:
''As l told you, Danny, You won't
lose anything by this nights work"
'"No, sir" said the boy, and dis
appeared into outer darkness.
The next day shortly after Mr.. Han
naford, the paying teller, had gone to
lunch, Mr.. Ezra Grayson entered the
Merchants National bank and took
his place at the window before Hol-
worth, whom he knew slightly. As
he passed over a check for fifteen
thousand dollars, with Colonel New
ems bold signature at the bottom, re-
marked
'You see that the colonel has some
faith in Chicago's growth"
Holworth assented with very ner-
vous laugh and said:
"How will you have this, Mr.. Gray
sonl"
"One thousand in bills and the
balance in draft on Chicago, please" +"
responded Mr.. Grayson suavely.
Holworth remarked that he would
have to get some large bills from the
safe, and as he spoke pressed the but
ton that connected them with the
police station, two blocks away. On
his way to the vault he stopped at the
cashiers desk, and with few NUT
tered words laid the check down in
front of him. When Holworth came
back to the teller's window with the
cashier at his side, two policemen
stood in the doorway, and after short
and stormy scene, Mr.. Grayson was
under arrest.
A month later the cashier, id talk
ing with Mr.. Arthur Holworth, hap
pened to refer to the latter's appoint
ment as paying teller.
81 don't mind telling you now,"
said he, ''that Clark was booked for
that place; but your lightning work
on the Nevens' signature impressed
the directors too much"
Holworth smiled and, with trne
modesty changed the subiect