The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-12-28
CHAPTER XII.-CONTINUED.

OI tADTOSdSG ) lcClcT.
THAT afternoon, as soon as the bank had
closed, I called at the address Chatham had
given me. He evidently expected me.
With him was man whom he introduced
As James Withers, the depositor in whose
favor my blunder had been made. Had
not been laborinS under great excite
ment, 1t is likely that my suspicious would
have been aroused by the strangeness of
Withers' presence in Chatham's room. The
two men received me pleasantly, and the
alleged Withers, even before could breach
the subject, expressed his regret at hear
ing of the error which had been commit
ted. and assured me of his willingness to
reimburse the bank; but-ah! there was an
ominous but He was short of ready
money just then; everything he had was
tied up In a promising enterprise which
was bound to bring in a magnificent profit
In the course of a few days If only he could
raise few paltry hundreds to enable him
to hold out a little longer. If he failed
to scrape together this small amount, all
would be lost. Insidiously and relentless
ly they drove ME toward the trap they had
prepared, and I was weak enough to fall
into 1t. Before the interview was over,
had consented to allow Withers to still
further overdraw his account, and had
received his solemn promise to refund, be-
fore the end of the week, the entire amount
he owed the bank. Then Chatham suggest
ed that it would be wiser to let the Sec
count Wthers agreed with him and stated
that the check could be made in the name
OF Henry Seymour, relative of his, who
had recently opened a small account with
the Knickerbocksr bank. strongly OBJ
jected to sharing the secret of my infamy
with any others; but finally allowed my
self to be overruled by the plausible scoun-
drels into whose clutches had fallen.
1.-The next day took my first step in
crime. by making such entries as would
insure the honoring of Seymours check.
After that was completely in the power of
these two men. 1t was not long before I
discovered that I had been their dupe.
Chatham's acccomplice was not the true
Withers; for this man, q few days later,
made large deposit, which more than
covered his previous overdraft. The false
WitherS was Henry Seymour himself.
'As soon as had committed a felony, it
became unnecessary for Seymour to keep
np any further pretenSe of a desire to re-
fund the money had helped him to steal.
I was now in the meshes of crime as deep
to this they have forced me to act as their
cats-paw. During this period of two years
the bank has been robbed in this way of
over $250.000. every cent of which has
gone to Chatham and Seymour.
''You can perhaps imagine what hell
my life has been during that time. With
prison and disgrace staring me in the face;
and with the absolute conviction that ex-
posture must inevitably come sooner or
later. have suffered the torture of the
damned. At the bank. have been in
perpetual state Of suspense. have start
ed at every word spoken to me: I have
seen suspicion In every glance which has
met mine: / have trembled and paled at
every approach Of one of the officers of the
bank. And yet have not dared to alb
sent myself from my desk for an hour. lest
an examination Of my books during my
absence should reveal my crime. have
been the drst to reach the bank in the
morning. and the last to leave it at night;
/ have not even taken the few minutes
during the day which would have been re-
Quired to enable me to obtain a hurried
meal. On one pretext or another. during
the last two years. have had to forego my
annual vacation. / have dragged myself
to my post when was so i'll that 1 could
hardly stand. because ] could not afford
to have anyone take charge of my books
for even an hour. And all that time. with
. full realization Of my degradation and
infamy, have been forced to continue my
frauds. knowing that each one brought
me nearer to the inevitable final exposure;
but knowing equally well that a refusal
On my part to continue my stealing would
result In an instant betrayal by my ac-
completes.
'sAt last further concealment became Inn
possible. A week ago the yearly examina-
tion of the books took place. The expert
accountant employed was. as usual Thomas
Chatham, and Of course. as usual, his re-
port was entirely satisfactory. 1t seemed.
therefore. as though discovery could be
postponed . little longer: when suddenly.
thio morning. We were informed that q
change IA the system OF bookkeeping would
- adopted after the Lat Of January. Isaw at
oueo that al was over. The discovery Of
uyxlDe = nov matter OF hourA must