The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-12
! The N,ay Of the A,orld. 4

was made on the bank. Men who had
prospered had large sums At STAKE,
sad-eyed women had trusted their all
10 IL the widows mite was In its hands
-men of all grades. conditions ana ma
tions. women from the highest rank or
society 10 the lowest grade OF pitifully
paid plodding drudgery-all, all were
there at the banks doors clamoring
for their money, crying aloud Tor tnelF
all and cursing the dishonest cashier.
Behind the doors were white faces,
busy. nervous fingers ard overwrought
brains .delving and diving in the banks
books. adding, figuring, hunting and
searching for some dencit-some sign'
some inlkling of Wentworth's dishon-
esty.
II never saw tracks 50 adroitly GOV,
cred" was the verdict OF the several
experts after three days of useless
search.
The banks resources were large, and,
with timely assistance, all pressing de-
mands were slowly met. The directors
were lighting for time 10 discover how
large was the defalcation. They were
cropping In the dark, fearful that any
moment would mako certain the great
extent of the robbery.
Tn the meantime Sylvia and Allan
remained in hiding in their uninviting
quarters.
ceptibie each day, and kept him al
most continually indoors. His hunted
look. his doggeu actions were pitiable
To- benold. Yet, In all things else, Al
Ian Wentworth was no coward.
When the third day was dragging TO
close an all-absorbing thought took
possession of his brain. 1t dominated
IL wit. the relentlessness of tyrant:
II must have m, ney!" it urged. IF ]
can't make 1t l must get it--anyhow!
Enough TO take Sylvia and me away
from this aocursed place! i have but
one life TO live. Must l live IL like a
dog. lodging the police everywhere?
Must / see my young wife waste her
life ia such surroundings IS these"
For hours he sat brooding. and at
night he could not sleep; terrible
scheme was concocting wLerby ne
could gain that which he wanted. Il
can do Il: I will do it; nothing easier.
1t has been done before-why not now?
The Southern Pacific train reaches this
place at 1880 in the morning just after
midnight, when even the railroad OFF,
cials are drowsy-eyed I'll climb 70
the top OF the car. lte fiat upon it's roof;
when the train pulls out and gets be-
tween stations. I'll drop down upon
the engineer; he'll not be armed: my
revolver will be most effective I'll hold
up the train take the express matter,
and I'll have money enough for Sylvia
and me-"
How II all flashed instinctly through
his working brain! How easy IL
seemed, In fancy he had already
clutched the bags of needed gold.
He crept from his bed ana stealth
lily left the room. Soon after Sylvia
was aroused from her sleep by loud
talking outside. She raised her win
dow. The glare from an electric light
fell full upon the crowd OF men in the
street ju3t below, and she saw Allan.
hatless and coatless. wildly gesticulat-
ing in the center OF the crowd. Hur-
riedly she threw a long wrapper about
her and rushed TO his side.
II have robbed thefexpress train" he
said, excitedly. II am a criminal! Why
do you all doubt me? I never lied
knowingly in all my life ] am thief,
i tell you. a thief"
Yes. I am Allan Wentworth" he
saiu TO a bystander. II suppose you
are going TO arrest mel Well. arrest
away. j ought TO be arrested. for am
a scoundrel. You don't believe that
robbed the express?" he asked in an
exultant tone. as IL to prove the truth
of his statement was of more worth
in his eyes than anything else. Look
at the blood where the bullet broke
my arm and almost prevented me-" He
held up his arm and stared earnestly
at the imaginary blood upon his shirt
sleeve.
Hes as crazy as June bug" said
q man in the crowd carelessly.