The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-26

was six mont and more afOre he
reached a pint where all he had 10 do
was TO lift off a flag and break troo
plate nearly cut out and raise himself
plum into the vault. Even then he
didn't hurry. He put in braces so that
there could be no settiin': he banked it
up with cart, so that there could be
no holler sound. Then he waited pa
tlently for a favorable opportunity.
choos1n' in course a Saturday night, so
that he could have the benefit of Sun
day fer maxim good his escape.
Bill had planned out the details
pritty slick, had Bill. Durin' the sum-
mer and fall he used to have the hired
man at the tavern now and then drive
him over to the junction at o'clock
Of a mornin'. so that he could ketch the
train from the north to the city, so
nothin' would be thought of it now
when he made anodder trip. This train
would git him into the city by 10
O'Clock Sunday mOrnin', and, as if all
went right, there wouldn't be no alarm
Tor ni"h twenty-four hours, it would
De FERN a subway contract to find
him or the swag neider. So, one Satur-
day night in early winter he notified
the tavern keeper that he'd take the
night express to town for few days,
and about u o'clock he crawled into
his hole.
Raid on the Vault.
Bill was a clean, thorough worker,
kunnel, never gittin' nervous, never
takin' up one thing until he got troo
with annoder, and so it wasn't long
afore he had OUT he stun and had broke
troo the plate what guarded the bot
tom of the vault. Cau'tusly he raised
hIsself, putin his little dark lantern to
-. i
Ter or. Jest as he stretched hisself to
full height, and looked around, notin'
the TN cases and the steel compart-
nlents, he heered a slidin' sound. Bill
drew a bit of gas pipe from his sleeve,
wound at one end with yarn for gittin
a good hold, and bent low. In anod-
DER lnStlnck the great door swung open
and there stood Cashier Browning.
Bang, struck Bill with his life pre-
server, rull on the cashiers cronk; and
down dropped that unfortinit man like
a beast in slaughterin' house. Bill
! stepped over the body and looked about
the ONCE. All was quiet; there was a
| shaded candle on the table, the cur
tings were drawed so that nothin' could
be seen from the street. The cashier
was in his stocking feet, and the great
Key IN the lock was all adrip with lie.
inns IS queer start muttered Bill
and he stepped back and began to go
troo the boxes and drawers. Kunnel.
though that bank was the richest in
the county, with the day afore the
greatest day of the week for business.
there was a poverty-Stricken air TO its
| trissury which friz the blood in Bills
veins. The cash was low, no more'n
was needed for current demands. He
started to pry open the inner safe for
hut hi
too much for him. What the deuce had
happened? Had some one been there
afore him? Jest then he heard a groan,
and turnin', he saw the cashier araisin'
hisself on his elbow, with forred all
asmaSh
Now an old lag and craftsman,
kunnel, like Bill Dalton, hates to do
amy KILN. Still they have rule to
think of themselves fust, and, if it is
necessary, to make no bones of scoffin,
man, woman or child that stands in the
way of a successful job. Therefore. old
Bill Sprang fOrrud, with his Weapine-
raised to give poor Browning the fin
Usher.
The man never flinched. kunneI; he
never cried out. He lifted hisself the
more on his elbow, moanin' out such
words as these: Good; kill me; 1 de-
serve it; it's the better end; you can't
send me to hell, for I've been there for
montS l am there nowp And old Bill,
lOokin' again at the man in his double
gown and etockin' feet, at the shaded
candle, the key all adrip with lie, the
compartments full of enEpties, mutter-
ed: I understand and threw his billy
to the floor with a cuss''
But, you don't mean''-cried the old
colonel, eagerly.
How Browning Was Treated.
Eyes, I jest do mean, kunpel," re-
sumed Smithens, imperturbably; I jest
do mean that the cashier had been
there afOre, and had come again for the
| last time Bein' materially a good man,
| kunnel, he had acted like a dodblasted
| idjit when Onct he begun to go wrong.
| Worryin' over his wife's conditing, ne
| had Speckilated, buyin' the high stocks,
sellin' the low stocks, seeini his jidg-
ment allus go back on him, except
| When for luck he went agin it; yet all
the while a-hopin'-a thing that a good,
/ fust-clas5 crook never does do when
/ he sees that he's apt to fall into the
/ miry; for if the devil has a iack-O'-
/ lantern the dern critters name is
| Hope.
But to gwan with the story as old
| Bill told it TO me. He riZ the cashier
| in his arms and laid him on the sofy.
He tied his hands and feet; he looked
over the break in his cronk. That's no
great puddin', he said; Jest enough to
prevent you from maxim amy Onnec-
essary exer,Un.'
:" Why don't you kill me?' moaned
the cashier.
EBecuz I've come to save you,' said
old Bill; don't I looks like an angel
Think OF your poor wife, half dead
already; think Of your lovely little dar-
! ter, as bIoomin' as the sweet blows
! she used 10 give me; and brace your
self to wear the honors that are comm
to you arter a becomin' fashun.'
What do you mean?" cried the
cashier.
Simply this said old Bill; You
| heerd a noise, you descended; you Crap
| pied with me. until nearly killed you
The least they can do is to double your
| salry; you can't tell what they won't
] do, if they Onct git sentimental over
| your heroic conduck. Now, watch me-
And then he went into the vault and
! tore I'D all the empties, and scattered
! the bits on the flure; he crammed a
! handful of stuff into his clothes, but
| without exercisin' his usual discrimina-
/ ton, his heart havin' gone out of the
| job. Then he gagged the cashier.
Some one viii come in a few hours,
| he said, and arter you take as long a
spell Of Unconsciousness as possible,
| say as how I done it. 1 don't expect to
/ git away, but I'll be as true as steel
/ to you. AFTER all, what's anodder bit
/ to old lag like me? And do try to be
straight for the little gals sake; you've
/ got anoddeF chanel, which never did
/ have, you're man Of eddicatun, which
l never was; and if you can't keep on
your feet when you're set there all
l.