The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-07-27
CHAPTER w
THE BANK PRESIDENT

Sprapue Glnner party was over,
and among the first TO take their
leave. shortly after midnight. were
Dunlap Sturgis and DR.. Thurston.
The reporter did not often spend
an evening in worldly dissipation. He
was a man of action. a hard worker
and an enthusiastic student. Almost
all of the time which was not actually
spent in the pursuit of his profession,
was devoted to study in many widely
different fields of art and science
For Sturgis' ideal of his profession
was high; he held that almost every
form of knowledge was essential to
success in his line of work. 1t was
seldom, therefore, that he allowed
himself 10 spend a precious evening
III social intercourse, unless as more
or less direct means 20 some end. He
had made an exception in favor of
SpraPue's dinner. and his meeting
with Dunlap. whom he had not pre-
yiously known. had been entirely ac-
cidental
Dunlap was, however, a man whom
Sturgis needed 10 see in the course
VI MS HAhhN VI inc NulNktTuOtktT
bank mystery, and he had not lost
the opportunity which chance had
placed in his way. After obtaining an
Introduction 10 the bank president,
the reporter had sought an occasion
to speak with him in private; and, as
this did not present itself during the
course Of the evening. he had timed
HE dana 49, 81 -
eide with that Of Dunlap. Dir. Thurs
ton had followed his friends lead
Are you going down TO the bank
this evening, Mr.. Dunlap?" asked
Sturgis, as the trio faced the bleak
wind
81? No. Why should II" inquired
the banker, in apparent surprise.
II see no particular reason why
you should" replied the reporter. III
to-day were banking day, there
would be no time to lose. But since
II is New Years day, there IL little,
II any, chance of the trail being dis
turbed; and IL will be much easier
TO find It in broad daylight than by
gaslight. Our friends of the central
ONCE are usually pretty clever in dis
covering at least the more evident
clews in case OF this sort, even when
they have not the ability TO correct
~ interpret them. And since they
have completely failed in their search
tonight, we must anticipate a more
than ordinarily difficult puzzle"
why, Mr.. Sturgis," said Dunlap,
somewhat anXiously. You talk as
though you really believed that some
mysterious crime has been committed
at the bank"
81 do not know enough about the
case as yet 10 advance any positive
belief in the matter" said Sturgis;
but II we assume as correct the cir
cumstances related In the article
which DR.. Murdoch read 10 us this
evening, they certainly present an
extraordinary aspect"
Dunlap reflected for an instant.
still, the fact that our cashier
found everything ir rood order ~ the
nanK Is in Itself completely roassur-
ing" he said musingly.
Very likely" assented Sturgis, 1T
is quite possible that from a bankers
point of view the problem is wholly
devoid Of interest; but from n de-
tective's standpoint il appears to be
full of promising features There
fore, whether OF not You intend to
look farther into the mattw yourself,
! beg You will at least authorize me
20 make a survey of the field by day
light in the morning"
Dunlap looked anything but pleased
as the reporter spoke these words.
He thought before replying.
Frankly, Mr.. Sturgis," he said, at
length, with studied courtesy, 81 will
not conceal the fact that what you
ask places me in rather awkward
position. You are a friend of my
friend Sprague, and my personal in
tercourse with you this evening has
been pleasant enough to make me
hope that, in the future, l may be
so fortunate ms to include you in my
own circle of acquaintances. There
fore, on personal grounds, It would
give me great pleasure TO grant your
request. But, on the other hand, YOU
are a Journalist and I am a banker;
and it Is with banks as with nations
happy that which has no history,
Capital is proverbially timid, you
know"
81 see" said Sturgis; you fear that
the reputation of the Knickerbocker
bank may suffer II the mystery Of
the pistol shots is solved"
mo, no, my dear sir; not at all,
not at all. You quite misunderstood
me- replied the banker, with just
shade Of warmth. att Is not a ques-
ton Of the banks credit exactly,
since there has been neither robbery
nor defalcationi but depositors do not
like TO see the name of their bank
mentioned In the newspapers they
take fright at once. Depositors are
most unreasonable beings, Mr.. Stur-