The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-08-02
CHAPTER ".
THE BANK PRESIDENT.

4
Sprague's dinner 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. lie
| was a man Of action. hard worker
and an enthusiastic student Almost
all of the time which was not actually
spent i'll 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 to spend precious evening
in social intercourse, unless as 4 more
or less direct means to some end. He
had made an exception in favor of
Sprague's dinner, and his meeting
with Dunlap. whom he had not pre-
viously known, had been entirely ac
cidental.
Dunlap was, however, man whom
of his study of the Knickerbocker
bank mystery, and he had not lost
the opportunity which chance had
placed in his way. After obtaining an
Introduction to the bank president
the reporter had sought an occasion
to II ,,,th hin, ia, 40.
this did not present itself during the
course of the evening, he had timed
his departure so that it should coin
eide with that of Dunlap. DR., Thurs
ton had followed his friends lead
"Arc you going down to the bank
this evening, Mr.. DunIap?' asked
Sturgis, as the trio faced the bleak
wind.
Il? No. Why should 10" inquired
the banker, in apparent surprise.
Il see no particular reason why
you should" replied the reporter. IF
to-day were banking day, there
would be no time 10 lose. But since
it is New Years day, there is little,
if any, chance of the trail being dis
turbed; and it will be much easier
to find it in broad daylight than by
gaslight. Our friends of the central
Office are usually pretty clever in dis
covering at least the more evident
clcws in a case of this sort, even when
they have not the ability to correct
ly interpret them. And since they
hnyn lot talk fniInI in, tbair r.l
tonight, weOnust 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 to advance any positive
belief in the matter" said Sturgis;
but if we assume as correct the cir
cumstances related in the article
which DR.. Murdoch read to us this
evening, they certainly present an
extraordinary aspect
Dunlap reflected for an instant.
still. tae fact that our cashier
found everything in good order at the
bank is in itself completely reassur-
ing" he said. musingIy.
VERY likely" asscntcd Sturgis. at
is quite possible that from a bankers
point of view the problem is wholly
devoid of interest; but from a de
tcctivc'a standpoint il appears TO he
FAM nF ,,p,,,i.it,,y ,,rau b.ra-
70! whether or not YOU intend to
look farther into the matter yourself,
| beg you will ut least authorize me
to 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 Il viii
not conceal the fact that what you
ask places me in "A rather awkward
position. You are friend Of my
friend Sprague, and my personal in
tcrcourse with YOU this evening has
been pleasant enough - make me
hope that. in the future. | may he
so fortunate as to include you in my
own circle Of acquaintance There
! fore, on personal grounds. il would
| give me great pleasure 10 grant your
request But, on the other hand. you
are Il journalist and | am "a banker;
and it is with banks as with nations
| happy that which has no history
Capital is proverbialIy timid, you
know"
81 see" said Sturgis; you fear that
the reputation of the Knickerbocker