The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-10-11
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copy of the "extra." She picked it up
quickly. Four black headlines stared
her in the face-"Enormous Defalca-
tion!" "Montagu Trixit Absconded"
"$500,000 Missingw run on the
Bank!'
She threw the paper through the
open door as she would have hurled
back the accusation from living lips;
then in revulsion of feeling lest any
one should find her there she ran up
stairs and locked herself in her own
room.
So that was what it all meant-all,
from the laugh of the Scamp girls to
the turning away of the townspeople as
she went by! Her father was thief
who had stolen money from the bank
and run away, leaving her alone to
bear it. No! 1t was all lie, a wicked,
jealous lie, a foolish lie, for how could
he steal money from his own bank?
Cissy knew very little of her father.
Perhaps that was why she believed in
him. She knew still less of business,
but she knew what he had done. She
had often heard them say it, perhaps
the very ones who now called him
names. He who had made Canada City
what it was! He whom Windibrook
said only today had, like Moses, touch
ed the rocks of the canada with his
magic wand of finance. and streams Of
public credit and prosperity had gush-
ed from it! She would never speak to
them again. She would shut herself up
here, dismiss all the servants but the
Chinaman and wait until her father re-
turned.
There were a knock and the entreat-
ing voice of Norah, the cook, outside
the door. Cissy unlocked it and flung
it open Indignantly.
"Ah! It's yerself, miss, and never
knew ye'd ken back till met that gos-
soon of hotel waiter in the street."
said the painting servant. "Sure it was
only an hour ago while I was at me
woorck in the kitchen, and Jim rushes
in and seZ: For the love of God, If
iver ye want to see a blessed clint of
the money ye put in the masther's bank
off wild ye now and draw it out, FOR
there's run on the bankv"
at was an infamous liew said Cissy
fiercely.
"Sure, miss, how was l to know?
And if the masther has gone away it's
ownly takin me money from the other
divils down thare that's drawin it out
and dividin it betwixt and between
them"
Cissy had very vague idea Of what
run on the bank" meant, but No
rah's logic seemed to satisfy her femi-
nine reason. She softened q little.
"Mr. Windibrook is in the parlor,
miss, and a jintleman on the veranda,"
continued Norah, encouraged.
Cissy started. 'T'll come down." she
said briefly.
Mr.. Windibrook was waiting beside
the piano, with his soft hat in one hand
and large white handkerchief in the
other. He had confidently expected to
find Cissy in. tears and was ready with
boisterous condolement, but was lit
tie taken aback as the young girl en-
tered with a pale face, Strengthened
brows and eyes that shone with auda-
cious rebellion. However, it was too
late to change his attitude. "Ah, my
young FRIEND" he said a little awk-
wardly, 1--WE must not give way to our
emotions, but try to recognize in our
trials the benefits of a great lesson.
But" he added, hurriedly, seeing her
stand still silent but erect before him,
II see that you dor He paused,
coughed slightly, cast glance at the
veranda-where Cissy now for the first
time observed a man standing in an
obviously assumed attitude of negli-
gent abstraction-moved toward the
back room and in a lower voice said,
"a word with you in private"
Without replying Cissy followed him.
'Tf," said Mr.. Windibrook, with a
sickly smile, "you are questioned re-
garding your fathers affairs, you may
remember his peculiar and utterly IN
solicited gift of certain sum toward
a new organ, to which alluded today.
You can say that he always expressed
great liberality toward the church, and
1t was no surprise to YOU"
Cissy only stared at him with danger
Gus eyes.
Mrs. Windibrook," continued the
reverend gentleman in his highest,
heartiest voice, albeit little hurried,