The stayer. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1896-1903, 1901-11-28

change place door. Where did you
find it?"
In the gutter, near the sewer open
ing AT the corner
But how did it get there?" asked
Dunlap. anNiously.
perhaps | shall be able to answer
that question presently" said Sturgis
"Shall we go in now? No, not tha'
way. Let us enter by the Wall stree'
side, if you please"
A couple of minutes later the outer
door of the Knickerbocker bank was
unlocked.
Excuse me if pass in first" sale
Sturgis. entering. Il wish to sec
something here"
He bent low over the tiled entrance
with the magnifying glass in his hand
1T is too bad" he muttered to him
self presently. "rhey nave troddei
all over the trail here. All! what it
this?'
"What?" inquired Dunlap.
The reporter vouchsafed no reply t.
this question. but asked another.
as Thursday general cleaning
day ut the bank?"
YES" answered the banker
Every evening, after the closing
hour, the floors are swept. of course
and the desks are busted; but Mon
days and Thursdays are reserved foi
washing the windows, scrubbing the
floors. and so forth"
Then it is lucky that yesterdn,
was Thursday observed Sturgis
"Will you please hand me the key to
this gate. and that to the inner door.
Upon entering the bank Sturgis re
Quested his companion to seat him
self on particular chair, which he
designated. lie then began critica
examination CT the premises. Inch by
inch he scrutinized the walls. the floor
and even the ceiling; sometimes with
the naked eye, sometimes through TIL.
magnifyinr glass. He also constantly
brought into play tape measure; ano
several times he called upon Dunlap
for assistance. when tie distances tc
reach.
The Wall street entrance of the
knickerbocker bank led directly into
the space TO which the public was ad
mitted. This space was partitioned off
as usual from the bookkcepers' anc
cashiers departments. At the farther
end door led to a reception room com
municating with the presidents Office
This Office itself opened into the cash
ier's department on one side, and on
the other into small room occupied
by the presidents secretary and type
writer, and into the vestibule Of the
Exchange place entrance to the bank.
On the right OF the vest.bule was a large
room in.which the bank employees kept
their street clothing. and TO which they
could retire when they were off duty.
\ door from the clerks room led into
the cashiers department, while anoth-
er one opened into the private secre.
tary's room.
After he had finished his inspection
Of the space open TO the pubic, Stur-
gis, followed by Dunlap, passed INTO
the presidents reception room. and
thence in turn into the other rooms.
and finally int the cashiers and book
keepers depart ments.
Several times he stopped, retraced
his footsteps to some particular point
and then began his search anew. At
times he crawled about ION his hands
and knees; at others he climbed upon
the furniture. the better TO examine
some spot upon the wall. In the presi-
dents Office he STOPPED to pick mp a
great number of tiny scraps of paper
which lay in and around the waste
basket. These he carefully placed in
an envelope, which he laid upon the
presidents table.
On one side of the room there stood
magnificent oId-fashioned carved
mantelpiece. The artistic beauty of
the structure did not seem to strike
Sturgis, but he appeared to derive a
great deal Of satisfaction from an in
spection OF the large tiled hearth. Pres
entity, removing his coat and his cuffs,
he plunged his hand into the Grimy
chimney and removed a handful of
SCOT, which he examined carefully and
then threw away. He repeated the OPP
Grafton again and again, until at last,
with evident satisfaction, he picked out
small object, which he deposited in
an envelope. Then. after washing his
hands in the clerks room, he passed in
to the cashiers department. In cor
ner stood the telephone closet, the door
OF which was open. The receiver Of the
instrument was down. The reporter
took it up and gazed at it long and ear
nestly.
Sturgis' examination of the bank
must have lasted over two hours. At
first Richard Dunlap looked on with
mild curiosity, in which amusement
struggled with good-natured skepti-
cism. But as time wore on the banker
began to show signs of impa tience,
and when at last Sturgis returned TO
the private Office and carefully depos-
tied upon a sheet of white paper mis-
cellaneous assortment of tiny scraps
and shreds, the banker could scarcely
conceal his dissatisfaction.
swell. Mr.. Sturgis,' he said, 81 hope
,.o,, I,,.a ac,-. DIa. uI ,rn,tr iroyac-