Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-10-25
CHAPTER ".
THE BANK PRESIDENT.

CHAPTER ".
THE BANK PRESIDENT.
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. He
was man of action, hard worker
and an enthusiastic student. Almost
Ill 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. It was
seldom, therefore, that he allowed
himself to spend precious evening
In social intercourse, unless as 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 &C.
cidental.
Dunlap was, however, a man whom
6turgis needed to see in the course
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 speak with him in private; and, as
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.
"Are you going down to the bank
this evening, Mr.. Dunlap?" asked
sturgis, as the trio faced the bleak
wind
II? No. Why should IT" inquired
the banker, In apparent surprise.
II see no particular reason why
you should" replied the reporter. IF
to-day we're banking day, there
would be no time to lose. But since
It is New Years day, there is little,
Il 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
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
1T the bank"
II do not know enough about tho
case as yet to advance any positive
belief In the matter" said Sturgis;
''but 1t 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, the fact that our cashier
found everything in good order at the
bank is in itself completely reassur-
hg," he said, musingly.
"Vexy ukslE." ssssatsA sturgia II
= quite possible that from = bankers
point 81 view The problem Is who;;ss55
devoid of interest; but from a de-
tective's standpoint 1t appears to be
full of promising features. There
fore, whether or not you intend to
look farther into the matter yourself,
l beg you will at least authorize me
to make survey Of the field by day.
light In the morning"
Dunlap looked anything but pleased
~ the reporter spoke these words.
He thought before replying.
Frankly, Mr.. Sturgis," he said, ct
length with studied courtesy, II will
not conceal the fact that what you
oak places mo In Z rather awkward
eositdon. You arc friend of nv
eFtend sprague. and my personal in
osrcourse with you this evening has
Been pheasant enough to make mo
hope that. in the future, I may DO
% fortunate as to include you in my
own circle Of acquaintances. There
sore, on personal grounds, it would
Give me great pleasure to grant your
request. But, on the other hand, you
ere . journalist and I am . banker,
snd n 10 with banks - Win nations
happy that which has no history.
Capital II proverbially tinaid, ~
know"
II see," said sturgis, ~. fesr tha1
The reputation Of the Knicksrboekse
c.nk my suffer Il ~ .g,@..1 4
1ho pistol ahots 10 soovod~ ,,r:5rst,,
mo, no, my dear II, - q. II
not at IN. You quite 11s1l,n0srstoo1
" me-" replied the banker. With fust /
Ghsds Of warmth. ne Il not . qu>s.
eoa Of the banks credit &xaoth.
01os thsrs has been naithor robbery
aer dsfe1oa*aon, but depodfeoes d not
me- 70 go The name Of their hank