The stayer. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1896-1903, 1901-12-12


Il hesltated because fcltStha my POSI-
ton was at stake. Would not my error
appear inexcusable to the officers of the
bank. since could find no palliation for II
In my own eyes? l was go years old. |
shrank from tho necessity Of beginning
again at the foet of the ladder which
had so laboriously climbed after lifetime
of conscientious plodding. 1t would be
no easy matter for me to find another po-
sition.
1.-THE more thought the matter over, the
more became convinced that there might
be another way out of my trouble. Was
1t not probable that the depositor who had
profited by my mistake had done so inno-
Gently? If so, would he mot be willing TO
repay the amount overdrawn? AT the
worst. If he should refuse to do th'a might
II not be possible for me TO scrapo ,Ssether
and borrow enough TO make good tho de-
iiciency? In this way could correct the
blunder and no one would be the wiser Tor
It. But what of that man Chatham? Would
not his report betray me? l recalled his
intimation that the nature of his report
depended upon myself. What did he mean
by that? Probably he would set price
upon his sileace. This would add consl-
erably to the amount l should have to
raise; but would not this be better after all,
than the loss Of my position? Al any rate.
] should not be any tho worse off for lis-
tening to his proposal, whatever II might
Ss.
THAT afternoon. as soon as the bank had
closed. 1 called at the address Chatham had
given me. He evidently expected me.
With him WAS a man whom he introduced
as James Withers. the deposition IN whose
favor my plunder had been made. Eao
l not been laboring under great excite
ment. 1t Is likely that my suspicious woul1
have been aroused by the stranGeness or
Withers' presence IN Chatham room The
two men received me pleasantly. and the
alleged Withers. even before could brcach
the subject. expressed his regret at hear
ing OF the error which had been commit
ted, ana assured me of his Willingness To
reimburse the bank. but-ahi there was ~
omnous nut He was short OF roady
money Just then; everything nc had was
tied up III a promising enterprise which
was bound TO bring N a magnificent profit
IN the course OF few days II only be could
raise few paltry hundroc5 to enable him
to hold out a little longer. II he failed
to scrape together this small amount, all
would be lost. Insidouy and relentless
~ they drove ME toward the trap they mai
prepared, and was weak enough TO fail
into 1t. Before the interview was over.
] had consented to allow Withers TO still
further ovordraw his account. and had
received his solemn promise to refund, be-
fore the end OF the week. the entire amount
he owed the bank. Then Chatham suggest
ed that II would he wiser to let the sec
ond ovcrdraft come from another ac-
count Withers agreed with him and stated
that the check could be made in the name
OF Henry seymour relative of his who
had recently opened a small account With
the kn.ckerhocker bank. | strongly OBJ
jected TO sharing the secret Of my nfarny
with any others but finally allowed my
self to be overruied by the plausible scoun-
drels into whose clutches had fallen.
1.-THE next day took NY first step In
crime, by making such entries as would
insure the nonoring Of sSeymours check.
After that was completely in the power OF
these two men. 1t was not long before /
discovered that ! had Dcen their dupe.
Chatham's acccomplice was not the true
Withers Tor this man. "a few days later,
made large deposit, which more than
covered his previous overdraft. The false
Witliers was Henry Seymour himself.
As soon as had committed felony. II
became unnecessary for Seymour to keep
up any further pretcnse OF desire TO re-
fund the money | had helped MIN 10 steal.
i was now IN the ineshss OF crime rs deep
by as my accomplices; and. from that time
To this they have forced me to act as their
cat's-paw. During this period of two years
the bank has been robbed IN this way of
over. s250.0oj every cent of which has
gone to Chatham and Seymour.
''You can perhaps imagine what a he'll
my life has been during that time. With
prison and disgrace staring me in the face;
and with the absolute conviction that ex-
posure must inevitably come sooner or
later. I have suffered the torture of the
damned. At the bank, l have been In a
perpetual state OF suspense. / have start
ed at every word spoken 10 me; / have
seen suspicion In every glance which has
met mine; | hay' trembled ana paled at
every approach of one of the officers of the
bank. And yet | have not dared to alb
sent myself FROM my desk for an hour, lest
an examination of my books during my
absence should reveal my crime. | have
been the Grst 10 reach the bank in the
morning, and the last to leave It at night;
j have not even taken the few minutes
during the day which would have been re-
Guired TO enable me to obtain hurried
meal. on one prctext or another, during
the last two years. | have had 10 forego my
annual vacation. | have dragged raySelr
to my post when l was so III that could
hardly stand. because | could not afford
TO have anyone take charge of my books
for even an hour. And all that time, with
fun realization of my degradation and
infamy have been forced to continue my
frauds knowing that each one brought
me nearer TO the inevitable final exposure:
but knowing equally we'll that a refusal
on my part to cont!nue my stealing would
result in an instant betrayal by my ac-
completes
"At last further concealment became i'm
possible. y week ago the yearly examina-
ton of the books took place. The expert
accountant employed was. as usual. Thomas
Chatham. and of course. as usual, his re-
port was entirely satisfactory. 1t seemed.
therefore, as though discovery could be
postponed little longer; when suddenly,
this morning, we were Informed that u
change in the system of bookkeeping would
beadopted after the LIST of January. saw at
cnce that all was over. The discovery of
my crime Is now a matter of hours. / must
be out of the way before the crash comes
or l am doomed l can already see the
felons stripes upon my back; the clang of
the prison gates ring in my ears.
II am too dazed to think; but feel that
my only escape is In death. And yet cling
to life 1 know that the happy days of the
past are gone forever. and yet feel a sort
of numb relief at the thought that the
worst is now certain to come, and TO come
at once.
81 have carefully prepared my flight, so
that l shall have plenty OF time TO reach
place of safety. Once there, l shall be
free from pursuit. but / shall be an exile,
and shall carry with me to the grave the
burden OF my sin.
THE most bitter pang in my remorse f.
caused by the thought of the great wrong
] have done you. dear wife. You Will now
be forced to face the world not only I'M