The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-05-03

SueSs 1t kept MIN pretty pus,
trying 10 cover up his tracks | have no
uouot MS systematic swindling has been
gong on for a long time. | never did
Ike him. Always thought he had much
TOO wide a scope for such a young fell
low" ''7 tV'-
After few more like comments tbev
separated. each one perfectly satisfied
with his own conviction of the guilt of
thelr very recent friend, one sympathetic
another condemning without mercy; this
one with shrug of the shoulder. that
one with glance Of the eve. accordinr
TO their different ways of expressing opin-
ions of guilt.
1t was utterly impossible to keep the
Sandal from the newspapers. Within
= hours the world was informed thar
Allan Wentworth, a most PROMISING
business and society young man of san
Francisco, was q thief and n fugitive
from justice. Some of the writers men
toned his noble traits-others had no
recollection of his good qualities. notwith-
standing that he had many. They were
not mt all surprised that the crash had
come. They had been expecting it with
Journalistic prescience
Before the end of another day n run
was made on the bank. Men who had
proSpercd had large sums at stake: sad
eyed women had trusted their all to it;
the widows mite was in its hands-mcn
OF all grades, conditions and nations. wo-
men from the highest rank of society to
the lowest grade of pitifuly paid, plod-
ding drudGery-all, all We're there at the
bank doors clamoring for their money.
crying aloud for their all and cursing the
dishonest cashier
Behind the doors were white faccs.
busy, nervous fingers and ovcrwrourht
brains, deIving and diving in the banks
DOCKS adding, figuring, hunting and
searching for some dehcit-some sign.
some lnkling Of Wentworth's dishonesty.
i never saw tracks so adroitlv cover
ed, was the verdict of the several ex-
perts after three days of useless search.
he banks resources were large. and
with timely assistance all pressing de-
mands were slowly met. The directors
We're fighting for time to discover how
large was the dofalcation. They were
cropping in the dark, fearful that any mo-
ment would make certain the great extent
of the robbery.
In the meantime Sylvia and Allan re-
mained in hiding in their uninvitins quar-
torS.
Allans fear Of arrest grew moro nor
eeptible each day and kent him oImost
continually indoors. His buntod lool, b;s
doggcd actions. were pitinhln 70 bchaIJ
yet, in all things else. Allan Wentwortb
was no coward.
When the third day was drawing to
close, an all absorbing Thought took nos.
session of his brain. 1t dominated if with
the "reminiscences of tyrant II mnst
have money" it urged IF | can't
make it, must get it-anyboy, Enouob
to take Sylvia and me away from this oc.
cursed place. | have but one life to live,
Must | live it like n dog dodginr tbe
police everywhere? Must see nv younc
wife waste her life in such surroundinos
as these?
For hours he sat brooding. ana at night
he could not sleep. 4 terrible scheme
was concoctng whereby he would gain
that which he wanted Il can do it.
will do it: nothing easier. Ii has been
done bcfore-why not now? The South.
ern Pacific train reaches this place at
12:0O in the morning, Just after mid.
night. when even the railroad officials
] are ufOWSN eyed. | II climb to the ton
Of the car and lie flat upon its roof
When the train pulls out and gets be.
tween stations, I'll drop down upon the
engineer. He'll not lie armed. My re-
volver will be most effective. I'll hold
up the train, take the express matter
and I'll have money enough for Sylvia
and me-"
How it all flashed instinctively through
his working brain How easy it scemel,
In fancy he had already clutched the
bags of needed gold.
He crept from his bed and stealthily
left the room Soon after Sylvia was
aroused from her sleep by loud talking
outside She raised her window. The
glare from an electric light fell full upon
the crowd Of men in the street just be-
low, and she saw Allan, hatless and coat
less, wildly gcsticulating in the center of
the crowd. Hurriedly she threw a long
wrap about her and rushed to his side
Il have robbed the express train" he
said eXcitedly. Il am Il criminal. Why
| ;nol, in NV life am a tbinf teI Won.
a thief"
"Yes. | am Allan Wentworth." he said
TO n bvstandcr. Il suppose YOU are going