The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-20
a TEST OF PERSONAL COURAGE.

| blue envelope, exhaling dainty perfumes,
/ had found him in his strange environ
ments in South America. He had been
/ there but SIX months. and his secre-
taries and assistants had found ont that
the words New York or United
States on anybodys card was certain TO
win an audience from their new chief.
/ He was a tail, strong, well poised man
OF IS. widower with two beautiful
/ daughters. an ex-coloneI Of the Indian
wars and a stately bet deliberate and
cautious man Of affairs
Senior James Trefny OF New York.
f, would wish that he may speak with you.
senior. said the soft-voiced office boy in
! 6ulcet Spanish accents.
Thank you. Emilio. Show the gentle
man in said PRECEDENT Cheever. with
/ look OF pleased anticipation, though re
could not remember having ever met or
heard OF the visitor.
The young man who came in was per
fectly attired in wei fitting fannels IL
the pale buff stock about MS neck vas
! fine gold scarf pin set with diamonds
! Upon his finger a splendid solitaire spark
I ledin a heavy gold band. His hat was
in his hand and Mr.. Cheever noticed the
singularly calm. unconscious beauty OF
his manly head and face. lie was dark
with the tan Of the sea, but his thick.
fine hair was carefully arranged. and
his whole manner betokened the patrician
man OF education, travel. gentleness and
courage Cheever liked lis looks and
| she we'd his welcome in frank smile and
q hearty hanGshake. But he hao reasons
to quickly change this first favorable i'm
preston. for Mr. Trefny OF New York,
sitting calmly beside him and speaking
in measured, clear tones in which there
was not suggestion OF a tremo-. said;
Mr. Cheever, this walking stick is fiji
Cd with nitro cotton. if YOU move I'll eN-
piode it. There quite still. that viii do
Nitro-cottor is the new explosive just
adopted by the German army and is, as
you probably know. the most terrible me
dunn Of destruction ever perfected. 1t is
igniled by d fuse of mercury See. here
in the handle of my cane is The fulmi-
mating cap. Don't look round. Ii any
one comes in, say you viii be busy for
half an hour. Thank you. No. no.
Don't tap your foot against the velvet
rug. 1t anuoys me.
AS l was saying. all have to do is to
touch this desk with my finger and you
and 1. this bank and building and every
one and everything in it viii be torn in
stanly 70 atoms. In such an event there
" Guild be not enough Of US left for ident.h
cation OF burial There are. as I under
stand it. about two hundred and seven
teen thousand dollars in your vaults. 1t
would be scattered to the four winds
yer looked an inquiry al Trefny
Say what I told YOU or not, as you
please, said the latter. quietly
Not in FOR thirty minutes said Chez
yer.
Now. to resume. 1 have here" TAX
| ing from his inside pocket 4 check, IAN
ordinary check on the Plaza Bank your
rival YOU know. 1t is made payable 10
me, James Trefny It is signed-lets see
oh. yes. it is signed Homer O. Dun
levy and calls for S50,0O0. You see.
turning over the slip of paper. Il nave
indorsed il in form. Now, my business
with you is this; you must call clerk,
tell him TO fetch fifty one-thousaud dollar
bills get them and hand them over To
ne. I need hardly tell YOU that my
name James Trefny. is wholly mythical.
This cane, loaded with instant death for
all of us, is the only argument ] have.
See. my finger is just above the disk. The
first sign. word or motion you make 70
betray me-down it comes. Now get the
money"
'.Remon. Ramon" called the banker.
without moving. And to the sUave clerk
who came in he said: Bring $4,000 at
once for this check. and"
Il want all the large bills, thousand
each if possible, Interrupted rrefny,
smiling blandly.
The clerk disappeared bowling, came
back with the money. laid it before Chce-
yer and departed. Trefny reached across
the table. picked up the money. counted il.
placed it IN his inside pocket. waved his
terrible cane as in salute and said:
Thank you. I want but ten minutes 70
catch my train. If YOU pursue me within
.iat time I'll come back and wreck the
bank as a mere matter of protest Adios.
senior And he was gone.
OF course. Cheever had sent n message
TO the police inside Of two minutes. They
held the train. but they didn't find Tref-
rs nor anybody like him. They search
60 the town and about an hour later.
found the robber slippered and at ease
over his cigarette and high ball in his
sumptuous room at the Hotel del Orinico.
He was engaged I'm writing letter. too.
So he did not forestall the approach OF
ten officers in time TO seize The awful
cane which stood harmless I'm a rern0t,
corner while Trefny looked calmly
enough into the muzzles Of six rifles. As
none of his captorS could speak English
and only Cheever was there TO complete
his Identification. a rnessT niger was Dis
patched for the magistrate. who presently
arrived 10 begin an inquiry. When the
court was thus Installed and the prls-
oner put under oath. this odd criminal
explained matters thus:
In the first place. gentlemen. espe-
cially you. Mr.. Cheever. put yourselves
a ease about that cane It's quite harm
less even in my hands It's a sword cane.
That's the worst can truIhfully be said
about it. Now, my name is Homer o
DUnievy. Of New York. and ] robbed the
Banco del PradO-dont iauCh. gentle
nen-iust TO tesl my personal courage"
Cheever sneered and the magistrate put
his tongue il his cheek
oh. L assure you. gentlemen. Seq
holding up the letter h hal begun. Il
was Just I'm the act Of writing q letter Of
explanation 70 YOU Mr.. 1heever Il"
You had better Quit this foolishncss
and IL YOU are telling sie truth. return
the 5000 you stole
'I didn't steal it. J should say steal
ing implies ssulkinE. Sneakinc- stealth
so 70 speak Besides. I really needed the
money and intend 70 keep IT,.
Put on the Tnaracies ordered the
magistrate CATHERINE courage after
hesitating giauce az the walking stick.
quite panied as nc saw the fierce elanc-s
of Chesver II protest, SIR. CheeVe-
Don't you undeTsta ard e.
Understand, Tho devil, - course 7
don't understand ANYTHING hut tha. YOU
forced me - pay yen ss990 On q WORTH
less
.Check7- iaierrupreo Trcfnv. or Dan
levy as n elaine ~Whv. my Gear SIN
that check is IS good rs gold HaF- rru
tried - cash IT. - coursc 3ol haFsr T.
7 might have known Won were too excited
any further. would YOU Mr. Observer
end you. senior. n tle. wondering ni7efs-
trare. would y1u mi1a taking mr. check
over - tie Plaza Bs1k7 q VII ~ paid
cutie readily. or nv war4 All yoa have
~ d. - irfo-se &. My DEPOSIT ard letters