The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-18

on and the i4ord only KNOWS Wiici ie will come off,
 After a little more questioning l learned the fearful news that the day before he had forgotten to reset the time combination. This mean that as we had kept the safe open over an hour later than the usual time the day hetore' it would be just that much later III opening on this morning. Sixteen hours were on, and so far as we were concern ed, no power on earth could open that safe until the full sixteen hours were up.
 q hurried out into the banking rooms and questioned the various bookkeepers and tellers in an effort to find out just what time the safe had been closed the night before.
 T know almost collapsed, for if the safe had been closed after that would mean that it would not open in the morning until after 9. That would bring ruin to the bank.
 "The assistant cashier telephoned the vice president who hurried down, lie was white and trembled as he inquired concerning the disaster. He hurried 10 the vault and tried the combination to the time safe. It would not open. As he came staggering out of that vault his was the most abject misery have ever seen depicted on human race He stood in the doorway and the per- sniration stood out on his forehead like gumdrops. ,,,,.-,-rr
 What shall we do?" he almost moaned.
 '"The assistant was the first to speak, Go out and tell the people exactly what has happened he said.
 "The vice president looked out into the lobby No orator on Gods earth could convince the crowd of wolves that I was telling the truth he an- swered
 By this time the people in the lines began to suspect that something was amiss and there was conslderaple pushing and that unmistakable groWl one hears in a. crowd that means vlo- lence desperation and sometimes death. When the men in front saw the vice presidents face as he came from the vault there was an open outbreak
 "'Give us our money, yelled some or them.
 This bank opens at 9 o'clock came the answer from the vice president. You will have to wait until then
 "One man in a wide hat pushed through the crowd and forced his way into the vice presidents room. He car ried satchel in his hand. And with out waiting for any preliminary re- marks demanded $2,000 he had on de- posit. He wanted the money in curren- cy.
 "I live in Fort Scott he said, and l want to catch 9 o'clock train for home. Give me my money and let me go
 s'The vice president looked up at him with glassy eyes.
 Wait until the bank opens, he said, feebly.
 ..I will not wait I don't believe you have the money By, sir, if you fail to pay me on the stroke of will kill you
 That man from Fort Scott meant what he said. too, and the bank em- ployees turned pale, for they knew now utterly impossible it would be to meet the payment at o'clock, for the safe had been closed "a little after B.
 sThe vice president sank Into his chair and seemed to lose consciousness. At least he paid no attention to any thing about him. Now, ordinarily bank would have no difficulty in getting s2 900 from another bank, but in those times this was simply impossible. Banks were not exchanging dollar, for the fate of bank might hang on an insignificant amount.
 "The man from Fort Scott sat down in the vice presidents office and watched the clock. His hands were in his pocket and the outlines of a revolver were plainly visible.
 ''The minutes dragged along and the crowd outside became more and more excited The vice president never moved. In fact, there was nothing for any of us to do but wait. I thought of A desperate chance and sent hurried telegram to the makers of the safe, ask ing them to telegraph the emergency combination, but I had little hope that the answer would come in time. I had made LID my mind to one thing, how ever, ana L0dL WdS tllhl tiC iiisAih II '0'ii Fort Scott should never fire shot. It was impossible to summon a police man. for the clamorous crowd outside was now filling every opening. | went to my desk and got out my revolver. Putting it in my pocket I stepped up to the man from Fort Scott and whisp- cred:
 CT have revolver in my hand and if YOU shoot you are a dead man, for shall stand behind you and watch
 "The man from Fort Scott never moved and did not seem to pay any at- tention to what I said.
 "The assistant cashier was trying the combination constantly in feverish and trembling haste to unlock the safe im- mediately the time should be off It was only a few minutes to g. Rapidly the hands moved now and we all stood in silent anticipation of the tragedy which we felt sure would come God only knows how those minutes passed. re- member nothing. I only know that a dozen of us stood about like statues and even the crowd outside was strangely silent. Two minutes and then one min ute. It was awful. I stepped nearer the back of the man from Fort Scott, whose face bore evidence of terrible determination.
 'No one connected with the bank can