Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-01-24
A Bank Clerks Story.
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SNnY worst fears realized" I muir

's.s**s.s.s..s..s.
>.~~~~O~~~~o-~o~~
MOY Y worst fears realized" | muir
lW INJURED m as on break breaking ga the e."a1 seal
on my breakfast table, my letters to
Eva fell out. Her influence over Mr..
Hall is not great enough to cause him
to overlook my presumption"
took up Eva's letter:
My Dearest Cecil have told uncle of
our engagement, but am afraid that We
shall never gain his consent. He behaved
so wildly that am really afraid of him
1 have never before seen him so angry.
He vowed that he would never agree to
our marriage, and ordered me to send
back all your letters and presents, and
insisted on seeing me do it. So | am
writing this at his study table, and l do
not even know whether he will not insist
on reading my letter; but promise you,
dearest Cecil, that, if you are willing to
wait for two years, | will marry you as
soon as l am of age and the law allows
me to be my own mistress.
A sigh escaped me. Two years ap-
pears lifetime to young man of five
and-twenty. And If Mr.. Hall were in
exorable we should have to wait those
long two years. Whilst l was turning
over the letters Eva had sent back l
came upon sheet that had evidently
been put in by mistake. 1t was SO brief
that l read the words before l had
realized that the note was not meant
for me. There was no address or date:
Morgan has gone to Barton-on-Sea for
week, and am free. Perhaps Friday
would suit you? Yours faithfully,
w. CARRUTHERS.
| placed this note in my pocket, in
tending to return it to Mr.. Hall, al
though 1t did not seem to be of any Sc
rious Importance.
One of the remaining letters ON the
table was from that gentleman himself.
In no gentle language he rated me for
the impertinence of aspiring to the
hand of his niece" delicately limiting
that "beggarly bank clerk on one hun
dred and fifty pounds year would be
making a first-class investment by
marrying a lady who might possess at
some future date handsome fortune.
He apologlzed with irritating irony for
delaying $50 satisfactory financial ar
rangement," reminded me that his word
was law for another two years, and
that even when Eva attained her ma
jority she would have to depend on him
for dowry.
When l had finished reading this
pleasant letter l decided to wait until
l had returned from the bank and had
more leisure. Then l could answer his
letter as it deserved, and at the same
time return the note that had been In
advertently inclosed In Eva's parcel
At the bank it was difficult to keep
my thoughts from wandering My fell
low clerks rallied me on my unwonted
gloominess.
1t was about II when a young man,
whom l knew very we'll by sight, step
ped into the bank and approached one
of the cashiers.
Good he said pleasantly.
"Ive got rather larger check than
usual. l don't know what the old man
wants 1t for, but he told me to take a
cab and draw out the money in gold-I
suppose the banks all right2"
Eyes, the banks right enough" the
cashier answered, with laugh, "and l
don't think that even four thousand
pounds will break u.s."
Having nothing at that moment to
do, Idly looked over Freemans shoul-
der and read the check.
1t was drawn for four thousand
pounds to bearer and was signed y. e.
Morgan" one of our largest customers.
The name struck me as being one |
had seen in writing very recently.
Whilst Freeman had gone to the man
ager worried my brains to think of the
connection In which had last seen the
name.
sEureka!" l exclaimed, and with
drawing from the view Of the young
man, who was patiently waiting for his
gold, pulled out the paper which had
been accidentally inclosed In Eva's let
ter. Sure enough, the name Of the gem
tleman who had gone to Barton-on-Sea
was Morgan. A curious coincidence,
perhaps, but not very uncommon one.
Nevertheless, remembering how the
Mayfair and h-Eastern Counties
Bank had been swindled less than a
month ago, my mind conceived little
doubt as to the genuineness of the
check.
what is your name?" l inquired,
taking piece of paper as though l
were going to write.
TO my surprise the man quietly re-
piled:
"Walter Carruthers."
At this moment Freeman came back.
"Its all right" he said, with a nod
to the other. ITS be ready for you In
q few minutes"
Then he was going on to discuss the
weather with Carruthers, but, to his