The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-10-24

the stranger stepped back pace and
raised the weapon.
81 tell you you are trifiing withyour
/ life! Do il while there is yet time!"
The sound of subdued voices came
from the anteroom, and the be-
leaguered old man stole a glance at
II the face of his prosecutor. There was
u no mercy in the ferce blue eyes glarins
1 down upon him, but rather madness
and fell murder. The summons came
once again.
do it quickly, say, before we are
interrupted. De you hear?"
Truly, the president both heard and
understood, but he hesitated yet one
other second.
"You will not? Then may God have
mercy"
The hammer of the leveled pistol
clicked twice. Andrew Galbraith shut
his ewes and made blind grasp for
| pen and check-book. His hands were
shaking as with palsy, but the fear OF
death steadied them suddenly when he
came to write.
endorse i'll" was the next com
mand. The voices had ceased in the
anteroom, and the silence was broken
only by the labored strokes OF the
presidents pen and the tap-tap of the
| typewriter in the anteroom.
| snow come with me to your paying
teller and get me the money. Make
what explanation you see fit; but re-
member that if he hesitates you die"
They left the private office together,
side by side; the young man with his
right hand under his coat. The presi-
dent breathed little freer when
they reached the lobby of the main
| anartment and was not without hope
that chance might still intervene to
| save him.
II did not. There were but few GUS
toners in the bank at that hour, and
| the president tried in vain to catch
responsive eye.
At the paying teller's window there
was only one person instead of the
oroup which Andrew Galbraith had
| hoped to find there; a young woman
who was getting draft cashed. ohe
saw them and would have stood aside,
hut the robber forbade it with a ges-
ture. and they waited for few trying
moments until she was served.
When the young woman went her
way the president stepped to the win
dow and presented the check. Up to
| that instant he had chung desperately
to the hope that some fortunate nap
nening would forestall the catastro-
nbe. now he was determined to give
the teller a warning signal, come what
might. But on the pinnacle OF resolu-
tion the robber came closer, and An
drew Galbraith felt the pressure OF the
pistol muzzle against his side-nay,
more: he fancied he could feel the
cold chill of the metal strike through
and through him.
"Give me currency for that, John
son." he said, with what composure
there was in him.
The teller glanced at the check and
then at his superior, not too IN
uuisitively, since it was not his duty
to question the presidents order.
ssHow will you have it?'' he asked;
and it was the younger man who an
swered
"Three hundred in fves, tens and
twenties, loose, if you please. The
remainder in the largest denomlna-
lions put up in package"
Tt was done as he directed, and he
followed the teller's count as
methodically as if it had been the
most commonplace of business
transactions. When the money was
handed him he stuffed the smaller
bills carelessly into his pocket, put
the package containing the ninety
nine thousand odd dollars under his
arm. nodded to the president, backed
away to the door and vanished.
Then it was that Andrew Galbraith
suddenly found speech, opening his
mouth and pouring forth torrent
of frenzied incoherence which pres
emily got itself translated into hue
and cry; and New Orleans, the unim-
petuous, had it's sensation ready
made.
CHAPTER w.
IF Kenneth Griswold had been