Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-07-07
Banker Lingar'S Son. -In-Law.
BY JAMES O'SHAUGHNESSY.

Upon the promotion of William
Tarnley Faldis to the position of re-
ceiving teller of the Thirteenth Ma
tional Bank he began to show signs Of
the widening of his horizon. He spell
ed out his middle name in full and ac-
quired the art of appearing at ease
in dress suit. He narrowed his So
cial orbit until he felt juStified in
classifying himself as exclusive,
and then he discreetly fell in love with
the daughter of Abel Lingar, the presi-
dent of the bank
Fortunately for him Miss Lingar
was not beautiful of face, and there
was neither symmetry nor grace in her
figure. These gaps in her structural
charms made his love course easy.
In visiting her fathers bank her
keen eye fell on Faldis. He was rather
pleasing in appearance, with light
blue eyes, blonde mustache and
pink and white complexion. He could
sing all of the popular and sentimen-
tai songs. He sang the sentimental
ones for her and before the end Of the
season he was calling her Ethyl when
no one else was in hearing.
When he asked her to marry him,
she gave him her hand and their Sc
cret troth was plighted. All that re-
mained to be done was to obtain the
consent of Abel Lingar. Here Faldis'
training was a hindrance and not
help to him. He could not disassociate
Ethyl's father from the president of
the Thirteenth National Bank, and he
could not summon sufficient courage
to ask President Lingar for the hand
of his daughter in marriage.
When he arose in the morning his
resolution was fixed, but at night he
returned fretfully to his couch with
the dreaded task still ahead of him.
Whenever he would put himself in the
presence of Ethyls father it was only
to discover the great president of the
Thirteenth National Bank and he
would retire in deferential confusion.
One evening when closing his ac-
counts he found they were wrong.
There, in his own handwriting, was a
false entry of $4,000. Over and over
the books he went, but the studied
examination only confirmed the awful
evidence that he was short $4,000.
At the sight of President Lingar
stalking majesticaliy through the
counting room of the bank to his pri-
vate office, Faldis shook with terror.
1t suddenly occurred to his over
wrought mind that perhaps the bank
had an unexplained overplus of $780,,
300. With the impulse of this vagary
he rushed off to the office.
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. Lingar," he
faltered, "but-er-has-is there an
overplus of $4,000
"What?"
Has anyone made an error?"
"An error? An error of $2O,O0O?"
thundered Lingar.
The cold, accusing manner of Lingar
sounded the depths of Faldis' abjec-
ton. The reaction was instantaneous.
The pale blue eyes of the teller ceased
to waver in their glances and became
as fixed and steely as those of the
president. No longer cringing, he
Strengthened up defiantly.
did you say there was an error of
s20,000?" said Lingar in slightly soft
ened tones.
Il did not, but there is an item of
that amount in my books which l am
unable to explain"
you are i'll, Faldis. Take a rest of
day or so. Johnson will take your
place"
Faldis went back to his cage. A few
minutes later Johnson, the assistant
cashier, entered it. Faldis had on his
hat and was buttoning his overcoat.
Johnson did not notice that Faldis'
overcoat was bulging at the breast.
go through my accounts carefully,
Mr. Johnson, and find the mistake,
am ILL.,"
Faldis walked slowly out Of the
bank. A thick jawed, athletic looking
man stepped quietly out of the office
from behind Lingar, and followed like