Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1903-11-06

the click of the switch, plung-
Ing the room In total darkness.
except where here and there a faint
giimmer came through the window
from the lamps in the street below,
and tie under-cashier of Brown x
Browns sank into his superlor's easy
chair with a sigh Of unutteialle re-
lief
As usual all his fellow clerks had
gone hours ago, leaving him in Ii
! tary grandeur to continue working
ont rows OF apparently interminable
/ figures. AT last. however, his task was
finished, and he sought TO rest his
aching eyes by gazing blankly into
darkness.
Bernard Strong was overworked
and underpald, which will, perhaps.
account for the thoughts that crowd
ed through his tired brain.
AS he sat there in the darkness the
full hopelessness of his position was
borne home to his overworked mind.
What was the use of working like
slave till II o'clock, as he had done
tonight? What did he gain by IL
Money? No; he had asked for an in
crease of salary till his very pride
stayed him from repeating the at
tempt. Credit? No; the head cashier
had never been known to say good
word for Strong, though ii was very
seldom that he found cause of com
plaint in the latter's work. Prospects? !?
There were none
He had asked himself these questions
till the very thought of them sick
ened him, and always came to the
same conclusion. He would slave no
more in a dlngy office: he would go to
the director the very next morning and
give notice, and, when asked the rea-
son for so doing, would throw these bit
ter arguments In his face, leave the
house forever and go away, away to
Australia, South Africa, anywhere. so
long as he was far from his present
hated surroundings.
But In the morning the same de-
spairlng answer to all these questions
would come as If to haunt him, You
cannot go, You have no money" and
he would again wend his way wearily
to the same office, the same high stool,
and go through the same daily routine
of drudgery 1t would be easier to
bear, he had told himself a hundred
times, II there was only himself TO
think of, but there was Kitty, poor
little Kitty, waiting SO patiently and
saving as much as possible herself TO
hasten the day that seemed SO far off.
As Strong sat there in the darkness,
building the usual castles in the air,
10 be dashed to the ground the next
morning, his distracted gaze, alighted
on a large black object in the opposite
corner of the room. Yes! the little
strongroom tucked away behind that
iron door contained enough TO take Kit
ty and himself out of the country,
where he could start afresh and per
haps make a fortune. He smiled bit
terly at the irony of the situation; the
money that safe contained was in his
power; he had the key In his pocket
at that very moment. Why not? Yes,
why not? 1t would mean nothing to
such wealthy firm as Brown y
Browns, but what lot to him! He
would only take enough to pay their
passage. and he would save every far
thing he made to pay II back. 1t would
not be stealing If he returned 1t. No;
and only f20, that was all, but enough
TO take Kitty and himself away from
this hated city and give him fresh
start in new country, where perhaps,
they would give him chance of show
ing his worth.
Yes. there were quite f20 in gold III
that strongroom, and gold couiu hol
be traced like notes, and by the morn
,ng he could be safe away where no
one could trace him. He would do 1t
do II for Kitty's sake, Half rising III
his chair, he felt for the key in his
nocket but sank back Immediately,
pullty and terror.stricken, as sllsht
scrapne caught his sharpened ear
the next minute he was sitting stone
still. his fascinating gaze following
every movement Of Il huge dark hs-
ure kneellng ON the window sill
slowly and deliberately the hgure
went TO work. Ii produced NIUE
nencil-llke object from It's pocket IL
annlied IT TO the window pane ana
four distinct lines made their appear
ance on the gllttering surface accom-
nanled by II slight crunching sound
now n long thin hand is thrust through
the neat little openings nolselessiy the
cotch slips back, and the next moment
man stands in the room. gazing
: searchingly round into the uarAliesS
with the aid of bull's-eye lantern
His investigations appear TO prove say, Su',
,sfactory. for he gives an appreeia'isee g
grunt and steals quietly toward Tue
Corner In which the iron door looms III
distinctly out of the darkness
There was no doubt IN suohs .
mind as to the intruders intentions az
no sat huddled up in his chair haluis
aaI a