Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-07
DAILY SHORT STORY
An Honest Banker.
Dpvrigbt 1902 bv o. p. warner


nearest town. My liking for the
banker was returned. He gave me
the advice father would give.
In July of the second year Mrs.
Drew and her child went east to be
gone for Il couple of months. Within
few days thereafter the banker be-
gan talking to me about taking fort
nights vacation. 1t was finally ar
ranged that we should go up into the
Taos mountains TO fish and hunt and
have a good time generally; but, to
my surprise after we had made our
plans Mr.. Drew said to me:
Il shall leave the bank in charge
of Mr.. Williams, the bOokkeeper, and
everything will go on as usual. but it
will be wiser not to mention the mat
ter of my going. l need 4 vacation,
but people have an idea that banker
ought to stick right By the shop. If
it is known that L am going. there
will be more or less gossip, which l
wish to avoid"
cleared up everything at the office
on n Saturday. gave my substitute
full instructions and banked about
$4,000 i'll greenbackS. Darkness was
coming on as we left town, and the
streets were pretty well deserted and
in getting out we did not pass any
one who Saluted us. The banker held
the reinS and we rode fully fifteen
miles over the moonlit road before
turning off and going into amp for
the night.
At daylight next morning l saw the
contents of the wagon for the first
time, and there was cause for wonder.
There were two blankets, two baskets
of food and two rifles. but no tent and
no fishing outfit, while the only cook
ing utensil was Il tin coffeepot. There
was one other article in the wagon. 1t
was Il large, old fashioned satchel, and
it was full to bursting and had two
straps buckled around it so that it
could be carried as Il knapsack. We
ate our breakfast i'll silence, and then
Drew abruptly said:
Il am about to explain matters to
you. Do you know what that satchel
contains?"
mo"
"Money-greenbacks, gold. over $780,
600 IN all. l have robbed my own
bank and am leaving home, family AID
this thing for years.
| was dumb with establishment, and
without looking up or changing his
tones he continued:
This vacation is only blind. / left
on Saturday night so as to get a long
start. l brought you along because I
wanted company in the wilderness. 1t
is a matter of 800 miles from here 20
Il
travelling, and you are to go with me"
l sat and stared at him and wondered
if it were not all dream. He had
spoken very seriously but l could not
credit him. l was about to say so
when he turned full upon me, and then
1 knew the worst. The man was in
sanei
Under his direction l removed every
thing from the wagon, placed the har-
ness in it and then drew it over the
fire. The horse had probably been
turned loose, as l saw his tracks later
on. When the wagon was well atire,
the banker loaded LIS rifle, motioned
me to do the same and then lifted the
satchel on my shoulders and made it
fast. He took baskets and blankets,
and we set off for the mountains.
At > o'clock 1 told him L could go no
farther and he consented to go into
camp.
We put in a hard day of it again next
day, making about twenty miles, as L
figured it. When night came again, 1
determined what to do on the morrow.
1 had Il pocket compass, while he had
none and did not know of mine. / was
satisfied that home lay TO the north
east and also that he did not know its
direction. If / had the lead, 1 would
gradually turn to the northeast and if
he failed to suspect me L would pilot
him home in about three days. The |
idea had full possession of me next |
morning when we were ready to set |
out, but what did the cunning rascal |
do but take the lead himself and hold |
to the south.
When night came again, l deter |
mined on another plan. The first |
signs of daylight saw me putting it |
in practice. Mr.. Drew had used the |
satohel for a pillow, but his head |
slipped off, and he was sleeping sound |
ly. L made up package of meat and |
bread from the baskets, got hold of |
my rife and the satchel and then |
cautiously withdrew from the camp. |
L figured that as soon as lie missed |
me he would go back over our trail.
and so headed to the east to'desceDd |
the range on that face. l could not |
have been half a mile from camp when
1 heard him yelling. Thinking he was
on my trail, 1 looked around for cover.
On my left was a mass of rock, and
few feet up was an opening. 1t was
80 Oh. IarrfT
crowded the satchel into it and then
set off i'm wild fight that lasted for
miles.
among the foothills. / had seen moth
ing of the banker. 1t required two
days to get back TO town and another
dow f0 nrOa niZp Marty fO i'm MIR |