Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-11-03
By -. /:
WILL N.
HARDEN /:
Copyright. 1902. by
HARPER q BROS,
Who Publish the Work
IN Book Form. All
Rights Reserved

very queerly for banker,1 was MIL
ler's slow reply. Gle has always been
most particular to open up early and,-
"Hello! cried out a CHEEKY voice,
that Of the middle aged proprietor of
the barley FIGURING mills, emerging
from Barnett's store. II see you fel.
lows have your eye on Craig's front.
II he was a drinking man, we might
suspicion he'd been on tear last
night, wouldn't weep
ut looks shaky to me-" retorted the
grocer, growing more excited. "I'm
goin' over there an try that door again.
A man AT has my money can't attract
the attention Craig has an me saw
nothin'."
The miller pulled his little turf of
gray beard and winked at Rayburn.
you've been scarin' Barnett" he
said, with a tentative infection. "IIe's
easily ratified. BY the way, now that
l think Of 1t, it does seem to me heard
some of the Methodists talkin' about
reproving Craig an Winship for spec
ulatin' in grain an cotton. l know
they've been dabblin' in it, for Craig
always got my market reports. He's
been dealin' with bucket shop in at.
lanta."
I'm going over there" said Miller
abruptly, and he hurried across in the
wake of the big grocer. The miller fol.
lowed him. On the other side of the
street several people were curiously
watching the bank door, and when
Barnett went to it and grasped the
handle and began to shake it vigor.
ously they crossed over to him.
What's wrong" said dealer in
fruits, u short, thickset man with a
horid face, but Barnett's only reply
was another furious shaking of the
door.
why, man, what's got into your"
protested the fruit dealer in a rising
tone of astonishment. do you intend
to break that door down"
II will If that skunk don't open it an
give me my money" said Barnett. who
was now red in the face and almost
foaming at the mouth. Hes back In
thar. an he knows it's past openin'
time. BY gum, know more'n I'm
goin' to tell right now!''
This was followed by another rat
ting of the door, and the grocer's enor.
nous weight. like battering ram, was
thrown against the heavy walnut shut
ter.
"Open up, say-open up in thar!'
yelled the grocer in voice hoarse with
passion and suspense.
dozen men were now grouped
around the doorway. Barnett released
ti.- 1.-..aiS s.,lu s,toUu RACING lnem.
"Somethin's rotten in Denmark" he
painted. Believe me or not, fellows, /
know thing or two. This banks In
bad fix"
A thrill Of horror shot through Miller.
The words had the ring Of conviction.
Alan Bishops money was in bad hands
If it was there at all. Suddenly he saw
white, trembling hand fumbling with
the lower Part of the close drawn win.
dow shade us IL some one were about
to raise it, but the shade remained
down, the interior still obscured. It
struck Miller as being sudden Inn
pulse, defeated by fear Of violence.
There was pause. Then the storn
broke again. About fifty men had as
| sembled, all wild to know what was
wrong. Miller elbowed his way to thr
door and stood on the step, slightly
raised above the Others Barnett by his
side. 'Let me speak to him. lie said
Practically. Barnett yielded doggedly.
| and Rayburn put his lips to the crack
between the two folding doors.
"Mr. Craig!' he called out. '.AIr.
Craig ~
There was no reply, but Rayburn
heard the rustling of paper on the in
side near the crack against which his
ear was pressed, and then the edge of
a sheet of writing paper was slowly
showed through. Rayburn grasped it,
lifting it above q dozen outstretched
hands.
Hold onp he cried authoritatiyely.
"I'll read it.
The silence of the grave fell on the
crowd as the young man began to
read.
| Friends and citizens" the note ran,
"Winship has absconded with every
dollar in the vaults except about 5000
In my small safe. He has been gone
two days, I thought on visit to his
kinfolks. have just discovered the
loss. I'm completely ruined and am
now trying to make out report Of my
condition. Have mercy on an old
i man."
-:Rayburn's face was us white as that
Of a corpse. The paper dropped from
| his hand and he stepped down into the