The news & observer., 1903-12-13

estly be put forward; and the man GER
tainly did look as if he meant business,
and nitro-glyceri-i-ine Is not to be des-
pissed.
Its up to you to do the talking" said
Parlby, putting up a credltable front" "
LAS far as l see, you've made an ass of
yourself whoever you are. All I've got
to do is Just to sit quiet; you can't get
out of the bank; you couldn't win clear
iE the street if you did get out of the
bank; you'll go to the pen for this morn
ing's joke. If there's anything to be
said, it's you can say it,
Sure! I'll say it fast enough. But
you can come off your perch just the
same If l was leary OF the pen l
shouldn't be here, an you know it. I'll
talk business with you, if that's what
you want; I'm on my uppers-see?
Either 1 get the dough l want or I croak;
an if you don't give me what ] want
we croak together You're my last card,
an I'll play you, by God! What you
saw O. lust sittin' still S tommyrot; you
make out check payable to yourself
for the sum I name, an have the stuff
bag. or you've seen your luck an Wen
both of US know what's what
Parlby's visitor had been speaking with
fierce intentness that was convincing;
Parlby thought him mad. Perhaps that
was why he attempted to reason with
him.
Even if got you the stuff and slowed
it away IN that bag, you couldn't get
away with it. You'd better talk sense, il
you've got any. I'm not to be bullled IN
my own office, with forty clerks in call,
armed as well as you. That's the last
word l have to say, and be damned TO
you"
"Mr. Parlby, you will take up that
pen and write what | tell you. ] take my
chances of getting away, once the stun
is in my hands. You won't give an
alarm till I've got clear OF the bank;
can thow a flask on the floor OUTSIDE
as well as here, an you're much too care
full of your skin to take any risks. You
put up a bluff that I'm bughouse; we'll.
I'm not so bughouse but | can see you're
so scared of me you can't sit IN that
chair without holdin' on. You take up
that pen an write what I tell you an
be quick about it; I'm kind O nervous,
as l said, an this guns got blamed
easy pull an the outside O. this TASKS
kind o slippery"
Parlby shrugged his shoulders, dropped
his eyes-and searched for pen.
1t is said that the special officer of the
bank and half a dozen clerks started N
pursuit before them an with the hand
bag had fairly reached the pavement.
There must have been two men with
hand bags: such condolences happen. Pos
sibly the coincidence was not accidental
At all events they assailed a man with
hand bag, and so quickly did the police
patrol respond to the private alarm IRON
Parlby's office that the man was not yet
overpowered when the wagon arrived.
When he was taken into custody he
proved to be the wrong man, and the
hand bag proved to be the wrong hand
bag. 1t is possible that this mistake
might not have been made il Parlby had
personally superintended the chase, but
he remained in his office: he was ac-
curately acquainted with the properties
of nitro-glyceri-i-ine, which is quite as Ell
fective in a paved street as IN marble
fioored building, and though he may
have had no regard for his own life he
had other things than himself to think
Of He thought OF them.
The next day there was found in an
aIIey-Way at the rear OF the bank suit
of clothes, a revolver, and flask, all
Unidentified by Parlby as belonging to the
robber. The flask was found to contain
sweet-oil. In the minds of some OF Parl-
by's fellow citizens this discovery con-
frmed the notion that he had himself
ccntrived the robbery; in the minds OF
others it served simply to make him ri
diculous; in the minds of all it still fur
ther discredited him. The directors be-
gan to suspect they had been mistaken
in their idea that Parlby was just the
man they had long wanted for presi-
dent. Certainly, as it afterward turned
out, he had made a great blunder in part
ing with his real estate.
Peggie was never again heard to say
that she would get even with Parlby. In
the city of Blank there was little OF any
thing tht she was again heard to say:
she soon closed out her interests there at
great profit and left the place, disap-
pearing into the beyond where she still
remains.
1t is just possible that she feels she
has got even with Parlby, though 1t is
questionable whether she would hold her
hand if the chance should offer itself to
get even with him again. All things con-
sidered, it is doubtful whether Peggies
ruling trait is gentleness.