The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-04-22

az you Sout
tap the whole lot, almost, and nobod,
wouldn't know the difference, not IN
TIL" he added mot until they foun,
out"
And when they found out?" sug
gested the foreman.
"There'd be a hot time" returned
Br1tches. He scratched his head again
NOW, look a-here," he vent on, tina
raises a very nice, delicate, importan
question in my mind. 1t seems to me
that III have to get the bank to put {
night Waterman down here to set il
front OF that there hole. 1t won't dc
to have any two-legged rats a-burrow-
in there when I'm away. l naturally
gotter keep the bank protected, be,
cause--because," he added softly, tc
himself, I'd like to know, if some chap
got in ahead of me-"
it so happened, therefore, that by
permission of the section foreman a
burly night Waterman came on ar
hour after Britches left. This night
Waterman had a bushy beard. Other
wise he had the same proportions OF
Mr.. Britches Bellman. "In course
the night Waterman assured himself,
the union wouldn't stand for me
workin' day and night, so | gotter
plaster Dr. the makeup. And l gotter
watch that hole to see she don't get
away from me. For when a hole gets
away from a man-especially a hole
like this one-it amt no easy job to
get another"
Mr.. Bellman had worked only a few
days and a few nights when he struck
something with his spade that gave
him JOY.
If this amt a vein of gold bearing
ore" said Mr.. Britches. I'll wager
it's the underground part of the Coun-
ty banks underpinnings; and if its
that, why then it is a vein of gold"
He was right, 1t was a portion Of
the banks cellar wall. He hastily COW
cred it up, hung around until the whis-
tie blew, then he left and, returning
later in the evening, brought with him
a new set of sharp tools.
III get this job finished by morn
ing said this night Waterman, "Or
I'm a Dutchman."
He removed a layer of tar coating;
then a layer of cement. Then he struck
the bricks.
Now he said to himself, eff she
amt more than three feet thick I'll
have her through in no time. That's
what"
But that wall was a blank wall, and
it had been laid many, many years
before, when there were no trade
unions, and no employers associations,
and when cement and bricks were
cement and bricks. When the first
gray streaks of dawn had appeared in
the sky above the subway Britches
had not finished. But he judged from
the sound his hammer made that
there was but one layer of bricks still
to be removed.
Tomorrow night" said Britches to
himself, tonight, I mean, why-the
trick'll be turned to a T. And no mis-
take"
He took q day off and rested up. He
was made of flesh and blood and he
was tired. But that night he started
in, refreshed in mind and body. A
deep peace was upon him, for he knew
that in 20 minutes he would be inside
the bank. And there was no man in
the whole world who understood the
of a bank as we'll as Britches
Bellman.
One by one he loosed the bricks; ne
right; it was the last layer. Little
by little the hole widened. He stuck
htS hnnI rtrcilN IT, r,o. -
He was prepared for this; prepared
with a dark lantern.
Now" he finally explained, a huge
Joy possessing him, NOW, here I am"
The ao..s was Just wide enough to ad-
nit his body, and he pulled himself
carefully through and dropped down to
he inside floor.
"Ho. ho!" exclaimed Mr.. Britches
3ellman, softly, s'this is nuts, for
He didn't want to show a light. So
lie CROPPED his way carefully about
cross what seemed to be a little room.
t was, as he suspected, a coal cellar.
lie crossed it, and the boiler room;
licked a lock and entered still another
oolh. tAlS lOCuu lS WdlkSu luIO Il
vail and stepped back suddenly. AS ne
id SO his heel trod upon something
oft. Suddenly the room was flooded
nth a bright white light. Britches
asped and looked behind him.
"YoI stepped on my corn" growled
voice in his ear. 1t was the voice of
very big man. This big man placed
is hand upon Mr.. Bellman's shoulder.
hen Bellman looked in front Of him.
wo other men were looking on, smok-
lg cigars. They wore blue uniforms
nd brass buttons. They smiled on /
Bellman. /
rs this the gentleman said one, {
reilly, who has no use for evidencee." I
Gilman gasped again. THE bank" |
lid another, has been a-watchin' you
IF two days; they wanted to stop you, |
ut We wanted you to go on, until you ]
the-the job" /
"Gee!" gasped Bellman, holding out I
is wrists, 81 finished it, all right. 4
A Cheerful Loser. !
"Hardluck is surely tae most patient 4