The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-05
Converting Il Parent
BY MARVIN DANA
BY MARVIN DANA.


] the car was now starting on its last
| trip until after dinner but by this
time the major part of San Baratos'
population had already reached the
| hotel. AS the car rounded the curve
toward the incline Arthur leaned over
the gate and cast a lingering glance in
| the direction OF the Lathrop home,
standing quiet in the golden sunlight
amidst its well-kept grounds. II was
hard TO feel that his success was in
reality a barrier between himself and
Alice.
What that old gentleman needs"
murmured Arthur between set teeth,
us a change of heart. Ne needs to be
converted to modern ideas. He's a
clam. a barrier in the progress of san
Baratos. that's what he isl
At I o'clock Henry Lathrop sat
alone in the bank, looking over some
papers. He was always the last to
leave, as we'll as the first TO arrive
This was not entirely a matter of
habit and sentiment. but of necessity,
for he alone beside Mr.. Hall, the
! president, knew the combination of
! the great vault The vault now stood
open, for he had just entered it in
search OF the papers. The blue cur
tains, with their bands of bright gold
had been pulled down promptly at 8
| o'clock, but Mr.. Lathrop suddenly
realized that a shadow heavier than
that cast by curtains had come be-
tween him and the light
Very stealthily the door had been
opened, and as quickly and stealthiiy
closed. Toward the absorbed cashier,
two STOPPING forms had crept on
noiseless shoes. until they rose sud-
denly in front of the low screen that
separated them from the cashier.
Then, as Lathrop looked up, one of
the men raised heavy stick and
struck sharply, fiercely over the
screen.
The blow struck the cashier square
" on the head. He reeled back into
his chair and one man darted through
the door which divided the counting
room from the corridor where Gus
toners filed past the various windows.
The other bounded over the broken
screen. Lathrop in a moment of re-
turning consciousness. made an in
stinCtiVe movement toward the draw
er where a loaded pistol always lay,
but another blow and another rang
upon the cashiers skull, and he fell
an inert mass with blood oozing slow
ly from his head to the rug in front
of his desk.
At o'clock Alice Lathrop, clad
in trim. dark-green riding habit and
a natty white sailor, stood on the up
per step of the porch, looking anxious
~ down the tree-lined avenue. II
had been a long, hard day for the
girl, and her fathers suggestion to
join her on a horseback ride at 1
o'clock had promised the one relief
in the dragging hours. They were TO
ride over to San Gabriel and have
dinner with Cousin Alice Murray, and
already the Chinese man-of-all work
had tied her fathers horse and her
own pony to the post. and had seated
himself patiently on the block to await
the coming of his master.
Alice could not understand the de-
lay. Her father was the soul of pune
tuality. She was not alarmed, only
vexed. She glanced at her waist,
where a tiny watch was inset in her
bracelet. Four fifteen, said the little
timepiece. She sprang to her pony's
back, and Ching Lee woke up.
Give me Kings bride" she said,
imperiously, land 1 will lead him
down to the bank. No doubt some
silly men are keeping father, and the
sight of the horses will drive them
away"
She dismounted at the bank. sur