The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-04-13

It lacked but a few minutes Of clos
inng time In the Bank OF Leone.
There had been no untoward trend Of
affairs during the day and Howard
Dudley, the young cashier and owner,
was even humming little tune, al
though the events Of the preceding
days had not been especially con
duciYe 10 cheerfulness
with the opening Of the street door
the song died on bis lips and he was
conscious OF turning pale. There
stood his heaviest deposltor, old Dr.
Grimely, and the froWnlng face told
only too plainly that the long-expected
and feared was at hand-the deposit
was to be Withdrawn. The old man
went 10 the desk, wrote a check with
vicious stabs Of the pen and showed
It through the wicket to Dudley
Guess I'd better take It out" he re-
marked. sourly: mo telling what you
money sharks are up to"
Just as you like. doctor" replied
the cashier, cheerfully, although his
knees we're quaking.
Leone was a small village, 26 miles
from the city, and for many years ex-
listed without 4 bank Three years be-
fore Howard Dudley had gone there
and invested all Of his small fortune
ii establishing the Bank Of Leone.
Being a genial fellow. he soon became
popular With the town people and the
bank sprang rapidly into favor, the
deposits aggTegatlng a very sausfac-
tory sum- Then came the panic and
worrying days and sleepless nights
for the young banker.
From the FIRST Dudley felt conf
dent that he could sustain the bank,
providing Dr. Grimely did not with
draw bis heavy deposit ali at one
time. But Grimely was erratic and
peevish and with every opening Of the
door for days Dudley had expected
the blow
The Grimely check was for $4,000,
and there was no denying that It
made a big hole In the available cash
Of the institution. Studying the sltu-
alton, the conviction was forced upon
Dudley that the end was near at hand.
In the ordinary course Of business, he
could hardly hope to sustain the bank
during another day.
To add to the difficulty, Duckworth
& Jackson. the stock dealers, were
to receive hogs on the day following,
and would check heavily from their &C.
count to the farmers. Too, It was not
difficult to conjecture what effect
Grimely's action might have upon nu.
merous small depositors, should 1t be.
come generally known, as was likely.
Soon after closing the bank for the
night, Dudley went out to walk in the
open air and to try to think. If the
bank defaulted. all his savings would
be swept away and he would be a
ruined man. The stigma Of the fail
ure and long train Of delays and loss
70 creditors would inevitably attach
70 him, no matter how honest and
righteous his management. It was an
alternative from which any honest
man might shrink with every fiber Of
mis- being,
Mingled with his bitter reflections,
too. we're the dashing Of hopes which
had hardly taken form in his mind.
lie had toiled hard during his early
business years for capital and ex-
perience and had lived a rather cheer
Iess and comfortless life. With his
bank securely established, he had
hopes to end It all, and visions Of a
cottage home presided over by a
dark-haired. llmpld-eyed glrl-wife pro
truded themselves oftlmes into his
ledgers and accounts.
Like hunted creature, the young
banker drove his mind into every ave
nue offering possible escape. liz
must have 10000; but among tli
business and personal friends he coulC
not think Of one who would have th'
Willingness and ability to come to hi
rescue with such an amount of readl
cash
One thought, Offering possible Sc
luton. presented itself persistently
only 70 be as persistently rejected
Again and again It returned to the dis
fracted man. Finally. from turning
over in bis mind as sort Of menta
relaxation, he came to consider It ser
ouslJ. and at last sought TO devils
means Of utilizing It.
In tne city, 26 miles away. lived tn
owner Of the dark hair and limpid eye
Of his day dreams Ethel Leigh wa
an orphan and quite wealthy by II
heritanee. II had come to Dudley
knowledge, In business way, that sh
kept considerable sums Of money
safety deposit vaults, preferring tn;
70 Investments.
should he appeal, in his extremit
10 Miss Leigh? They were little moi
than good friends. True, Dudle
called whenever In the city, and the
exchanged rather cordial letters reg
Iarly. Perhaps affairs would hay