The sun., 1908-05-03
THE THEFT OF
/ HALF A MILLION,
Gentleman George and Smithcrs
Find Themselves Not So Badly
'" Off After All.

With the clutch Of grim deaf TO drownd-
log straw pulled card from the sscit
records Of the Chorakter Surety Company.
Nhich large and ne he'd taken over 10 our
own devices With malice pretence 1t was
tuss 10 degree, reading as follows
Acker, Burton T.-kill policy OF. as man
Gger Of the Safety Deposit Arcanum He
Il the mysterious y !. Z. who dropped
half = million specuIatuz through the failed
Argent Bank. No private means ENtrsva-
gant wife. salary 5000. Undivided re-
Eponsibility. No vacations
Reads like directory boord to the road
10 ruin, / REFLECTED; but Gentleman George
linggold kept immussed in the morning
rsper had prggcd from the arey Of the
Louise mkt door,
Prisptly he popped out his head, like
f.age hand signallin TO the leader Of the
crchestry, and read this item. which had
boosted his booming fancy.
significant consequence Of the panic was
the widespread boarding Of money by tho
f'gh. n Il confidently estimated that more
than two hundred and fity millions Of reserve
IAoney Was locked NJ m the safety deposit
vaults of New YORK city from this Cause.
Deserve money? That must be the kind
Vs haven't got, large"
'Ah, but We have. or a very good imita.
ton Of II, that package Of the queer that
old Benny the counterfeters widow gave
US for chipping in on his funeral expenses,
a bad auarter-millyun in gold certificate
HUNDREDS. What's the matter with my
rlrhinR a box for its keep at the Safety
Deposit Arcanum?'
$50 that Acker might swipe il also?'
80 that he might try, perhaps. II wud
serve as an introduction which might lead
TO an intimacy and thince on To-
The boneyard -
But large was in the saddle, his eye on
the gold and not 10 be swlvved from his
coorse he Prudences piping voice. He
srmt the rist of the day and also Of our cash
in perfictinga an outfit; and the next morning,
with me A. his heels, he inferred the Safety
Deposit Arcanum and sent to the manager
his card, bearin' this open all-the-samee
in3cripshun: Capt. Ralph Gaunt. X. n,
United Service Club. W. g."
An instant later we were ushered into the
private Office where Mr. Burton 7. Acker
did his hard thinking.
de had been doin' lot Of II lately. there
oud be no doubt OF that There were bag.
gtFd lines on his comely, well fed face, and
d0Tk shades around his bloodshot eyes.
which yet had hopeful light in thin To
rte eIputt gar he was sailin' clus 10 Screech-
ing Point, with wind shiftin' 20 shore
But VT he received us cortylsly. telling
the Capting that he had heard Of him often
which wss more'D ] had-and asking how
Ks might ohlige.
~I1i tell you explained large easily.
Il had trife OF public money 20 my credit
In the banks here, you know. about sivinty
tousand pund, and with all this furry
on change got bit worried. you know.
So drew out livery bloomin guinea in your
gold notes, and want you 10 let me a box
where / can stow IL away right and tight
until the clouds blow over and. the waters
20 down. Here. Smithers. where is that
paokage1 And II | might trouble you. cir,
Tor q tribe Of waK2'
And thin. while he Strengthened the
Fapper, Ghowin' . glimmer Of crisp new
5llsTbsckt within, and tightened the string
pd sealed down the knots. large explained |
bat be was detailed on a secret mission !
khich might detain him In this country |
~ some time.
Attsr; the prelminartes we're over and