Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-12-25

WleD COFrlgan, cashier Oh huS isl
National bank, was called upon
through letter from Humpty Jackson
to deliver up $4,000 or suffer the
consequences at the hands OF a safe
cracking, blackmailing gang, he sim.
ply threw the threat into the waste
basket. However. he did not dismiss
the matter from his mind.
The only preparation he made Was
TO send a messenger boy out TO the
nearest hardware store for revolver
and box Of cartridges. These he
concealed in the corner OF his desk,
out of the sight OF the clerks.
When Corrigan went out to lunch
he stepped out of his accustomed
route to note the doings CT a crew of
gas laborers. He did not remember
having received from the gas company
a notice Of any improvements they
were going TO make, or of any break
in the pipes. He fingered only a min
ute, and then hurried on to the lunch
room.
The cashier was still at work after
all the other employees of the Office
had gone home, not an unnatural
thing, to await the coming of the
night watchman.
AS the clock tick its way on to-
ward six, Ccrrigan got up and looked
out through the bar windows. The
crew of gas men were shutting about
in the yellow earth.
In the skyscraper OF offices across
the areaway, slightly above the level
of the window from which the bank
er was looking, was the office OF
Steele, the real estate dealer. AT a
desk near his windw, busily ponde~-
ing over some papers, sat a clean.
shaven man. Corrigan had just no.
ticed this when the telephone bell
rang.
He turned to the receiver on his
desk. 1t was natural that his wife
should be calling him up at this time
to learn when he would be home for
dinner.
But it was mans and not her
voice that came over the line.
Hello! Corrigan CT the First Ma.
tional?"
Yes" ssa
This is Humpty Jackson. You 70.
ceived my letter in which asked you
for twenty thousand dollars, and you
threw it into the waste basket. | saw
you do it. You don't seem to think
l need the money. Well, I've Just call.
ed up to let you know that want Il
right away.
"Ycu neglected to read the P. s.
that ] wrote ON the back OF that let
ter. I'll give you just one minute 10
dig the letter out of the basket and
read that. might add that there Is
a two-quart can of nitro glycerine un.
der your feet at this very time. and
if you remain away from the phone
more than a minute ] shall press the
button that will make you forget just
how many shares you own OF the Con.
solidated Gingerbread stock.
THE gas crew that you saw at work
~ q l"-N va my S"n private COIAi lfduft
who have taken the pleasure of put.
ting under you 5o-foot leap into the
air. Now / shall begin to count the
seconds while you do your duty"
Wha. Corrigan read in the r. S.
brought tAs blood into his face, and
The perspiration 70 his brow.
Another second, said Humpty
Jackson derisively, and you. my dear
banker would have been relieved OF
all YOUR care
Twenty Thousand is what need,
and | shall give you jIst FIVE minutes
TO get Cat Of the bank AS you pass
by the ditch which my men dug to-
day, you can drop Il into that and
you needt mind about looking back,
for my trasty might think you had
changed your mind, and be might