The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-03-09
Valentine ana Avery laughed /. ~,

Valentine and Avery laughed = thslr
superior knowledge.
mo. no." protested valentins. this
photograph proves was at ban
Quet In st. Paul. I'll beat Doyle and
ri make him like it."
"You can't" was Avesy's pessimis-
t1c comment.
"You said we couldn't 60 square,
any of us. and We all have" was Val
entine's rejoinder. And II we can
beat the thing inside Of US that calls
W can beat one man that hunts"
A clerk knocked at the door and en-
tered to ascertain II he should now
bring in trayful of cash which Val
sutine was to count. He was ordered
b do so at once. and Avery's face be-
came study as the young man soon
re-entered with a tray on which new
banknotes Of large denominations were
piled among glistening rows Of gold
coin.
'+Great snakes, what a chancey ex-
claimed the one time thief. looking
! from Valentine to the Waterman.
This is no place for me. oh. just for
one grab and the quick getaway!
He mopped his wrinkled brow. I'm
sweating like a polar bear on the
Fourth of July" ...r
Haven't got it out Of your blood
yet, eh?' asked Valentine.
mot the craving for real money. l
harmed to let the wheat In the grain
elevator alone after a month or two,
but coarse money like that-wow!'
The old man stared fascinatedly at
the enticing tray. a ..4s. &stg.
"Well, we watched each other for
awhile" commented Red. pointing to
~ chief.
"And amt neither Of you ever
0atched even one bundle?" asked
Ayay incredulously. ..,, . BE-.
mo"
"Well, you better get me out of
here. I'm going to have lockjaw in
both hands in a minute" He reached
Or his hat and stick.
"No you're not" put In Valentine.
Come on. Red" he said. walking to
the vault room door. Pm going to
prove to Bill that he's honest. He's
Roing to watch that money till we
come back"
Avery cried out In protest. but Red
followed his superior. and the time
worn thief. who had confessed to his
friends the weakness that he we'll
knew yet lurked within him. was left
alone in the banking Office before
tray containing $4,000 in cash. With
h reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which it was
but a few seconds dash to the busy
street. where a man would immediate
b be lost to view in the passing
thfong.
Its dirty trick. muttered the old
nan, starting after the others. A shaft
q yellow light reflected from one Of
the golden coins caught his eye, drove
into his very brain, into the thin red
Mood that coursed through his hard
sning veins. He stopped. he turned
full around and slowly. with hands
eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to
the table bearing the precious burden.
Hi brows narrowed down over his
pale gray eyes, his fingers long talons
In their curved dxedness. began to
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away Of sudden. He straight
ened himself up and started toward the
vault room door to summon Valentine.
But even as he did 80 his glance roved
back to the alluring tray. He was
drawn to it as the nerveless rabbit
that succumbs to the tnsidious charm
Of the osciIlating head of the hungry
python.
He stepped to the tray. He seized
two packages Of hundred dollar bills.
thrust them into his pockets. then
clutched two more The fever had
him His eyes shone with the fire of
gone days and gone nights. His poi
ooned blood sang through his veins.
Then he stopped once more. He raised
his head.
"And have the coppers after me
again." he murmured thoughtfully. He
hid down package. And double
cross pal that put me straight. Not
-. not mer' He replaced the re-
mainder of the money. "And coin that
comes crooked never was any good
Avery stood before the tray Of mon
q. Now he looked at the tempting
fortune with the sure knowledge that
b had conquered-that he had faced
- greatest test and had not been
found wanting.
The thought Of how narrowly he
hid escaped committing the meanest
crime Of his career came over him.
and he realized that he had been on
the verge Of plunging himself into the
death dealing life from which valen
tine had rescued him. Ungovernable
rage possessed him at his insane lapse
into the self that he had cast from
Nm. He swung his fist at the neatly
sacked piles of gold pieces
Course you. curse your he cried in
frenzy. The tray and it's contents
crashed to the floor and the money
scattered in all directions