Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1911-12-07

John Williams awoke with a terri
BILE headache ne had q dfre remern-
brance OF having been the night before
with two friends of his, Borland and
Tucker. of taking q number OF
drinks and smoking a large quanti
| fyy 0e cigars. Suddenly he remember
ed something else. He and his friends
had been discussing the various ways
criminals gave themselves away. VII
liams had wondered why they did so
| averring that he would suppose every
faculty they possessed would be call
ed out TO shield them from detection
and punishment
This is as far as Williams remem.
bered- From that time the liquor he
had taken affected him so far that he
had no recollection OF what had trans
pired. He did not even know how he
had got 10 bed The experience was
a novel one TO him. for he had never
been Intoxicated before He was EN-
ployed In bank and SO trusted was
he that he was made n keeper OF the
safe lock combination in order that
when the cashier was absent the
funds might be available .. ....
Something under Williams pillow
rendered his head uncomfortable
Putting his hand there to discover
what It was. he pulled out an oblong
parcel done up in brown paper. lie
| opened IL and was surprised to see a
package OF bank bills. Then he re
membered something more. He had
made a bet with Tucker that he would
take a sum OF money from the ba INK
keep It n, month. meanwhile proceed
ing wfth his duties at the institution
without betrayinG his secret Then
the party had gone to the bank. VII
liams had opened the safe and bad
taken the InoiIcy .-.. ~.
All this he recalled while looking AT
the package and was Mortified at wba,
he had done If detected what avail
would 1t be for Borland and Tucker tO
swear that the money had been taken
on a bet and was TO be returned7 he
was HI liS loSitIou vi u TIE
FIRST thought was TO telephone to the
Dank that be was iii and would noi
be thara th~e S1<ly- nut the lnSs would
be discovered. md his absence would
cause suspicion that he had taken the
money. No; he must get up and 60
to the bank as usual He plunged Into
cold bath. dressed. drank n cup of
coffee and, leaving the bills locked in
an old trunk in storeroOm, went to
face the officers and clerks Of the bank
Meanwhile he had been thinking
that he would onfess the whole az
fair wouid he be believed? Would
1t not be considered that he had com
mitted the theft. become frightened at
what he Ind done md made up this
story to save himself? His two
friends would testify for him, but al
most any one would help n fellow on
OF such a Ak. and their testirnon )
would be taken with n grain OF salt
No; his only hope was to carry out
the conditions OF bis bet successfully
He entered the bank. assuming as
careless an air as he could command
Nothing seemed aniss with those as
sembled. there Williams sat down at
his desk and went to work. About II
o'clock he was called into the presi
dents Office where he found the cash
fer. both officers showing by their de
meanor that the loss had been dis
covered.
ME Williams" said the president
"$S. 900 In bills Is missing from tlIe
safe. You and Mr.. suvers. the cashErr
and one other are the only ones vii,
know the combination Of the safe lock
I am not going TO accuse you OF tax
ing this money. I simply wish Il
hear what yctl have to say about tht
| matter"
Williams. whose heart was In hi,
| throat. denied any knowledge Of how
| the theft could have been effected. Ht
| looked frightened. but that was 10 O.,
| expected. The president. after stud
ing his face carefully. dismissed him
| Williams went back 10 his desk ands
misery. AS TO doing his work tha
| was impossible. what he tried TO d.
be blundered over. After an INTERN M
BILE day OF wretchedness ne went HON
and to his room and fell on his be-
with a grOan. .ff
"If |, who am really innocent O
| wrong" he said. "am so affected b.
my position. what must be the state o
a real criminaI!" q u ~
There was no sleep for William am
that night. He dreaded to go TO ID,
banklthat aas and dare not rernah
away. He went to his desk at the "a
nj hour, and as be sat down. though b.
looked at no one and no one looked n
him. he felt that a battery Of eyes va
npon him. Dnrins the day a trifie q
comfort came 10 him. since he wa
treated by all In the bank with IN
same friendliness as before the rob
bery But there was steady wea
upon his nerves. and when he reache
his room DE fe't tilnt be bai lost mud
ground on this first day OF his trial.
He now knew that be could na
stand the strain for thirty days nd
for half that time. he must Gnd
way TO return the money. covering hi
tracks at the Same time He was :
unstrung that he could not, dare nc
use any method that occurred 10 him
On the ffth day he went to the pres
f6ent and confessed that be had bee
tempted to steal the money, making n
mention OF bis bet f
4 .ww~A- u 4 81