Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

appeal cut short the revealing words. And
the next moment the big fellow had squeezed
his heavy bulk in between the miner and the
shrinking figure But-but why? My God!
why, how could youths son-how could
you do it,
"The man was actually stammering. His
granite like features had softened until it
seemed to me as if he sought and hoped to
find some palllating circumstance or reason
for the crime that would make it the least
bit excusable or explainable. The change
in manner was quick and subtle; yet saw
that the others noticed it too.
"The car Jared forward as the porter
opened the door. Yves gwine way FIN
hyarn he sang joyfully. The miner slammed
it shut with an oath and, boiling it, sat down.
A ND presently there came a line of talk
from the big man such as | had never
heard in all my life. He played on that young
fellow like flute; he ran the whole gamut of
human emotions. | think he played on the
rest of us too a bit. 1t was not long before
the whole thing came out, little by little.
at was the old, pitiful story,-the weak
man married to the brainless, extravaganza
woman; the petulant unreasoning why's,
and. worst of all, the interminable nagging;
of the sure tip on the horse that lost by an
the first theft good by means of another;
then desperation and opportunity coming at
the same time.
at seems that, substituting for the paying
teller, he had simply slipped into his pocket
all the biggest notes he could get and set the
timelock on the vault to open Monday, two
days and three nights away. The young
fellow explained it all, and it did look too
easy.
II II.
demanded incredulously, that paying tellers
in banks can do that?'
ayes, the big fellow commented; even
the widows and the fatherless have to put
their trust in some single person.
"Oh, God, I'm sick!' the tortured man
gasped. And then the tears-a torrent of
them came. 1t was rather CHASTITY, the near
ness of 1.-THE stolen money, the thief, and
all of us close together in this small room.
felt a bit weak and sick myself. 1t was queer
but found it hard to look away from the
floor until the big man spoke.
Veil, what are you going to do about
it, There was somehow such an undertone
expectancy in his voice that was not bit
when the young chap replied, / am going
And be plnched anyhow, the miner
You re foolish. Why not send it'back by e.
skidoo?'
az am going back, tell youl the other
was In search OF information that | came in
"The big fellow rose and resumed his Sc
window there. Is that straight-on the
demanded, with return of the bullying mar
and then strange thing happened. s,
young fellows expressed intention to do the
had the effect of stiffening his backbone, som
he leaned forward over the table, his sleeple
eyes narrowed to burning Sits of anger, and
tormentor in the peculiarly offensive way of
accustomed to the use of bad language. l loo
big fellow to see how he would take it. But
as well have been a stone image for all the eff
save that he smiled slightly and nodded as if
himself, Now I'm beginning to believe you
THE flow of abuse was cut short by the /
when he reached past me and jerked tt
man by the sleeve. How much money do ye
bank besides that?' he inquired, pointing to
oh, don't want to rub it in on you,' he a
quiet insstence.
About two thousand dollars, the other
hesitatingly.
"'Well, now listen the racing man went on
know much about this banking game; but, as
to have got hold of that money so easy, coul
1T hack without anyone knOwinp all this IF "