The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-06-08

coin.
Great snakes, what chance!" 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 wrlnkIed brow. I'm
sweating like polar bear on the
Fourth Of July"
Haven't got it out of your blood
yet, eh?" asked Valentine.
mot the craving for real money.
learned to let the wheat in the grain
elevator alone after month or two,
but coarse money like that-wow!'
The old man stared fascinatedly at
the endcing tray.
"Well. we watched each other for
awhile" commented Red, pointing to
his chief.
"And amt neither OF you ever
snatched even one bundle2" asked
Avery incredulously.
NO"
"Wen. you better get me out of
here. I'm going to have lockjaw in
both hands in minute" He reached
for his hat and stick.
mo. you're not" put in Valentine.
"Come on, Red" he said, walking to
the vault room door. I'm going to
prove to Bill that he's honest. He's
going 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 well
knew yet lrked within him, was left
alone in the banking Office before a
tray containing $4,000 in cash. With
In reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which it was
but a few seconds dash to the busy
street, where man would Immediate
sly be lost to view in the passing
throng.
"Ies dirty trick" muttered the old
man, starting after the others. A shaft
of yellow light reflected from one Of
the golden coins caught his eye, drove
Into his very brain, into the thin red
blood that coursed through his hard.
ening veins. He stopped. he turned
full around and slowly. with hands
eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to
the table bearing the precious burden.
His brows narrowed down over his
i pale gray eyes, his fingers, long talons
in their curved fixedness, began to
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away of a sudden. He straight
ened himself up and started toward the
vault room door to summon Valentine
But even as he did so his glance roved
back to the alluring tray. He was
drawn to it us the nerveless rabbit
that succumbs TO the insidious charm
of the oscillating 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
I gone days and gone nights. His poi
soned 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
laid down n package. "And double
cross a pal that put me straight Not
me, not me" he replaced the re.
mainder of the money. "And coin that
comes crooked never was any good"
Avery stood before the tray of mon
ey. Now he looked at the tempting
fortune with the sure knowledge that
he had conquered-that he had faced
his greatest test and had not been
found wanting.
The thought Of how narrowly he
had 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
him. He swung his fist at the neatly
stacked piles Of gold pieces.
Curse you. curse your he cried in
frenzy. The tray and its contents
crashed to the floor and the money
scattered in all directions.
Valentine and Red. hearing the noise,
came rushing in from the vault room.
They saw the floor Uttered with bank
notes and coins And crouching for.
lornly in chair was the figure of old
Bill Avery. His hands were pressed
over his eyes. and he sobbed in the
agony that sripped the soul which had
been restored to him.
CHAPTER XIII.